atigue, he lay
down under a tree in a wood to eat his supper, when he heard two strange
birds with bright coloured plumage talking about him in the branches.
One of them said, "I know the silly wanderer under the tree, who has
already wandered about so much without finding a trace of what he wants.
He is searching for the lost ring of King Solomon." The other bird
replied, "I think he must seek the help of the Hell-Maiden,[72] who
would certainly be able to help him to find it. Even if she herself does
not possess the ring, she must know well enough who owns it now." The
first bird returned, "It may be as you say, but where can he find the
Hell-Maiden, who has no fixed abode, and is here to-day and there
to-morrow? He might as well try to fetter the wind." "I can't say
exactly where she is at present," said the other bird, "but in three
days' time she will come to the spring to wash her face, as is her
custom every month on the night of the full moon, so that the bloom of
youth never disappears from her cheeks, and her face never wrinkles with
age." The first bird responded, "Well, the spring is not far off; shall
we amuse ourselves by watching her proceedings?" "Willingly," said the
other.

The young man resolved at once to follow the birds and visit the spring;
but two difficulties troubled him. In the first place, he feared he
might be asleep when the birds set out; and secondly, he had no wings,
with which he could follow close behind them. He was too weary to lie
awake all night, for he could not keep his eyes open, but his anxiety
prevented him from sleeping quietly, and he often woke up for fear of
missing the departure of the birds. Consequently he was very glad when
he looked up in the tree at sunrise, and saw the bright-coloured birds
sitting motionless with their heads under their wings. He swallowed his
breakfast, and then waited for the birds to wake up. But they did not
seem disposed to go anywhere that morning; but fluttered about as if to
amuse themselves, in search of food, and flew from one tree-top to
another till evening, when they returned to roost at their old quarters.
On the second day it was just the same. However, on the third morning
one bird said to the other, "We must go to the spring to-day, to see the
Hell-Maiden washing her face." They waited till noon, and then flew away
direct towards the south. The young man's heart beat with fear lest he
should lose sight of his guides. But the birds