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back； and； passing before the Princess's window； he began
to cry out：
〃Who wants some pretty little red fishes？〃
The Princess heard him； and sent out one of her slaves；
who said to the old peddler：
〃What will you take for your fish？〃
〃A bronze ring。〃
〃A bronze ring； old simpleton！ And where shall I find
one？〃
〃Under the cushion in the Princess's room。〃
The slave went back to her mistress。
The old madman will take neither gold nor silver；〃
said she。
〃What does he want then？〃
〃A bronze ring that is hidden under a cushion。〃
Find the ring and give it to him；〃 said the Princess。
And at last the slave found the bronze ring； which the
captain of the golden ship had accidentally left behind
and carried it to the man； who made off with it instantly。
Hardly had he reached his own house when； taking the
ring； he said； 〃Bronze ring； obey thy master。 I desire that
the golden ship shall turn to black wood； and the crew to
hideous negroes； that St。 Nicholas shall leave the helm
and that the only cargo shall be black cats。〃
And the genii of the bronze ring obeyed him。
Finding himself upon the sea in this miserable
condition； the young captain understood that some one must
have stolen the bronze ring from him； and he lamented
his misfortune loudly； but that did him no good。
〃Alas！〃 he said to himself； 〃whoever has taken my ring
has probably taken my dear wife also。 What good will it
do me to go back to my own country？〃 And he sailed
about from island to island； and from shore to shore；
believing that wherever he went everybody was laughing at
him； and very soon his poverty was so great that he and
his crew and the poor black cats had nothing to eat but
herbs and roots。 After wandering about a long time he
reached an island inhabited by mice。 The captain landed
upon the shore and began to explore the country。 There
were mice everywhere； and nothing but mice。 Some of
the black cats had followed him； and； not having been fed
for several days； they were fearfully hungry； and made
terrible havoc among the mice。
Then the queen of the mice held a council。
〃These cats will eat every one of us；〃 she said； 〃if the
captain of the ship does not shut the ferocious animals up。
Let us send a deputation to him of the bravest among us。〃
Several mice offered themselves for this mission and set
out to find the young captain。
〃Captain；〃 said they； 〃go away quickly from our island；
or we shall perish； every mouse of us。〃
〃Willingly；〃 replied the young captain； 〃upon one
condition。 That is that you shall first bring me back a bronze
ring which some clever magician has stolen from me。 If
you do not do this I will land all my cats upon your
island； and you shall be exterminated。〃
The mice withdrew in great dismay。 〃What is to be
done？〃 said the Queen。 〃How can we find this bronze
ring？〃 She held a new council； calling in mice from every
quarter of the globe； but nobody knew where the bronze
ring was。 Suddenly three mice arrived from a very distant
country。 One was blind； the second lame； and the
third had her ears cropped。
〃Ho； ho； ho！〃 said the new…comers。 〃We come from a
far distant country。〃
〃Do you know where the bronze ring is which the genii
obey？〃
〃Ho； ho； ho！ we know； an old sorcerer has taken
possession of it； and now he keeps it in his pocket by day and in
his mouth by night。〃
〃Go and take it from him； and come back as soon as
possible。〃
So the three mice made themselves a boat and set sail
for the magician's country。 When they reached the capital
they landed and ran to the palace； leaving only the
blind mouse on the shore to take care of the boat。 Then
they waited till it was night。 The wicked old man lay
down in bed and put the bronze ring into his mouth； and
very soon he was asleep。
〃Now； what shall we do？〃 said the two little animals to
each other。
The mouse with the cropped ears found a lamp full of
oil and a bottle full of pepper。 So she dipped her tail first
in the oil and then in the pepper； and held it to the
sorcerer's nose。
〃Atisha！ atisha！〃 sneezed the old man； but he did not
wake； and the shock made the bronze ring jump out of his
mouth。 Quick as thought the lame mouse snatched up the
precious talisman and carried it off to the boat。
Imagine the despair of the magician when he awoke and
the bronze ring was nowhere to be found！
But by that time our three mice had set sail with their
prize。 A favoring breeze was carrying them toward the
island where the queen of the mice was awaiting them。
Naturally they began to talk about the bronze ring。
〃Which of us deserves the most credit？〃 they cried all
at once。
〃I do；〃 said the blind mouse； 〃for without my
watchfulness our boat would have drifted away to the open sea。〃
〃No； indeed；〃 cried the mouse with the cropped ears；
〃the credit is mine。 Did I not cause the ring to jump out
of the man's mouth？〃
〃No； it is mine；〃 cried the lame one； 〃for I ran off with
the ring。〃
And from high words they soon came to blows； and；
alas！ when the quarrel was fiercest the bronze ring fell into
the sea。
〃How are we to face our queen；〃 said the three mice
〃when by our folly we have lost the talisman and condemned
our people to be utterly exterminated？ We cannot
go back to our country； let us land on this desert
island and there end our miserable lives。〃 No sooner said
than done。 The boat reached the island； and the mice
landed。
The blind mouse was speedily deserted by her two
sisters； who went off to hunt flies； but as she wandered
sadly along the shore she found a dead fish； and was eating
it； when she felt something very hard。 At her cries the
other two mice ran up。
〃It is the bronze ring！ It is the talisman！〃 they cried
joyfully； and； getting into their boat again； they soon
reached the mouse island。 It was time they did； for the
captain was just going to land his cargo of cats； when a
deputation of mice brought him the precious bronze ring。
〃Bronze ring；〃 commanded the young man； 〃obey thy
master。 Let my ship appear as it was before。〃
Immediately the genii of the ring set to work； and the
old black vessel became once more the wonderful golden
ship with sails of brocade； the handsome sailors ran to the
silver masts and the silken ropes； and very soon they set
sail for the capital。
Ah！ how merrily the sailors sang as they flew over the
glassy sea！
At last the port was reached。
The captain landed and ran to the palace； where he
found the wicked old man asleep。 The Princess clasped
her husband in a long embrace。 The magician tried to
escape； but he was seized and bound with strong cords。
The next day the sorcerer； tied to the tail of a savage
mule loaded with nuts； was broken into as many pieces as
there were nuts upon the mule's bac