TheKingwasbesidehimselfwithjoy，andwasastonishedathowcleveramanRingwasinallkindsoffeats，sothatheesteemedhimstillmorehighlythanbefore，andbetrothedhisdaughtertohim；andthefeastforthiswastolastallthroughChristmastide。RingthankedtheKingcourteouslyforthisandallhisotherkindnesses，andassoonashehadfinishedeatinganddrinkinginthehallwentofftosleepinhisownroom。
Snati，however，askedpermissiontosleepinthePrince’sbedforthatnight，whilethePrinceshouldsleepwheretheDogusuallylay。Ringsaidhewaswelcometodoso，andthathedeservedmorefromhimthanthatcameto。SoSnatiwentupintothePrince’sbed，butafteratimehecameback，andtoldRinghecouldgotherehimselfnow，buttotakecarenottomeddlewithanythingthatwasinthebed。
NowthestorycomesbacktoRed，whocameintothehallandshowedtheKinghisrightarmwantingthehand，andsaidthatnowhecouldseewhatkindofamanhisintendedson-in-lawwas，forhehaddonethistohimwithoutanycausewhatever。TheKingbecameveryangry，andsaidhewouldsoonfindoutthetruthaboutit，andifRinghadcutoffhishandwithoutgoodcauseheshouldbehanged；butifitwasotherwise，thenRedshoulddie。
SotheKingsentforRingandaskedhimforwhatreasonhehaddonethis。Snati，however，hadjusttoldRingwhathadhappenedduringthenight，andinreplyheaskedtheKingtogowithhimandhewouldshowhimsomething。TheKingwentwithhimtohissleeping-room，andsawlyingonthebedaman’shandholdingasword。
’Thishand，’saidRing，’cameoverthepartitionduringthenight，andwasabouttorunmethroughinmybed，ifIhadnotdefendedmyself。’
TheKingansweredthatinthatcasehecouldnotblamehimforprotectinghisownlife，andthatRedwaswellworthyofdeath。
SoRedwashanged，andRingmarriedtheKing’sdaughter。
ThefirstnightthattheywenttobedtogetherSnatiaskedRingtoallowhimtolieattheirfeet，andthisRingallowedhimtodo。Duringthenightheheardahowlingandoutcrybesidethem，struckalightinahurryandsawanuglydog’sskinlyingnearhim，andabeautifulPrinceinthebed。Ringinstantlytooktheskinandburnedit，andthenshookthePrince，whowaslyingunconscious，untilhewokeup。Thebridegroomthenaskedhisname；herepliedthathewascalledRing，andwasaKing’sson。
Inhisyouthhehadlosthismother，andinherplacehisfatherhadmarriedawitch，whohadlaidaspellonhimthatheshouldturnintoadog，andneverbereleasedfromthespellunlessaPrinceofthesamenameashimselfallowedhimtosleepathisfeetthefirstnightafterhismarriage。Headdedfurther，’Assoonassheknewthatyouweremynamesakeshetriedtogetyoudestroyed，sothatyoumightnotfreemefromthespell。Shewasthehindthatyouandyourcompanionschased；shewasthewomanthatyoufoundintheclearingwiththebarrel，andtheoldhagthatwejustnowkilledinthecave。’
Afterthefeastingwasoverthetwonamesakes，alongwithothermen，wenttothecliffandbroughtallthetreasurehometothePalace。Thentheywenttotheislandandremovedallthatwasvaluablefromit。Ringgavetohisnamesake，whomhehadfreedfromthespell，hissisterIngiborgandhisfather’skingdomtolookafter，buthehimselfstayedwithhisfather-in-lawtheKing，andhadhalfthekingdomwhilehelivedandthewholeofitafterhisdeath。
TherewasonceapoorPrince。Hepossessedakingdomwhich，thoughsmall，wasyetlargeenoughforhimtomarryon，andmarriedhewishedtobe。
NowitwascertainlyalittleaudaciousofhimtoventuretosaytotheEmperor’sdaughter，’Willyoumarryme？’Buthedidventuretosayso，forhisnamewasknownfarandwide。Therewerehundredsofprincesseswhowouldgladlyhavesaid’Yes，’butwouldshesaythesame？
Well，weshallsee。
OnthegraveofthePrince’sfathergrewarose-tree，averybeautifulrose-tree。Itonlybloomedeveryfiveyears，andthenborebutasinglerose，butoh，sucharose！Itsscentwassosweetthatwhenyousmeltityouforgotallyourcaresandtroubles。Andhehadalsoanightingalewhichcouldsingasifallthebeautifulmelodiesintheworldwereshutupinitslittlethroat。ThisroseandthisnightingalethePrincesswastohave，andsotheywerebothputintosilvercasketsandsenttoher。
