He rules over all fish and animals of the deep ; he has the finest cows and the swiftest horses that ever chewed grass at the bottom of the ocean . He who stands well with Ahti is soon a rich man , but one must beware in dealing with him , for he is very changeful and touchy . Even a little stone thrown into the water might offend him , and then as he takes back his gift , he stirs up the sea into a storm and drags the sailors down into the depths . Ahti owns also the fairest maidens , who bear the train of his queen Wellamos , and at the sound of music they comb their long , flowing locks , which glisten in the water . ' ` Oh ! ' cried Matte , ` have your worships really seen all that ? ' ` We have as good as seen it , ' said the students . ` It is all printed in a book , and everything printed is true . ' ` I 'm not so sure of that , ' said Matte , as he shook his head . But the herring were now ready , and the students ate enough for six , and gave Prince some cold meat which they happened to have in the boat . Prince sat on his hind legs with delight and mewed like a pussy cat . When all was finished , the students handed Matte a shining silver coin , and allowed him to fill his pipe with a special kind of tobacco . They then thanked him for his kind hospitality and went on their journey , much regretted by Prince , who sat with a woeful expression and whined on the shore as long as he could see a flip of the boat 's white sail in the distance . Maie had never uttered a word , but thought the more . She had good ears , and had laid to heart the story about Ahti . ` How delightful , ' thought she to herself , ` to possess a fairy cow ! How delicious every morning and evening to draw milk from it , and yet have no trouble about the feeding , and to keep a shelf near the window for dishes of milk and junkets ! But this will never be my luck . ' ` What are you thinking of ? ' asked Matte .
` Nothing , ' said his wife ; but all the time she was pondering over some magic rhymes she had heard XXXXX her childhood from an old lame man , which were supposed to bring luck in fishing .
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