“Why did you not come when you were called?” inquired the King Fish.

“I have eaten so much that I cannot swim,” replied the poor fish.

Then the King Fish, suspecting the truth, ordered it cut open, and inside they found the lost ring.  Benito was overjoyed at this, and expressing his great thanks, hastened with the precious ring to his master.

The King, greatly pleased, carried the ring to the Princess and said: 

“Now that I have your ring will you become my wife?”

“I will be your wife,” replied the Princess, “if you will find my earring that I lost in the forest as I was journeying with Benito.”

Again the King sent for Benito, and this time he commanded him to find the earring.  The boy was very weary from his long journeys, but with no complaint he started out once more.  Along the road through the thick forest he searched carefully, but with no reward.  At last, tired and discouraged, he sat down under a tree to rest.

Suddenly there appeared before him a mouse of great size, and he was surprised to find that it was the King of Mice.

“Why are you so sad?” asked the King Mouse.

“Because,” answered the boy, “I cannot find an earring which the Princess lost as we were going through the forest together.”

“I will help you,” said the Mouse, and he summoned all his subjects.

When they assembled it was found that one little mouse was missing, and the King sent the others to look for him.  In a small hole among the bamboo trees they found him, and he begged to be left alone, for, he said, he was so full that he could not walk.  Nevertheless they pulled him along to their master, who, upon finding that there was something hard inside the mouse, ordered him cut open; and inside they found the missing earring.

Benito at once forgot his weariness, and after expressing his great thanks to the King Mouse he hastened to the palace with the prize.  The King eagerly seized the earring and presented it to the Princess, again asking her to be his wife.

“Oh, my King,” replied the Princess, “I have one more request to make.  Only grant it and I will be your wife forever.”

The King, believing that now with the aid of Benito he could grant anything, inquired what it was she wished, and she replied: 

“Get me some water from heaven and some from the lower world, and I shall ask nothing more.”

Once more the King called Benito and sent him on the hardest errand of all.

The boy went out not knowing which way to turn, and while he was in a deep study his weary feet led him to the forest.  Suddenly he thought of the bird who had promised to help him, and he called, “Sparrowhawk!” There was a rustle of wings, and the bird swooped down.  He told it of his troubles and it said: 

“I will get the water for you.”