Not a little rejoiced at the success of his journey, the youth hastened to the King and asked, just to satisfy himself of the truth of what he had been told: "Your Majesty, is it true that he who restores the Princess to health will be your son-in-law?" [Illustration: "THE POOR PRINCESS BURST INTO FLAME."] "It is verily true!" the anxious King assured him. "Well then, I am ready to accomplish the task!" Then the poor Princess was brought in, and all the ladies of the Court, as well as the servants, stood round her to witness the miracle. But no sooner had she put the ring on her little finger than she burst into bright flame and stood there, uttering heartrending cries. Everything was plunged into confusion, and the horrified youth seized the opportunity of escaping from the scene of the disaster as fast as his legs would carry him. His one wish was to get to the Fairy, and he did not stop running until he had come to the place where he had seen her the first time. "Fairy, where are you?" he cried, all in a tremble. "I am at your service," was the answer. Then he told the Fairy of the misfortune which had happened to him. "You have allowed yourself to be deceived! Take this dagger and go again to the Magician. See that he does not fool you this time!" Then she gave him all sorts of good advice for his dangerous journey and bestowed on him her blessing. Arrived at the great gate of the palace, he knocked three times. Then the Magician cried, as before: "Woe to you, bold stranger! What is your wish?" "If you are really the Magician, you are to fight with me!" The Magician, armed to his teeth, came rushing out, in a rage. But when he saw the dagger he sank trembling on his knees, and begged piteously: "Oh, spare my life." "Good-for-nothing Magician!" the youth cried, angrily; "you have deceived me! Now I will keep you in chains until the Princess is freed from the spell!" Then he put him in chains, stuck the dagger into the earth, and fastened the chain to it so that the Magician could not move. "You are mightier than I! Now I realize it!" cried the enchained Magician, gnashing his teeth. "Take the goldsmith's ring from the Princess's finger, and she will be released from the spell." Not until the youth had learnt that the Princess had escaped with only a few burns on her hands, owing to the promptness of the bystanders in extinguishing the flames, did he summon up enough courage to appear before the King again. "Your Majesty, I implore your pardon!" he said. "The treacherous Magician, not I, was the cause of the disaster. Now I have completely overcome him, and my remedy will succeed. I have only to draw the goldsmith's ring from your daughter's finger and she will be all right again."