now it happened that at balna's marriage her husband had given her a small gold ring on which her name was engraved, and she had put it on her little son's finger when he was a baby, and afterwards when he was older his aunts had had it enlarged for him, so that he was still able to wear it. the malee's wife advised him to fasten the well-known treasure to one of the bouquets he presented to his mother, and trust to her recognising it. this was not to be done without difficulty, as such a strict watch was kept over the poor princess (for fear of her ever establishing communication with her friends), that though the supposed malee's daughter was permitted to take her flowers every day, the magician or one of his slaves was always in the room at the time.