at last one day, however, opportunity favoured him, and when no one was looking, the boy tied the ring to a nosegay, and threw it at balna's feet. it fell with a clang on the floor, and balna, looking to see what made the strange sound, found the little ring tied to the flowers. on recognising it, she at once believed the story her son told her of his long search, and begged him to advise her as to what she had better do; at the same time entreating him on no account to endanger his life by trying to rescue her. she told him that for twelve long years the magician had kept her shut up in the tower because she refused to marry him, and she was so closely guarded that she saw no hope of release.