As Sringa-Bhuja followed the servants, Rupa-Sikha managed to whisper
to him, "Beware! await a message from me!" When he had bathed and was
arraying himself in fresh garments provided by his host, waited on,
hand and foot, by servants who treated him with the greatest respect,
a messenger arrived, bearing a sealed letter which he reverently
handed to the prince. Sringa-Bhuja guessed at once from whom it came;
and anxious to read it alone, he hastily finished his toilette and
dismissed the attendants.

"My beloved," said the letter--which was, of course, from
Rupa-Sikha--"My father is plotting against you; and very foolish were
you to promise you would obey him in all things. I have ten sisters
all exactly like me, all wearing dresses and necklaces which are exact
copies of each other, so that few can tell me from the others, Soon
you will be sent for to the great Hall and we shall all be together
there. My father will bid you choose your bride from amongst us; and if
you make a mistake all will be over for us. But I will wear my necklace
on my head instead of round my neck, and thus will you know your own
true love. And remember, my dearest, to obey no future command without
hearing from me, for I alone am able to outwit my terrible father,"

Everything happened exactly as Rupa-Sikha described. The prince
was sent for by Agni-Sikha, who, as soon as he appeared, gave him a
garland of flowers and told him to place it round the neck of the
maiden who was his promised bride. Without a moment's hesitation
Sringa-Bhuja picked out the right sister; and the magician, though
inwardly enraged, pretended to be so delighted at this proof of a
lover's clear-sightedness that he cried: