A year passes very quickly when one has no care or trouble, and is enjoying life. But the White Cat knew when the Prince should return home, and reminded him, saying, "Don't you know you have only three days to look for the little dog for your father, and that your brothers will have found the most beautiful?"
Then the Prince came to himself, and cried, "By what charm have you made me forget what is so important? Where shall I find the dog, and a horse swift enough for such a journey?" And he was in great distress.
The White Cat comforted him, however, saying that the wooden horse would take him to his journey's end sufficiently quickly, and that she would herself also provide the little dog; then she handed to him a walnut, saying, "Put your ear to this shell and you will hear him barking."
So the Prince met his brothers, and they came into the King's presence.
The two elder sons had brought little dogs so delicate and small that one hardly dared to touch them, and none could decide which should have the kingdom. Then the youngest took from his pocket the nut the Cat had given to him, and there was seen a little dog so tiny that it could go through a ring without touching it; he was also able to dance, and play the castanets, while his ears touched the ground. The King was embarassed, for it was impossible to find a flaw in this lovely little creature.
However as he did not desire to part with his crown, he declared that they had succeeded so well in their first quest that now he should like them to search, by land and sea, for a piece of linen so fine that it would pass through the eye of a very small needle.
Then the three Princes set out once more, but the youngest mounted his wooden horse and repaired at once to the White Cat, who was rejoiced to see him, and the second year passed by as the first had done.