` Bear me to the kingdom of the king under the waves , ' he answered , and one little bird flew on to his head , and the others perched on each of his shoulders , and he shut his eyes , and in a moment there he was in the country under the sea . Then the birds flew away , and the young man looked about him , his heart beating fast at the thought that here dwelt the lady whom he had sought all the world over . He walked on through the streets , and presently he reached the house of a weaver who was standing at his door , resting from his work . ` You are a stranger here , that is plain , ' said the weaver , ` but come in , and I will give you food and drink . ' And the young man was glad , for he knew not where to go , and they sat and talked till it grew late . ` Stay with me , I pray , for I love company and am lonely , ' observed the weaver at last , and he pointed to a bed in a corner , where the fisher 's son threw himself , and slept till dawn . ` There is to be a horse-race in the town to-day , ' remarked the weaver , ` and the winner is to have the king 's daughter to wife . ' The young man trembled with excitement at the news , and his voice shook as he answered : ` That will be a prize indeed , I should like to see the race . ' ` Oh , that is quite easy -- anyone can go , ' replied the weaver . ' I would take you myself , but I have promised to weave this cloth for the king . ' ` That is a pity , ' returned the young man politely , but in his heart he rejoiced , for he wished to be alone . Leaving the house , he entered a grove of trees which stood behind , and took the box from his pocket . He raised the lid , and out flew the three little birds . ` Good master , what shall we do for thee ? ' asked they , and he answered , ` Bring me the finest horse that ever was seen , and the grandest dress , and glass shoes . ' ` They are here , master , ' said the birds , and so they were , and never had the young man seen anything so splendid . Mounting the horse he rode into the ground where the horses were assembling for the great race , and took his place among them . Many good beasts were there which had won many races , but the horse of the fisher 's son left them all behind , and he was first at the winning post . The king 's daughter waited for him in vain to claim his prize , for he went back to the wood , and got off his horse , and put on his old clothes , and bade the box place some gold in his pockets . After that he went back to the weaver 's house , and told him that the gold had been given him by the man who had won the race , and that the weaver might have it for his kindness to him .
Now as nobody had appeared XXXXX demand the hand of the princess , the king ordered another race to be run , and the fisher 's son rode into the field still more splendidly dressed than he was before , and easily distanced everybody else .
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