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Cat-skin was brought again before the king, but she still told

him that she was only fit to have boots and shoes thrown at her

head.

But when the king had ordered a feast to be got ready for the

third time, it happened just the same as before. 'You must be a

witch, Cat-skin,' said the cook; 'for you always put something

into your soup, so that it pleases the king better than mine.'

However, he let her go up as before. Then she put on her dress

which sparkled like the stars, and went into the ball-room in it;

and the king danced with her again, and thought she had never

looked so beautiful as she did then. So whilst he was dancing

with her, he put a gold ring on her finger without her seeing it,

and ordered that the dance should be kept up a long time. When it

was at an end, he would have held her fast by the hand, but she

slipped away, and sprang so quickly through the crowd that he

lost sight of her: and she ran as fast as she could into her

little cabin under the stairs.