"I recognize you," said the Princess; "you are the
gardener's son whom I have always loved, and it is you
I wish to marry."

"Young man, you shall be my son-in-law," cried the
King. "The marriage festivities are already begun, so you
shall marry my daughter this very day."

And so that very day the gardener's son married the
beautiful Princess.

Several months passed. The young couple were as
happy as the day was long, and the King was more and
more pleased with himself for having secured such a
son-in-law.

But, presently, the captain of the golden ship found it
necessary to take a long voyage, and after embracing his
wife tenderly he embarked.

Now in the outskirts of the capital there lived an old
man, who had spent his life in studying black arts--alchemy,
astrology, magic, and enchantment. This man found out that
the gardener's son had only succeeded in marrying the
Princess by the help of the genii who obeyed the bronze ring.

"I will have that ring," said he to himself. So he went
down to the sea-shore and caught some little red fishes.
Really, they were quite wonderfully pretty. Then he came