“Now the king's son sat at the edge of the fountain resting his head in his hands, and thought.
And as he thought a wild duck came flown. ”Why are you sad, prince?”

“How could I not be sad now that the king has ordered me to fetch the ring of his daughter from the well; if I Don't do it he will expose me as liar and cheat.”

“Indeed, no reason at all to be sad,” replied the wild duck, ”Don't you know who I am? I am the king of the wild ducks and you once had mercy on me; now I will reward your goodness.”

“With these words he flew away; but soon he returned with a great host of wild ducks. ”Get at it! Everyone into the well!”
And when the king's son tried to see what they were doing they brought the ring already.

“When the king came to the well after his evening-exercises he praised the king's son even more and at once appointed him supreme treasurer.

“Now the two fellow-travellers almost burst from joy and happiness and they thought again how to do their friend something good again.

“So they went to the king again. ”Revered Sir; this time the treasurer has said if Your Majesty would allow, then the king's daughter would have a child over night which could speak all languages and moreover, make music.”

“When the ministers heard this they all were shocked - how could he dare to say something like that about the king's daughter! So they strongly urged the king to take him into custody.
And he followed their advice. But then he discussed with them whether one should look if he really was able to work such wonder or not.

“So he arranged a great wedding banquet; then he ordered the young couple to be locked up in a room.
Before that however, he said to the king's son in front of all the ministers, ”If you Don't do what you have said, you will be taken around the whole country in a cage and exposed as the worst liar and cheat.”

“The king's son did not even dare to speak to the princess; the princess indeed had liked his golden hair since childhood but she had never thought of marrying the former flower-boy.

“So the princess slept next to the king's son.
The king's son did not care much about her and did not look at her; he only sat there with his head between his hands, and thought.