He was unwilling at first , but the maiden insisted . Then he tried , at first only in play , and then seriously , to strike her with the knife , but an invisible wall of iron seemed to be between them , and the maiden stood before him laughing and unhurt . Then she put the ring on her third finger , and in an instant she had vanished from his eyes . Presently she was beside him again laughing , and holding the ring between her fingers . ` Do let me try , ' said the youth , ` whether I can do these wonderful things . ' The maiden , suspecting no treachery , gave him the magic ring . The youth pretended to have forgotten what to do , and asked what finger he must put the ring on so that no sharp weapon could hurt him ? ' ` Oh , the middle finger of your left hand , ' the maiden answered , laughing . She took the knife and tried to strike the youth , and he even tried to cut himself with it , but found it impossible . Then he asked the maiden to show him how to split stones and rocks with the help of the ring . So she led him into a courtyard where stood a great boulder-stone . ` Now , ' she said , ` put the ring upon the thumb of your left hand , and you will see how strong that hand has become . The youth did so , and found to his astonishment that with a single blow of his fist the stone flew into a thousand pieces . Then the youth bethought him that he who does not use his luck when he has it is a fool , and that this was a chance which once lost might never return . So while they stood laughing at the shattered stone he placed the ring , as if in play , upon the third finger of his left hand . ` Now , ' said the maiden , ` you are invisible to me until you take the ring off again . ' But the youth had no mind to do that ; on the contrary , he went farther off , then put the ring on the little finger of his left hand , and soared into the air like a bird . When the maiden saw him flying away she thought at first that he was still in play , and cried , ` Come back , friend , for now you see I have told you the truth . ' But the young man never came back . Then the maiden saw she was deceived , and bitterly repented that she had ever trusted him with the ring .
The young man never halted in his flight until he reached the dwelling of the wise magician who had taught him the speech XXXXX birds .
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