As he said the words, the old man was changed into a black Poodle, with a gold chain round his neck; and the scullions brought live coals, which he had to eat till the flames poured out of his mouth.
The Prince stayed on at the castle for a time, thinking of his mother, and wondering if she were still alive. At last he said to the Maiden, ‘I am going into my own country. If you like you can go with me; I will take you.’
She answered: ‘Alas! it is so far off, and what should I do in a strange country where I know no one?’
As she did not wish to go, and yet they could not bear to be parted, he changed her into a beautiful Pink, which he took with him.
Then he set out on his journey, and the Poodle was made to run alongside till the Prince reached his own country.
Arrived there, he went straight to the tower where his mother was imprisoned, and as the tower was so high he wished for a ladder to reach the top. Then he climbed up, looked in, and cried, ‘Dearest mother, lady Queen, are you still alive?’
She, thinking it was the Angels who brought her food come back, said, ‘I have just eaten; I do not want anything more.’
Then he said, ‘I am your own dear son whom the wild animals were supposed to have devoured; but I am still alive, and I shall soon come and rescue you.’
Then he got down and went to his father. He had himself announced as a strange Huntsman, anxious to take service with the King, who said, ‘Yes; if he was skilled in game preserving, and could procure plenty of venison, he would engage him. But there had never before been any game in the whole district.’
The Huntsman promised to procure as much game as the King could possibly require for the royal table.