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。