Now the king was enchanted to see him so soon , and took the veil from Ciccu and flung it over the princess , crying , ` Here is the veil you asked for , so I claim you for my wife . ' ` Not so fast , ' answered she . ' I can never be your wife till Ciccu puts on my finger the ring I threw into the stream . Ciccu , who was standing by expecting something of the sort , bowed his head when he heard her words , and went straight to the horse . ` Mount at once , ' said the horse ; ` this time it is very simple , ' and he carried Ciccu to the banks of the little stream . ` Now , call three times on the emperor of the fishes , and beg him to restore you the ring that the princess dropped . Ciccu did as the horse told him , and a voice was heard in answer that seemed to come from a very long way off . ` What is your will ? ' it asked ; and Ciccu replied that he had been commanded to bring back the ring that the princess had flung away , as she rode past . ' A fish is playing with it just now , ' replied the voice ; ` however , you shall have it without delay . ' And sure enough , very soon a little fish was seen rising to the surface with the lost ring in his mouth . And Ciccu knew him to be the fish that he had saved from death , and he took the ring and rode back with it to the king . ` That is not enough , ' exclaimed the princess when she saw the ring ; ` before we can be man and wife , the oven must be heated for three days and three nights , and Ciccu must jump in . ' And the king forgot how Ciccu had served him , and desired him to do as the princess had said . This time Ciccu felt that no escape was possible , and he went to the horse and laid his hand on his neck . ` Now it is indeed good-bye , and there is no help to be got even from you , ' and he told him what fate awaited him . But the horse said , ` Oh , never lose heart , but jump on my back , and make me go till the foam flies in flecks all about me . Then get down , and scrape off the foam with a knife . This you must rub all over you , and when you are quite covered , you may suffer yourself to be cast into the oven , for the fire will not hurt you , nor anything else . ' And Ciccu did exactly as the horse bade him , and went back to the king , and before the eyes of the fairest in the world he sprang into the oven .
And when the fairest in the world saw what he had done , love entered XXXXX her heart , and she said to the king , ` One thing more : before I can be your wife , you must jump into the oven as Ciccu has done . '
as at in into on over so till with without