So he was led out to the sea， and a gold ring was thrown into it， before his eyes， then the king ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea， and added， “If you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amidamid prep.在……中 the waves.” All the people grievedgrieve v.（使）悲痛， （使）伤心， 忧伤 for the handsome youth， then they went away， leaving him alone by the sea. He stood on the shore and considered what he should do， when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him， and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a musselmussel n.[动］贻贝， 蚌类 in its mouth， which it laid on the shore at the youths feet， and when he had taken it up and opened it， there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the king， and expected that he would grant him the promised reward. But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth， she scornedscorn vt.轻蔑， 不屑做 him， and required him first to perform another task. She went down into the garden and strewedstrew vt.散播， 点缀， 撒满 with her own hands ten sacks—full of milletseed on the grass， then she said， “Tomorrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up， and not a single grain be wanting.” The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task， but he could think of nothing， and there he sat sorrowfullysorrowfully adv.悲哀地， 忧愁地 awaiting the break of day， when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side， quite full， and not a single grain was missing. The antking had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants， and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the milletseed and gathered them into the sacks. Presently the kings daughter herself came down into the garden， and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. But she could not yet conquerconquer vt.征服， 战胜， 占领， 克服（困难等）， 破（坏习惯等） her proud heart， and said， “Although he has performed both the tasks， he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the tree of life.” The youth did not know where the tree of life stood， but he set out， and would have gone on for ever， as long as his legs would carry him， though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms， he came one evening to a wood， and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustlingrustling n.瑟瑟声， 沙沙声 in the branches， and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him， perchedperch v.（使）栖息， 就位， 位于 themselves upon his knee， and said， “We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving， when we had grown big， and heard that you were seeking the golden apple， we flew over the sea to the end of the world， where the tree of life stands， and have brought you the apple.” The youth， full of joy， set out homewards， and took the golden apple to the kings beautiful daughter， who had no more excuses left to make. They cut the apple of life in two and ate it together， and then her heart became full of love for him， and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.
接着，他被带到大海边，国王命人在他眼前把一枚金戒指扔进海里去，然后命令他去海底把戒指捞起来，并且说：“捞不到它，你一上来我们就推你下去，直至你被淹死。”大家都为这英俊的青年感到伤心，让他一个人留在了海边。他站在那儿，考虑如何是好。突然，他看见游来了三条鱼，恰好是他救过的那三条鱼。游在中间的一条嘴里还衔着只贝壳，到了岸边便把它吐在了年轻人脚下。他拾起贝壳来掰开一看，那枚金戒指就在里面。他满心欢喜地把它送给国王，等着领取奖赏。哪知骄傲的公主听说他出身低微，瞧不起他，要他再完成第二项任务。她走进花园，亲手撒了十袋小米在草坪上，说：“你必须在明天日出前全部捡起来，一粒也不准少！”青年坐在花园里，考虑怎么能完成这个任务。可他左想右想毫无结果，单等着天亮被押去处死。哪知第一束曙光照进花园，他却发现十袋小米已装得满满的排列在旁边，一粒也不少！原来，那只蚂蚁王在夜里率领它千千万万臣民赶来，这些对他怀着感激的小生物，不辞辛劳地拾呀运呀，把小米全装进了袋子。第二天公主亲自来到花园内，惊异地发现青年完成任务。可她仍然克制不住自己的骄傲，说：“尽管你已完成两项任务，但你在做我丈夫之前，还得去给我从生命树上摘一只苹果来！”年轻人根本不知道生命树长在哪里。他动了身，打算能上哪儿就上哪儿，完全不抱能找到它的希望。他已经漫游完了三个王国，一天晚上他走进一座树林，坐在一棵树下，正打算睡觉，忽听头顶的枝丫间发出窸窸窣窣的响声，一只金苹果掉进了他手里！与此同时，树上飞下来三只乌鸦，停在他的膝头上，对他说：“我们是那三只你曾使它们免遭饿死的小乌鸦。我们长大后，听说你要找那只金苹果，就飞越大海，找到生命树，把苹果为你摘来了。”年轻人满怀喜悦地踏上归途，把金苹果带给美丽的公主，叫她再也没有了推托的借口。他俩一块儿分食了生命之果，她便爱上了他。从此夫妇俩过着幸福安宁的生活，度过了一生。