King Neptune remained silent for a time. At last he put his hand in his great pocket and said with a sigh:
"Here is a golden apple. It was to be a present to my wife. But it will be of greater use to this poor Snake Prince."
"Thank you, thank you," cried Mary Louise, and running hastily back to the garden she stood before the poor miserable snake.
"Here is the magic golden apple," she cried in a glad voice. No sooner had the serpent eaten the apple, than, all of a sudden, just as he swallowed the last piece, he changed into a handsome prince and all his retainers and servants who were snakes, you remember, regained their human form.
"Now you shall have whatever is in my power to grant," said the prince, "even if you ask for my castle."
"I will take nothing from you," replied generous little Mary Louise, "unless you wish to give me the ring you wear on your finger."
"It is yours," said the prince. "May you always wear it and remember me."
The Magic Seeds
Little Mary Louise placed the ring upon her finger and then bidding the Prince good-by turned her steps as she thought, towards home. But she had gone but a short way when she came to a funny little dwarf tugging at a great sunflower, and every once in a while he'd shake the stalk until down would come a shower of black seeds, which he put in a small basket.