Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/57

 Rh what it was, began to pull it out; and when the ring was pulled out he saw some steps, which were strewed with gold coins and many rich things. The lad, astonished at what he saw, went down the stairs, and at the bottom of the stairs found himself in a magnificent palace. He saw a table loaded with the most delicious viands, and, as he felt very hungry, he sat down at once to eat. He then left the dinner table and proceeded to another apartment; and as he was about entering the chamber, he saw a giant lying down; and the moment he drew near to him, the giant cried out, "Who has authorised you to enter here?" The lad, terrified, fell upon his knees at the giant's feet, and begged him to pardon him; and he then recounted all that had happened to him. "Well, then," said the giant, when the boy had ceased to speak, "your master is the cause of my being spellbound. You had not the good fortune to kill him; and so long as he lives I shall not get out of this. But you have still one way of saving me: to-morrow before sunrise you must hide behind that tank; after that, three doves will come—a white one, a grey one, and one cinnamon-coloured. If you succeed in catching the white one, you will bring about mine and your happiness." The lad, in his excitement, never laid down to sleep, but spent the night concealed behind the tank. When day began to dawn, the doves appeared; they bathed themselves in the tank, and when the lad tried to catch them, two of their feathers remained in his hand and the birds flew away. The lad, feeling very sad, went to the giant, and said to him, "Oh! sir, the proof that I did my best is, that here I bring two feathers in my hand, but I promise you that they shall not escape me to-morrow." He procured some ribbon, and the following day prepared a snare in the tank, and concealed himself to wait for the doves' return. Day had scarcely dawned when the doves appeared, bathed themselves, and when the white dove was about to fly away she fell into the snare. The lad, very