while she was seeking, she saw the old woman and how she was stealing away, and wanting to get off with a bird-cage which she had in her hand. so she went after her and took the cage out of her hand, and when she raised it up and looked into it, a bird was inside which had the plain ring in its bill. then she took the ring, and ran quite joyously home with it, and thought the little white dove would come and get the ring, but it did not. then she leant against a tree and determined to wait for the dove, and, as she thus stood, it seemed just as if the tree was soft and pliant, and was letting its branches down. and suddenly the branches twined around her, and were two arms, and when she looked round, the tree was a handsome man, who embraced and kissed her heartily, and said, "thou hast delivered me from the power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch. she had changed me into a tree, and every day for two hours i was a white dove, and so long as she possessed the ring i could not regain my human form." then his servants and his horses, who had likewise been changed into trees, were freed from the enchantment also, and stood beside him. and he led them forth to his kingdom, for he was a king’s son, and they married, and lived happily.