The prince went home to his servants, and said:
“Now is your chance to prove your worth. You must find me a ring that lies at the bottom of the sea.”
“I will see where it lies,” said the keen-sighted one; and suddenly he shouted: “There it is; it lies on a rock at the bottom of the waves!”
“I would soon fetch it, if I could see it,” said the long man.
“I can arrange that,” chimed in the fat one, and he lay down beside the sea and began to drink.
And he drank and drank till the sea disappeared, and the bottom lay stretched out before them as dry as a meadow. Then the long man took one stride, and picked up the ring and brought it to the prince.
The old queen was very much surprised to see the ring, but she concealed her annoyance, and, leading the youth to the window, said:
“In yonder field a hundred fat oxen are feeding. You must eat them all before noon, and, in case you are thirsty, you must drink the contents of the hundred casks of wine that are in the cellar.”
“Certainly,” said the youth, cheerfully. “But I should like to invite a friend to eat with me.”
“Oh, by all means,” replied the old hag, with a smile.