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〃Listen to me； though I don't know anything more
about you； I am willing to help you。 I will give you a ship
to take you back to your own country upon one condition。〃
〃Whatever it may be； I accept it willingly。〃
〃Follow me to my palace。〃
The minister's son followed the rich stranger； whom he
had not recognized。 When they reached the palace the
gardener's son made a sign to his slaves； who completely
undressed the new…comer。
〃Make this ring red…hot；〃 commanded the master； 〃and
mark the man with it upon his back。〃
The slaves obeyed him。
〃Now； young man；〃 said the rich stranger； 〃I am going
to give you a vessel which will take you back to your own
country。〃
And； going out； he took the bronze ring and said：
〃Bronze ring； obey thy master。 Prepare me a ship of
which the half…rotten timbers shall be painted black； let
the sails be in rags； and the sailors infirm and sickly。 One
shall have lost a leg； another an arm； the third shall be a
hunchback； another lame or club…footed or blind； and
most of them shall be ugly and covered with scars。 Go；
and let my orders be executed。〃
The minister's son embarked in this old vessel； and
thanks to favorable winds； at length reached his own
country。 In spite of the pitiable condition in which he
returned they received him joyfully。
〃I am the first to come back；〃 said he to the King；
now fulfil your promise； and give me the princess in
marriage。
So they at once began to prepare for the wedding
festivities。 As to the poor princess； she was sorrowful and
angry enough about it。
The next morning； at daybreak； a wonderful ship with
every sail set came to anchor before the town。 The King
happened at that moment to be at the palace window。
〃What strange ship is this；〃 he cried； 〃that has a
golden hull； silver masts； and silken sails； and who are the
young men like princes who man it？ And do I not see St。
Nicholas at the helm？ Go at once and invite the captain
of the ship to come to the palace。〃
His servants obeyed him； and very soon in came an
enchantingly handsome young prince； dressed in rich
silk； ornamented with pearls and diamonds。
〃Young man；〃 said the King； 〃you are welcome；
whoever you may be。 Do me the favor to be my guest as long
as you remain in my capital。〃
〃Many thanks； sire；〃 replied the captain； 〃I accept
your offer。〃
〃My daughter is about to be married；〃 said the King；
〃will you give her away？〃
〃I shall be charmed； sire。〃
Soon after came the Princess and her betrothed。
〃Why； how is this？〃 cried the young captain； 〃would
you marry this charming princess to such a man as that？〃
〃But he is my prime minister's son！〃
〃What does that matter？ I cannot give your daughter
away。 The man she is betrothed to is one of my servants。〃
〃Your servant？〃
〃Without doubt。 I met him in a distant town reduced
to carrying away dust and rubbish from the houses。 I
had pity on him and engaged him as one of my servants。〃
〃It is impossible！〃 cried the King。
〃Do you wish me to prove what I say？ This young man
returned in a vessel which I fitted out for him； an unsea…
worthy ship with a black battered hull； and the sailors
were infirm and crippled。〃
〃It is quite true；〃 said the King。
〃It is false；〃 cried the minister's son。 〃I do not know
this man！〃
〃Sire；〃 said the young captain； 〃order your daughter's
betrothed to be stripped； and see if the mark of my ring
is not branded upon his back。〃
The King was about to give this order； when the
minister's son； to save himself from such an indignity；
admitted that the story was true。
〃And now； sire；〃 said the young captain； 〃do you not
recognize me？〃
〃I recognize you；〃 said the Princess； 〃you are the
gardener's son whom I have always loved； and it is you
I wish to marry。〃
〃Young man； you shall be my son…in…law；〃 cried the
King。 〃The marriage festivities are already begun； so you
shall marry my daughter this very day。〃
And so that very day the gardener's son married the
beautiful Princess。
Several months passed。 The young couple were as
happy as the day was long； and the King was more and
more pleased with himself for having secured such a son…
in…law。
But； presently； the captain of the golden ship found it
necessary to take a long voyage； and after embracing his
wife tenderly he embarked。