TheEmperorhadthembroughttohiminthegreathall，wherethePrincesswasplaying’Herecomesadukea-riding’withherladies-in-waiting。Andwhenshecaughtsightofthebigcasketswhichcontainedthepresents，sheclappedherhandsforjoy。
’Ifonlyitwerealittlepussycat！’shesaid。Buttherose-treewiththebeautifulrosecameout。
’Buthowprettilyitismade！’saidalltheladies-in-waiting。
’Itismorethanpretty，’saidtheEmperor，’itischarming！’
ButthePrincessfeltit，andthenshealmostbegantocry。
’Ugh！Papa，’shesaid，’itisnotartificial，itisREAL！’
’Ugh！’saidalltheladies-in-waiting，’itisreal！’
’Letusseefirstwhatisintheothercasketbeforewebegintobeangry，’thoughttheEmperor，andtherecameoutthenightingale。Itsangsobeautifullythatonecouldscarcelyutteracrosswordagainstit。
’Superbe！charmant！’saidtheladies-in-waiting，fortheyallchatteredFrench，eachoneworsethantheother。
’Howmuchthebirdremindsmeofthemusicalsnuff-boxofthelateEmpress！’saidanoldcourtier。’Ah，yes，itisthesametone，thesameexecution！’
’Yes，’saidtheEmperor；andthenheweptlikealittlechild。
’Ihopethatthis，atleast，isnotreal？’askedthePrincess。
’Yes，itisarealbird，’saidthosewhohadbroughtit。
’Thenletthebirdflyaway，’saidthePrincess；andshewouldnotonanyaccountallowthePrincetocome。
’Buthewasnothingdaunted。Hepaintedhisfacebrownandblack，drewhiscapwelloverhisface，andknockedatthedoor。
’Good-day，Emperor，’hesaid。’CanIgetaplacehereasservantinthecastle？’
’Yes，’saidtheEmperor，’buttherearesomanywhoaskforaplacethatIdon’tknowwhethertherewillbeoneforyou；but，still，Iwillthinkofyou。Stay，ithasjustoccurredtomethatIwantsomeonetolookaftertheswine，forIhavesoverymanyofthem。’
AndthePrincegotthesituationofImperialSwineherd。Hehadawretchedlittleroomclosetothepigsties；herehehadtostay，butthewholedayhesatworking，andwheneveningwascomehehadmadeaprettylittlepot。Allrounditwerelittlebells，andwhenthepotboiledtheyjingledmostbeautifullyandplayedtheoldtune——
’WhereisAugustusdear？
Alas！he’snothere，here，here！’
Butthemostwonderfulthingwas，thatwhenoneheldone’sfingerinthesteamofthepot，thenatonceonecouldsmellwhatdinnerwasreadyinanyfire-placeinthetown。Thatwasindeedsomethingquitedifferentfromtherose。
NowthePrincesscamewalkingpastwithallherladies-in-
waiting，andwhensheheardthetuneshestoodstillandherfacebeamedwithjoy，forshealsocouldplay’WhereisAugustusdear？’
Itwastheonlytunesheknew，butthatshecouldplaywithonefinger。
’Why，thatiswhatIplay！’shesaid。’HemustbeamostaccomplishedSwineherd！Listen！Godownandaskhimwhattheinstrumentcosts。’
Andoneoftheladies-in-waitinghadtogodown；butsheputonwoodenclogs。’Whatwillyoutakeforthepot？’askedthelady-in-waiting。
’IwillhavetenkissesfromthePrincess，’answeredtheSwineherd。
’Heavenforbid！’saidthelady-in-waiting。
’Yes，Iwillsellitfornothingless，’repliedtheSwineherd。
’Well，whatdoeshesay？’askedthePrincess。
’Ireallyhardlyliketotellyou，’answeredthelady-in-waiting。
’Oh，thenyoucanwhisperittome。’
’Heisdisobliging！’saidthePrincess，andwentaway。Butshehadonlygoneafewstepswhenthebellsrangoutsoprettily——
’WhereisAugustusdear？
Alas！he’snothere，here，here。’
’Listen！’saidthePrincess。’Askhimwhetherhewilltaketenkissesfrommyladies-in-waiting。’
’No，thankyou，’saidtheSwineherd。’TenkissesfromthePrincess，orelseIkeepmypot。’
’Thatisverytiresome！’saidthePrincess。’Butyoumustputyourselvesinfrontofme，sothatnoonecansee。’
Andtheladies-in-waitingplacedthemselvesinfrontandthenspreadouttheirdresses；sotheSwineherdgothistenkisses，andshegotthepot。
Whathappinessthatwas！Thewholenightandthewholedaythepotwasmadetoboil；therewasnotafire-placeinthewholetownwheretheydidnotknowwhatwasbeingcooked，whetheritwasatthechancellor’sorattheshoemaker’s。
Theladies-in-waitingdancedandclappedtheirhands。
’Weknowwhoisgoingtohavesoupandpancakes；weknowwhoisgoingtohaveporridgeandsausages——isn’titinteresting？’
’Yes，veryinteresting！’saidthefirstlady-in-waiting。
’Butdon’tsayanythingaboutit，forIamtheEmperor’sdaughter。’
’Oh，no，ofcoursewewon’t！’saideveryone。
