By the bright glow of the fire they opened the cask and found that it did indeed hold wine. They tasted it and found it very good, and soon they were once more as gay as the maiden could wish.
Then suddenly the fisherman grew grave, grieving for him who had lost the cask.
'Nay, grieve not,' said the knight, 'I will seek for the owner and repay him for his loss when I come again to my castle at Ringstetten.'
The fisherman smiled and was content.
Undine, however, was angry with the knight. 'It is foolish,' said she, 'to talk of seeking for the owner of the cask. Were you lost in the search I should weep. Would you not rather stay by my side?'
'Yes, and that do you right well know,' answered the knight.
'Then,' said the maiden, 'why should you speak of helping other people. It is but foolish talk.'
The foster-mother sighed as she listened to Undine's careless words, while the fisherman forgot his usual quiet and scolded her sharply.
'Your words are wild, and are such as no Christian maiden should utter,' he said. 'May God forgive both you and those who have allowed you thus to speak.'
'It is indeed true,' said Undine, 'that as I think I speak. Why, therefore, should you scold me for my words.'