The lady, raising her eyes by chance, perceived the princes in the tree, and immediately made a sign with her hand for them to come down without making any noise. When they found they were thus discovered, their fears became more violent. They entreated her, by signs, to permit them to remain where they were; but she, on the contrary, having gently lifted up the giant’s head, and placed it softly on the ground, got up, and said to them in a low but animated voice, “Descend; it is absolutely necessary that you should come down to me.” In vain did they endeavour, by various methods, to make her comprehend how much they dreaded her hideous companion:-- “Come down,” continued she, in the same tone, “for if you hesitate, I will wake him, and request him to destroy you.” These words so much alarmed them, that they began to descend, though with all possible precaution. When they were on the ground, the lady took them by the hand, and leading them among some trees, she directly made a proposal to them of a nature not the most modest. At first they refused her; but she obliged them by fresh threats to comply with her wishes. Having gratified her inclination, she observed, that they had each a ring on their fingers, which she requested of them. She had no sooner received them, than taking a small box out of a parcel, that contained her wardrobe, she drew from it a string of rings of various sorts, and shewing it to the princes, said, “Do you know what this means?”--“We do not,” they answered, “but it remains for you to inform us.”--“They are,” she replied, “the rings of all those on whom I have bestowed my favors. There are exactly ninety-eight, and yours, which I have requested for that purpose, will make a hundred, which I wished to accomplish. Observe,” continued she, “the hundred lovers that I have now had, in spite of all the precautions and vigilance of this wretch, who never quits me. Let him shut me up in his glass case, and conceal me at the bottom of the sea, if he pleases, I will not fail to make his caution useless. You may know by this, that when once a female has formed any scheme, neither husband nor lover can prevent its accomplishment. Men had better put no restraint upon women, and it would be the means of preserving them chaste.” The lady, having said this, added their rings to the list. She then seated herself as before, replaced the head of the genius upon her lap, and made a sign to the princes to depart.