in which she had treasured up Marzi's tokens, and said to her father: "Command the rivals to change themselves in turn into a dove, a salmon, and a hare."
The King did as she asked, but the false bridegroom stood motionless, and as if paralysed by fear and terror.
"He perched on the princess's knee."
But of a sudden Marzi shook himself, and changing into a dove he perched on the Princess's knee, and said:
"Princess dear, put my feathers back;
One in each wing you'll find I lack."
Then the Princess took the two feathers out of her box and stuck them into the dove's wings, so that everyone saw they belonged to the bird.
In a minute the dove had shaken itself and a silver salmon lay in its place, which said:
"Now, sweet Princess, one boon I crave,
Put back the silver scales I gave."
And the Princess took the eight silver scales, and all eyes could see that they came off the fish's back. Finally the salmon shook itself and sprang in the form of a hare to the Princess's feet, and said:
"My bride so sweet, Princess so fair,
Give up the tail of the little hare."
Then everyone saw with their own eyes that the hare had lost its tail, and that the one the Princess took out of her little box fitted it exactly. And, last of all, the hare shook itself also, and Marzi stood before them all in his natural form.
As soon as the King had heard his story, he had the false bridegroom caught and hung on the nearest gallows. The very next day the Princess was married to her brave soldier, and never was there such a merry wedding. The King presented the kingdom he had conquered to Marzi, who was crowned king, and they all lived peacefully and happily to the end of their lives.
