He heard one swallow say to another : `` Come , let us fly to Finland ; we can build better nests there . '' `` Stop , kind friends ! '' cried the Prince . `` Will you do something for me ? '' The birds consented , and he said : `` Take a thousand greetings from me to the wizard of Finland , and ask him how I may restore a maiden transformed into a flower to her own form . '' The swallows flew away , and the Prince rode on to the bridge . There he waited , hoping to hear the song . But he heard nothing but the rushing of the water and the moaning of the wind , and , disappointed , rode home . Shortly after , he was sitting in the garden , thinking that the swallows must have forgotten his message , when he saw an eagle flying above him . The bird gradually descended until it perched on a tree close to the Prince and said : `` The wizard of Finland greets thee and bids me say that thou mayest free the maiden thus : Go to the river and smear thyself all over with mud ; then say : ` From a man into a crab , ' and thou wilt become a crab . Plunge boldly into the water , swim as close as thou canst to the water-lily 's roots , and loosen them from the mud and reeds . This done , fasten thy claws into the roots and rise with them to the surface . Let the water flow all over the flower , and drift with the current until thou comest to a mountain ash tree on the left bank . There is near it a large stone . Stop there and say : ` From a crab into a man , from a water-lily into a maiden , ' and ye both will be restored to your own forms . '' Full of doubt and fear , the Prince let some time pass before he was bold enough to attempt to rescue the maiden . Then a crow said to him : `` Why dost thou hesitate ? The old wizard has not told thee wrong , neither have the birds deceived thee ; hasten and dry the maiden 's tears . '' `` Nothing worse than death can befall me , '' thought the Prince , `` and death is better than endless sorrow . '' So he mounted his horse and went to the bridge .
Again he heard the water-lily 's lament , and , hesitating no longer , smeared himself all over with mud , and , saying : `` From a man into a crab , '' plunged XXXXX the river .
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