"'Ah,' said the man, 'here he is; now let us see if I am not right.'
"I must have fainted then, as I do not remember anything until I awoke to find myself imprisoned in the laurel tree.
"Late in the morning when the sun was high the Evil Magician, for of course it was he, and an old crone came past me on their way to the shore, but they did not find the ring, for the Evil Magician came back after a long time in a terrible rage and threatened me with instant death if I did not tell him where I had hidden it.
"I declared I had not hidden it. After promising me my freedom if I would tell him where it was, and trying every argument in his power to either coax or threaten me into letting him have it, he became furious, declared I should remain enchanted forever until I slowly drowned, and went off. I did not see him again.
"You may imagine my despair, and my boundless gratitude to Prince Daimur for releasing me from my enchantment."
"Rather," said Prince Daimur, "let us be thankful to the kind old fairy who gave me this wonderful cap and spectacles, for without them I should doubtless have been as helpless as yourself."
"But what do you suppose became of the ring?" asked Prince Redmond. "Do you think he could have found it after all?"
"I do not know, I am sure," answered his brother. "I do not see how it could have been hidden, for the water was shallow where I dropped it and it must have shown clearly in the sunlight. I heard them say they had searched under every stone for it."
Here the little white dove, Princess Maya, left her mother's side and came over to where Prince Tasmir sat.
"Prince Tasmir," she said, "I believe I have your ring. Early one morning my mother and I were flying from tree to tree and feeling rather brighter than usual, as we had not eaten any fruit since the day before.