Now in the outskirts of the capital there lived an old
man； who had spent his life in studying black arts
alchemy； astrology； magic； and enchantment。 This man
found out that the gardener's son had only succeeded in
marrying the Princess by the help of the genii who obeyed
the bronze ring。
〃I will have that ring；〃 said he to himself。 So he went
down to the sea…shore and caught some little red fishes。
Really； they were quite wonderfully pretty。 Then he came
back； and； passing before the Princess's window； he began
to cry out：
〃Who wants some pretty little red fishes？〃
The Princess heard him； and sent out one of her slaves；
who said to the old peddler：
〃What will you take for your fish？〃
〃A bronze ring。〃
〃A bronze ring； old simpleton！ And where shall I find
one？〃
〃Under the cushion in the Princess's room。〃
The slave went back to her mistress。
The old madman will take neither gold nor silver；〃
said she。
〃What does he want then？〃
〃A bronze ring that is hidden under a cushion。〃
Find the ring and give it to him；〃 said the Princess。
And at last the slave found the bronze ring； which the
captain of the golden ship had accidentally left behind
and carried it to the man； who made off with it instantly。
Hardly had he reached his own house when； taking the
ring； he said； 〃Bronze ring； obey thy master。 I desire that
the golden ship shall turn to black wood； and the crew to
hideous negroes； that St。 Nicholas shall leave the helm
and that the only cargo shall be black cats。〃
And the genii of the bronze ring obeyed him。
Finding himself upon the sea in this miserable
condition； the young captain understood that some one must
have stolen the bronze ring from him； and he lamented
his misfortune loudly； but that did him no good。
〃Alas！〃 he said to himself； 〃whoever has taken my ring
has probably taken my dear wife also。 What good will it
do me to go back to my own country？〃 And he sailed
about from island to island； and from shore to shore；
believing that wherever he went everybody was laughing at
him； and very soon his poverty was so great that he and
his crew and the poor black cats had nothing to eat but
herbs and roots。 After wandering about a long time he
reached an island inhabited by mice。 The captain landed
upon the shore and began to explore the country。 There
were mice everywhere； and nothing but mice。 Some of
the black cats had followed him； and； not having been fed
for several days； they were fearfully hungry； and made
terrible havoc among the mice。
Then the queen of the mice held a council。
〃These cats will eat every one of us；〃 she said； 〃if the
captain of the ship does not shut the ferocious animals up。
Let us send a deputation to him of the bravest among us。〃
Several mice offered themselves for this mission and set
out to find the young captain。
〃Captain；〃 said they； 〃go away quickly from our island；
or we shall perish； every mouse of us。〃
〃Willingly；〃 replied the young captain； 〃upon one
condition。 That is that you shall first bring me back a bronze
ring which some clever magician has stolen from me。 If
you do not do this I will land all my cats upon your
island； and you shall be exterminated。〃
The mice withdrew in great dismay。 〃What is to be
done？〃 said the Queen。 〃How can we find this bronze
ring？〃 She held a new council； calling in mice from every
quarter of the globe； but nobody knew where the bronze
ring was。 Suddenly three mice arrived from a very distant
country。 One was blind； the second lame； and the
third had her ears cropped。
〃Ho； ho； ho！〃 said the new…comers。 〃We come from a
far distant country。〃
〃Do you know where the bronze ring is which the genii
obey？〃
〃Ho； ho； ho！ we know； an old sorcerer has taken
possession of it； and now he keeps it in his pocket by day and in
his mouth by night。〃
〃Go and take it from him； and come back as soon as
possible。〃
So the three mice made themselves a boat and set sail
for the magician's country。 When they reached the capital
they landed and ran to the palace； leaving only the
blind mouse on the shore to take care of the boat。 Then
they waited till it was night。 The wicked old man lay
down in bed and put the bronze ring into his mouth； and
very soon he was asleep。
〃Now； what shall we do？〃 said the two little animals to
each other。
The mouse with the cropped