So, to make a sort of drawn battle of the matter, it was settled that
Heinel should be put into an open boat, that lay on the sea-shore hard
by; that the father should push him off with his own hand, and that he
should thus be set adrift, and left to the bad or good luck of wind
and weather. Then he took leave of his father, and set himself in the
boat, but before it got far off a wave struck it, and it fell with one
side low in the water, so the merchant thought that poor Heinel was
lost, and went home very sorrowful, while the dwarf went his way,
thinking that at any rate he had had his revenge.

The boat, however, did not sink, for the good fairy took care of her
friend, and soon raised the boat up again, and it went safely on. The
young man sat safe within, till at length it ran ashore upon an
unknown land. As he jumped upon the shore he saw before him a
beautiful castle but empty and dreary within, for it was enchanted.
'Here,' said he to himself, 'must I find the prize the good fairy told
me of.' So he once more searched the whole palace through, till at
last he found a white snake, lying coiled up on a cushion in one of
the chambers.

Now the white snake was an enchanted princess; and she was very glad
to see him, and said, 'Are you at last come to set me free? Twelve
long years have I waited here for the fairy to bring you hither as she
promised, for you alone can save me. This night twelve men will come:
their faces will be black, and they will be dressed in chain armour.
They will ask what you do here, but give no answer; and let them do
what they will--beat, whip, pinch, prick, or torment you--bear all;
only speak not a word, and at twelve o'clock they must go away. The
second night twelve others will come: and the third night twenty-four,
who will even cut off your head; but at the twelfth hour of that night
their power is gone, and I shall be free, and will come and bring you
the Water of Life, and will wash you with it, and bring you back to
life and health.' And all came to pass as she had said; Heinel bore
all, and spoke not a word; and the third night the princess came, and
fell on his neck and kissed him. Joy and gladness burst forth
throughout the castle, the wedding was celebrated, and he was crowned
king of the Golden Mountain.

They lived together very happily, and the queen had a son. And thus
eight years had passed over their heads, when the king thought of his
father; and he began to long to see him once again. But the queen was
against his going, and said, 'I know well that misfortunes will come
upon us if you go.' However, he gave her no rest till she agreed. At
his going away she gave him a wishing-ring, and said, 'Take this ring,
and put it on your finger; whatever you wish it will bring you; only
promise never to make use of it to bring me hence to your father's
house.' Then he said he would do what she asked, and put the ring on
his finger, and wished himself near the town where his father lived.

Heinel found himself at the gates in a moment; but the guards would
not let him go in, because he was so strangely clad. So he went up to
a neighbouring hill, where a shepherd dwelt, and borrowed his old
frock, and thus passed unknown into the town. When he came to his
father's house, he said he was his son; but the merchant would not
believe him, and said he had had but one son, his poor Heinel, who he
knew was long since dead: and as he was only dressed like a poor
shepherd, he would not even give him anything to eat. The king,
however, still vowed that he was his son, and said, 'Is there no mark
by which you would know me if I am really your son?' 'Yes,' said his
mother, 'our Heinel had a mark like a raspberry on his right arm.'
Then he showed them the mark, and they knew that what he had said was
true.

He next told them how he was king of the Golden Mountain, and was
married to a princess, and had a son seven years old. But the merchant
said, 'that can never be true; he must be a fine king truly who travels
about in a shepherd's frock!' At this the son was vexed; and forgetting
his word, turned his ring, and wished for his queen and son. In an
instant they stood before him; but the queen wept, and said he had
broken his word, and bad luck would follow. He did all he could to
soothe her, and she at last seemed to be appeased; but she was not so in
truth, and was only thinking how she should punish him.

One day he took her to walk with him out of the town, and showed her
the spot where the boat was set adrift upon the wide waters. Then he
sat himself down, and said, 'I am very much tired; sit by me, I will
rest my head in your lap, and sleep a while.' As soon as he had fallen
asleep, however, she drew the ring from his finger, and crept softly
away, and wished herself and her son at home in their kingdom. And
when he awoke he found himself alone, and saw that the ring was gone
from his finger. 'I can never go back to my father's house,' said he;
'they would say I am a sorcerer: I will journey forth into the world,
till I come again to my kingdom.'

So saying he set out and travelled till he came to a hill, where three
giants were sharing their father's goods; and as they saw him pass
they cried out and said, 'Little men have sharp wits; he shall part
the goods between us.' Now there was a sword that cut off an enemy's
head whenever the wearer gave the words, 'Heads off!'; a cloak that
made the owner invisible, or gave him any form he pleased; and a pair
of boots that carried the wearer wherever he wished. Heinel said they
must first let him try these wonderful things, then he might know how
to set a value upon them. Then they gave him the cloak, and he wished
himself a fly, and in a moment he was a fly. 'The cloak is very well,'
said he: 'now give me the sword.' 'No,' said they; 'not unless you
undertake not to say, "Heads off!" for if you do we are all dead men.'
So they gave it him, charging him to try it on a tree. He next asked
for the boots also; and the moment he had all three in his power, he
wished himself at the Golden Mountain; and there he was at once. So


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