"
"If you love me," she said, "do as I tell you."
Then Juan reluctantly seized the bolo, and with closed eyes cut her
body to pieces and poured the mass into the water where the ring was
supposed to be. In five minutes there rose from the water the princess
with the ring on her finger. But Juan fell asleep; and before he awoke,
the ring fell into the water again.
"Oh, how little you love me!" she exclaimed. "The ring fell because
you did not catch it quickly from my finger. Cut up my body as before,
and pour the mass of flesh into the water again." Accordingly Juan
cut her to pieces a second time, and again poured the mass into the
water. Then in a short time Maria rose from the water with the ring
on her finger; but Juan fell asleep again, and again the ring fell
back into the water.
Now Maria was angry: so she cut a gash on his finger, and told him
to cut her body to pieces and pour the mass out as before. At last
the ring was found again. This time Juan was awake, and he quickly
caught the ring as she rose from the water.
That morning Juan went before the king and presented the ring to
him.
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