She was astonished, and said, “Yes, it is the right ring. Thou hast safely performed the first task, but now comes the second. Dost thou see the meadow in front of my palace? Three hundred fat oxen are feeding there, and these must thou eat, skin, hair, bones, horns and all, and down below in my cellar lie three hundred casks of wine, and these thou must drink up as well, and if one hair of the oxen, or one little drop of the wine is left, thy life will be forfeited to me.”

“May I invite no guests to this repast?” inquired the prince, “no dinner is good without some company.”

The old woman laughed maliciously, and replied, “Thou mayst invite one for the sake of companionship, but no more.”