Now , in order to prove the truth of your words , I am going to throw the ring from the princess 's finger into the brook , and if you do not find it before I come back from council , you will have to die a horrible death . ' It was no use denying that he had said anything of the kind . The king did not believe him ; in fact he paid no attention at all , and hurried off , leaving the poor boy speechless with despair in the corner . However , he soon remembered that though it was very unlikely that he should find the ring in the brook , it was impossible that he should find it by staying in the palace . For some time the prince wandered up and down peering into the bottom of the stream , but though the water was very clear , nothing could he see of the ring . At length he gave it up in despair , and throwing himself down at the foot of the tree , he wept bitterly . ` What is the matter , dear prince ? ' said a voice just above him , and raising his head , he saw the wild duck . ` The king of this country declares I must die a horrible death if I can not find the princess 's ring which he has thrown into the brook , ' answered the prince . ` Oh , you must not vex yourself about that , for I can help you , ' replied the bird . ' I am the king of the wild ducks , whose life you spared , and now it is my turn to save yours . ' Then he flew away , and in a few minutes a great flock of wild ducks were swimming all up and down the stream looking with all their might , and long before the king came back from his council there it was , safe on the grass beside the prince . At this sight the king was yet more astonished at the cleverness of his steward , and at once promoted him to be the keeper of his jewels . Now you would have thought that by this time the king would have been satisfied with the prince , and would have left him alone ; but people 's natures are very hard to change , and when the two envious soldiers came to him with a new falsehood , he was as ready to listen to them as before . ` Gracious Majesty , ' said they , ` the youth whom you have made keeper of your jewels has declared to us that a child shall be born in the palace this night , which will be able to speak every language in the world and to play every instrument of music . Is he then become a prophet , or a magician , that he should know things which have not yet come to pass ? ' At these words the king became more angry than ever . He had tried to learn magic himself , but somehow or other his spells would never work , and he was furious to hear that the prince claimed a power that he did not possess . Stammering with rage , he ordered the youth to be brought before him , and vowed that unless this miracle was accomplished he would have the prince dragged at a horse 's tail until he was dead . In spite of what the soldiers had said , the boy knew no more magic than the king did , and his task seemed more hopeless than before .
He lay weeping in the chamber which he was forbidden to leave , when suddenly he heard a sharp tapping XXXXX the window , and , looking up , he beheld a stork .
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