When the princess saw it, she pretended that the sight hurt her
eyes, and retired to her room, where she found the fairy awaiting
her, very much ashamed of herself.

‘There is only one thing to be done now,' cried she; ‘you must
demand the skin of the ass he sets such store by. It is from that
donkey he obtains all his vast riches, and I am sure he will
never give it to you.'

The princess was not so certain; however, she went to the king,
and told him she could never marry him till he had given her the
ass's skin.

The king was both astonished and grieved at this new request, but
did not hesitate an instant. The ass was sacrificed, and the skin
laid at the feet of the princess.

The poor girl, seeing no escape from the fate she dreaded, wept
afresh, and tore her hair; when, suddenly, the fairy stood before
her.

‘Take heart,' she said, ‘ all will now go well! Wrap yourself in
this skin, and leave the palace and go as far as you can. I will
look after you. Your dresses and your jewels shall follow you
underground, and if you strike the earth whenever you need
anything, you will have it at once. But go quickly: you have no
time to lose.'

So the princess clothed herself in the ass's skin, and slipped