"The ring has no price; I shall be contented with whatever you give me for it."
Then a great sum of money was paid to him, and he went his way. The Princess put the ring on her finger, and could not turn her eyes away from it, so charmed was she with its brilliancy. But four-and-twenty hours had not passed—it was just evening—when the poor girl uttered a terrible cry of anguish.
"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" sounded through the whole palace.
The King, the Queen, and all the ladies of the Court ran, white with terror, and with candles in their hands, to see what had happened.
"Take away your candles! Take them away! Take them away!" cried the Princess, beside herself with despair. "Do you not see that I have turned into cotton-wool?"
And her body had, indeed, suddenly changed into cotton-wool. The King and Queen were inconsolable at this terrible misfortune, and they at once summoned the wisest men of the kingdom to consult with them as to what was to be done in this extremity.
"Your Majesties," the councillors concluded, after long deliberation, "have it proclaimed in all countries that whoever restores your daughter may wed her."
And then messengers with drums and trumpets went round the whole kingdom and far beyond it, and proclaimed:—
"He who restores the Princess to health may become the King's son-in-law."
