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 me to do it on purpose, knowing it was impossible.’ And then he sighed again.

Frisk heard him and said:

‘My dear master, don’t despair; the luck may change, you are too good not to be happy. Let us go down to the river as soon as it is light.’

But Charming only gave him two little pats and said nothing, and very soon he fell asleep.

At the first glimmer of dawn Frisk began to jump about, and when he had waked Charming they went out together, first into the garden, and then down to the river’s brink, where they wandered up and down. Charming was thinking sadly of having to go back unsuccessful when he heard someone calling: ‘Charming, Charming!’ He looked all about him and thought he must be dreaming, as he could not see anybody. Then he walked on and the voice called again: ‘Charming, Charming!’

‘Who calls me?’ said he. Frisk, who was very small and could look closely into the water, cried out: ‘I see a golden carp coming.’ And sure enough there was the great carp, who said to Charming:

‘You saved my life in the meadow by the willow tree, and I promised that I would repay you. Take this, it is Princess Goldilock’s ring.’ Charming took the ring out of Dame Carp’s mouth, thanking her a thousand times, and he and tiny Frisk went straight to the palace, where someone told the Princess that he was asking to see her.

‘Ah! poor fellow,’ said she, ‘he must have come to say goodbye, finding it impossible to do as I asked.’

So in came Charming, who presented her with the ring and said:

‘Madam, I have done your bidding. Will it please you to marry my master?’ When the Princess saw her ring brought back to her unhurt she was so astonished that she thought she must be dreaming.

‘Truly, Charming,’ said she, ‘you must be the favourite of some fairy, or you could never have found it.’

‘Madam,’ answered he, ‘I was helped by nothing but my desire to obey your wishes.’

‘Since you are so kind,’ said she, ‘perhaps you will do me another service, for till it is done I will never be married. There is a prince not far from here whose naine is Galifron, who once