ed until his mother was in bed, and put on a
dress finer than the first, and so rich as to astonish, and away to the
ball! When she arrived all began to gaze at her, for they had never seen
anything more beautiful. All the handsomest young men surround her and
ask her to dance; but she would have nothing to do with any one but her
master. He again asked her who she was, and she said she would tell him
later. They danced and danced, and all at once she disappeared. Her
master ran here and there, asked one and another, but no one could tell
him where she had gone. He returned home and told his mother all that
had passed. She said to him: "Do you know what you must do? Take this
diamond ring, and when she dances with you give it to her; and if she
takes it, it is a sign that she loves you." She gave him the ring. The
servant listened, saw everything, and was silent.

In the evening the master prepared for the ball and the servant again
asked him to take her, and again he beat her. He went to the ball, and
after midnight, as before, the beautiful lady returned more beautiful
than before, and as usual would dance only with her master. At the right
moment he took out the diamond ring, and asked her if she would accept
it. She took it and thanked him, and he was happy and satisfied.
Afterward he asked her again who she was and where from. She said that
she was of that country

That when they speak of going to a ball,
They are beaten on the head;

and said no more. At the usual hour she stopped dancing and departed. He
ran after her, but she went like the wind, and reached home without his
finding out where she went. But he ran so in all directions, and was in
such suffering, that when he reached home he was obliged to go to bed
more dead than alive. Then he fell ill and grew worse every day, so that
all said he would die. He did nothing but ask his mother and every one
if they knew anything of that lady, and that he would die if he did not
see her. The servant heard everything; and one day, when he was very
ill, what did she think of? She waited until her mistress' eye was
turned, and dropped the diamond ring in the broth her master was to eat.
No one saw her, and his mother took him the broth. He began to eat it,
when he felt something hard, saw something shine, and took it out....
You can imagine how he looked at it and recognized the diamond ring!
They thought he would go mad. He asked his mother if that was the r