ich she gave him to eat. In the
night he dreamed that he was living in the forest and could understand
all that the birds said to each other. Next morning he told this to the
maidens, and they said that the charmed cake had caused it, and advised
him to listen well to the birds, and see what they could tell him, and
when he had recovered his bride they begged him to return and deliver
them from their wretched bondage.

Having promised this, he joyfully returned home, and as he was riding
through the forest he could perfectly understand all that the birds
said. He heard a thrush say to a magpie: "How stupid men are! they
cannot understand the simplest thing. It is now quite a year since the
maiden was transformed into a water-lily, and, though she sings so sadly
that anyone going over the bridge must hear her, yet no one comes to
her aid. Her former bridegroom rode over it a few days ago and heard her
singing, but was no wiser than the rest."

"And he is to blame for all her misfortunes," added the magpie. "If he
heeds only the words of men she will remain a flower for ever. She
were soon delivered were the matter only laid before the old wizard of
Finland."

After hearing this, the Prince wondered how he could get a message
conveyed to Finland. He heard one swallow say to another: "Come, let us
fly to Finland; we can build better nests there."

"Stop, kind friends!" cried the Prince. "Will you do something for me?"
The birds consented, and he said: "Take a thousand greetings from me
to the wizard of Finland, and ask him how I may restore a maiden
transformed into a flower to her own form."

The swallows flew away, and the Prince rode on to the bridge. There he
waited, hoping to hear the song. But he heard nothing but the rushing of
the water and the moaning of the wind, and, disappointed, rode home.

Shortly after, he was sitting in the garden, thinking that the swallows
must have forgotten his message, when he saw an eagle flying above him.
The bird gradually descended until it perched on a tree close to the
Prince and said: "The wizard of Finland greets thee and bids me say that
thou mayest free the maiden thus: Go to the river and smear thyself all
over with mud; then say: 'From a man into a crab,' and thou wilt become
a crab. Plunge boldly into the water, swim as close as thou canst to the
water-lily's roots, and loosen them from the mud and reeds. This done,
fasten thy claws into the roots and rise with them