For he says , if I fail to do it , I shall die a horrible death . ' ` Oh , there is really nothing to cry about , ' answered the wood-pigeon soothingly . ' I am the king of the wood-pigeons , whose life you spared when you were hungry . And now I will repay my debt , as I promised . ' So saying he flew out of the window , leaving the prince with some hope in his heart . In a few minutes he returned , followed by a cloud of wood-pigeons , so dense that it seemed to fill the room . Their king showed them what they had to do , and they set to work so hard that the grain was sorted into two heaps long before the council was over . When the king came back he could not believe his eyes ; but search as he might through the two heaps , he could not find any barley among the wheat , or any wheat amongst the barley . So he praised the prince for his industry and cleverness , and made him his steward at once . This made the two soldiers more envious still , and they began to hatch another plot . ` Your Majesty , ' they said to the king , one day , as he was standing on the steps of the palace , ` that fellow has been boasting again , that if he had the care of your treasures not so much as a gold pin should ever be lost . Put this vain fellow to the proof , we pray you , and throw the ring from the princess 's finger into the brook , and bid him find it . We shall soon see what his talk is worth . ' And the foolish king listened to them , and ordered the prince to be brought before him . ` My son , ' he said , ' I have heard that you have declared that if I made you keeper of my treasures you would never lose so much as a gold pin . 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 XXXXX the tree , he wept bitterly .
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