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。