So he went down to the sea-shore and caught some little red fishes . Really , they were quite wonderfully pretty . Then he came 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 XXXXX go back to my own country ? ''
So at before for from in that to upon with