[Sidenote: Ortnit and the magic ring.] Forced to go by sea in order to reach Syria, Ortnit had to delay his departure until suitable preparations had been made. During that time his mother vainly tried to dissuade him from the undertaking. Finally, seeing that nothing could deter him from going in search of the lovely maiden he had seen, she slipped a ring on his hand, and bade him ride out of town in a certain direction, and dismount under a lime tree, where he would see something marvelous. "'If thou wilt seek the adventure, don thy armor strong; Far to the left thou ride the towering rocks along. But bide thee, champion, and await, where grows a linden tree; There, flowing from the rock, a well thine eyes will see. "'Far around the meadow spread the branches green; Five hundred armed knights may stand beneath the shade, I ween. Below the linden tree await, and thou wilt meet full soon The marvelous adventure; there must the deed be done.'" _Heldenbuch_ (Weber's tr.). Ortnit obeyed these instructions, dismounted in a spot which seemed strangely familiar, and, gazing inquisitively around him, became aware of the presence of a lovely sleeping infant. But when he attempted to take it in his arms he found himself sprawling on the ground, knocked over by a single blow from the child's tiny fist. Furious at his overthrow, Ortnit began wrestling with his small assailant; but in spite of his vaunted strength he succeeded in pinioning him only after a long struggle. [Sidenote: Alberich.] Unable to free himself from Ortnit's powerful grasp, the child now confessed that he was Alberich, king of the dwarfs, and promised Ortnit a marvelous suit of armor and the sword Rosen--which had been tempered in dragons' blood, and was therefore considered invulnerable--if he would only let him go. "'Save me, noble Otnit, for thy chivalry! A hauberk will I give thee, strong, and of wondrous might; Better armor never bore champion in the fight. "'Not eighty thousand marks would buy the hauberk bright. A sword of mound I'll give thee, Otnit, thou royal knight; Through armor, both of gold and steel, cuts the weapon keen; The helmet could its edge withstand ne'er in this world was seen.'" _Heldenbuch_ (Weber's tr.). The king consented, but the moment he set the dwarf free he felt him snatch the ring his mother had given him off his hand, and saw him mysteriously and suddenly disappear, his voice sounding tauntingly now on one side, now on the other. Some parley ensued before the dwarf would restore the ring, which was no sooner replaced on the hero's hand than he once more found himself able to see his antagonist.