For three days the stranger disappeared, and no one knew what had become of him, but when at the end of that time, he reappeared, he brought the dress with him. It was made entirely of the stars of heaven as Maria had demanded, and was so beautiful and shining that it was a joy to the eyes to see it.
Maria was dismayed to find he had so easily performed this first task, but she dissembled and tried to appear delighted with the gift; but she took the first opportunity she could find to steal away to the forest to visit her godmother. She told the fairy that her suitor had been able to perform the first task, and bring her the dress of stars, and when the fairy heard this she looked very grave.
“This is a bad business,” said she. “Still there are two more tasks that you are to set him, and for the next one tell him he must bring you a dress woven entirely of moonbeams. This will be even more difficult for him to procure than the other, and it may be that he will fail to get it.”
Maria promised to do as the fairy advised her, and then stole back to her home again.
The next day the suitor came to visit her again, and he looked as happy as though the marriage day were already set.
“What is the next task that I am to perform?” he asked. “You see however difficult the thing is I am not only willing but able to perform it.”
“I would like,” said Maria di Legno, “a dress woven entirely of moonbeams.”
As soon as the magician heard that his look changed, and he cast upon her a terrible glance.
“Someone has told you to ask for that,” he cried. “However, you shall have it, but you must give me three days in which to procure it, as you did before.”