AssoonasRingcameinsightoftheoxentheycamebellowingtomeethim；oneofthemwastremendouslybig，theotherratherless。Ringgrewterriblyafraid。
’Howdoyoulikethem？’askedSnati。
’Notwellatall，’saidthePrince。
’Wecandonothingelse，’saidSnati，’thanattackthem，ifitistogowell；youwillgoagainstthelittleone，andIshalltaketheother。’
WiththisSnatileaptatthebigone，andwasnotlonginbringinghimdown。MeanwhilethePrincewentagainsttheotherwithfearandtrembling，andbythetimeSnaticametohelphimtheoxhadnearlygothimunder，butSnatiwasnotslowinhelpinghismastertokillit。
Eachofthemthenbegantoflaytheirownox，butRingwasonlyhalfthroughbythetimeSnatihadfinishedhis。Intheevening，aftertheyhadfinishedthistask，thePrincethoughthimselfunfittocarryallthehornsandboththehides，soSnatitoldhimtolaythemallonhisbackuntiltheygottothePalacegate。
ThePrinceagreed，andlaideverythingontheDogexcepttheskinofthesmallerox，whichhestaggeredalongwithhimself。AtthePalacegatehelefteverythinglying，wentbeforetheKing，andaskedhimtocomethatlengthwithhim，andtherehandedovertohimthehidesandhornsoftheoxen。TheKingwasgreatlysurprisedathisvalour，andsaidheknewnoonelikehim，andthankedhimheartilyforwhathehaddone。
AfterthistheKingsetRingnexttohimself，andallesteemedhimhighly，andheldhimtobeagreathero；norcouldRedanylongersayanythingagainsthim，thoughhegrewstillmoredeterminedtodestroyhim。Onedayagoodideacameintohishead。HecametotheKingandsaidhehadsomethingtosaytohim。
’Whatisthat？’saidtheKing。
Redsaidthathehadjustrememberedthegoldcloak，goldchess-board，andbrightgoldpiecethattheKinghadlostaboutayearbefore。
’Don’tremindmeofthem！’saidtheKing。
Red，however，wentontosaythat，sinceRingwassuchamightymanthathecoulddoeverything，ithadoccurredtohimtoadvisetheKingtoaskhimtosearchforthesetreasures，andcomebackwiththembeforeChristmas；inreturntheKingshouldpromisehimhisdaughter。
TheKingrepliedthathethoughtitaltogetherunbecomingtoproposesuchathingtoRing，seeingthathecouldnottellhimwherethethingswere；butRedpretendednottoheartheKing’sexcuses，andwentontalkingaboutituntiltheKinggaveintohim。Oneday，amonthorsobeforeChristmas，theKingspoketoRing，sayingthathewishedtoaskagreatfavourofhim。
’Whatisthat？’saidRing。
’Itisthis，’saidtheKing:’thatyoufindformemygoldcloak，mygoldchess-board，andmybrightgoldpiece，thatwerestolenfrommeaboutayearago。IfyoucanbringthemtomebeforeChristmasIwillgiveyoumydaughterinmarriage。’
’WhereamItolookforthem，then？’saidRing。
’Thatyoumustfindoutforyourself，’saidtheKing:’Idon’tknow。’
RingnowlefttheKing，andwasverysilent，forhesawhewasinagreatdifficulty:but，ontheotherhand，hethoughtitwasexcellenttohavesuchachanceofwinningtheKing’sdaughter。
Snatinoticedthathismasterwasataloss，andsaidtohimthatheshouldnotdisregardwhattheKinghadaskedhimtodo；buthewouldhavetoactuponhisadvice，otherwisehewouldgetintogreatdifficulties。ThePrinceassentedtothis，andbegantoprepareforthejourney。
AfterhehadtakenleaveoftheKing，andwassettingoutonthesearch，Snatisaidtohim，’Nowyoumustfirstofallgoabouttheneighbourhood，andgatherasmuchsaltaseveryoucan。’ThePrincedidso，andgatheredsomuchsaltthathecouldhardlycarryit；butSnatisaid，’Throwitonmyback，’whichheaccordinglydid，andtheDogthenranonbeforethePrince，untiltheycametothefootofasteepcliff。
’Wemustgouphere，’saidSnati。
’Idon’tthinkthatwillbechild’splay，’saidthePrince。
’Holdfastbymytail，’saidSnati；andinthiswayhepulledRinguponthelowestshelfoftherock。ThePrincebegantogetgiddy，butupwentSnationtothesecondshelf。Ringwasnearlyswooningbythistime，butSnatimadeathirdeffortandreachedthetopofthecliff，wherethePrincefelldowninafaint。
