“What dost thou want, old man?” asked the Tsar.
“Your majesty,” answered the Green One, “I have had a great loss. I was crossing the river in a boat, and I had with me a very handsome ruby ring that I was carrying with me to my master, who is also a Tsar. Unfortunately I lost the ring overboard, and I thought it might perchance have washed up on the shore and have been picked up by one of thy servants.”
“What was thy ring like?” asked the Tsar.
Then the pretended merchant described the Tsaritsa’s ring exactly.
The Tsar sent for his daughter, and she came with the ring on her finger, for she would not take it off, either night or day.
“Let me see thy ring,” said the Tsar.
He took her hand in his and examined the ring carefully, and it was in every respect exactly as the Green One had described it.
“Is this thy ring?” the Tsar asked of the merchant.
“Yes, your majesty, it is.”
“Then,” said the Tsar to his daughter, “it is right that thou shouldst return it to him.”