for the ring was in one of the bits which he broke off, though he
managed to extract it from his mouth without anyone seeing him.

The moment the prince was left alone he drew the ring from under
his pillow and kissed it a thousand times. Then he set his mind
to find how he was to see the owner---for even he did not dare to
confess that he had only beheld ‘Donkey Skin' through a keyhole,
lest they should laugh at this sudden passion. All this worry
brought back the fever, which the arrival of the cake had
diminished for the time; and the doctors, not knowing what else
to say, informed the queen that her son was simply dying of love.
The queen, stricken with horror, rushed into the king's presence
with the news, and together they hastened to their son's bedside.

‘My boy, my dear boy!' cried the king, ‘who is it you want to
marry? We will give her to you for a bride; even if she is the
humblest of our slaves. What is there in the whole world that we
would not do for you?'

The prince, moved to tears at these words, drew the ring, which
was an emerald of the purest water, from under his pillow.

‘Ah, dear father and mother, let this be a proof that she whom I
love is no peasant girl. The finger which that ring fits has
never been thickened by hard work. But be her condition what it
may, I will marry no other.'

The king and queen examined the tiny ring very closely, and
agreed, with their son, that the wearer could be no mere farm
girl. Then the king went out and ordered heralds and trumpeters