Afteralittle，however，herecoveredagain，andtheywentashortdistancealongalevelplain，untiltheycametoacave。
ThiswasonChristmasEve。Theywentupabovethecave，andfoundawindowinit，throughwhichtheylooked，andsawfourtrollslyingasleepbesidethefire，overwhichalargeporridge-potwashanging。
’Nowyoumustemptyallthesaltintotheporridge-pot，’saidSnati。
Ringdidso，andsoonthetrollswakenedup。Theoldhag，whowasthemostfrightfulofthemall，wentfirsttotastetheporridge。
’Howcomesthis？’shesaid；’theporridgeissalt！Igotthemilkbywitchcraftyesterdayoutoffourkingdoms，andnowitissalt！’
Alltheothersthencametotastetheporridge，andthoughtitnice，butaftertheyhadfinishedittheoldhaggrewsothirstythatshecouldstanditnolonger，andaskedherdaughtertogooutandbringhersomewaterfromtheriverthatrannearby。
’Iwon’tgo，’saidshe，’unlessyoulendmeyourbrightgoldpiece。’
’ThoughIshoulddieyoushan’thavethat，’saidthehag。
’Die，then，’saidthegirl。
’Well，then，takeit，youbrat，’saidtheoldhag，’andbeoffwithyou，andmakehastewiththewater。’
Thegirltookthegoldandranoutwithit，anditwassobrightthatitshoneallovertheplain。Assoonasshecametotherivershelaydowntotakeadrinkofthewater，butmeanwhilethetwoofthemhadgotdownofftheroofandthrusther，headfirst，intotheriver。
Theoldhagbegannowtolongforthewater，andsaidthatthegirlwouldberunningaboutwiththegoldpieceallovertheplain，sosheaskedhersontogoandgetheradropofwater。
’Iwon’tgo，’saidhe，’unlessIgetthegoldcloak。’
’ThoughIshoulddieyoushan’thavethat，’saidthehag。
’Die，then，’saidtheson。
’Well，then，takeit，’saidtheoldhag，’andbeoffwithyou，butyoumustmakehastewiththewater。’
Heputonthecloak，andwhenhecameoutsideitshonesobrightthathecouldseetogowithit。Onreachingtheriverhewenttotakeadrinklikehissister，butatthatmomentRingandSnatispranguponhim，tookthecloakfromhim，andthrewhimintotheriver。
Theoldhagcouldstandthethirstnolonger，andaskedherhusbandtogoforadrinkforher；thebrats，shesaid，wereofcourserunningaboutandplayingthemselves，justasshehadexpectedtheywould，littlewretchesthattheywere。
’Iwon’tgo，’saidtheoldtroll，’unlessyoulendmethegoldchess-board。’
’ThoughIshoulddieyoushan’thavethat，’saidthehag。
’Ithinkyoumayjustaswelldothat，’saidhe，’sinceyouwon’tgrantmesuchalittlefavour。’
’Takeit，then，youutterdisgrace！’saidtheoldhag，’sinceyouarejustlikethesetwobrats。’
Theoldtrollnowwentoutwiththegoldchess-board，anddowntotheriver，andwasabouttotakeadrink，whenRingandSnaticameuponhim，tookthechess-boardfromhim，andthrewhimintotheriver。Beforetheyhadgotbackagain，however，andupontopofthecave，theysawthepooroldfellow’sghostcomemarchingupfromtheriver。Snatiimmediatelyspranguponhim，andRingassistedintheattack，andafterahardstruggletheymasteredhimasecondtime。Whentheygotbackagaintothewindowtheysawthattheoldhagwasmovingtowardsthedoor。
’Nowwemustgoinatonce，’saidSnati，’andtrytomasterherthere，forifsheoncegetsoutweshallhavenochancewithher。
Sheistheworstwitchthateverlived，andnoironcancuther。
Oneofusmustpourboilingporridgeoutofthepotonher，andtheotherpunchherwithred-hotiron。’
Intheywentthen，andnosoonerdidthehagseethemthanshesaid，’Soyouhavecome，PrinceRing；youmusthaveseentomyhusbandandchildren。’
Snatisawthatshewasabouttoattackthem，andsprangatherwithared-hotironfromthefire，whileRingkeptpouringboilingporridgeonherwithoutstopping，andinthiswaytheyatlastgotherkilled。Thentheyburnedtheoldtrollandhertoashes，andexploredthecave，wheretheyfoundplentyofgoldandtreasures。Themostvaluableofthesetheycarriedwiththemasfarasthecliff，andleftthemthere。ThentheyhastenedhometotheKingwithhisthreetreasures，wheretheyarrivedlateonChristmasnight，andRinghandedthemovertohim。
