I fell into the arms of the king’s son Iwanich. He was awake when I arrived, so I could not hold onto my swan shape. Oh, I did love him and I wanted to cling to him, but it was time to leave. I was under the power of a witch who had put me far out of the reach of any man.
“Think of your love Militza, even if you never see her again,” I said as I slipped a diamond ring onto his finger. “But if your love is really true, come and find me in my own kingdom. I may not be able to show you the way there, but the ring will guide you. If you have love and courage enough to undertake this journey, whenever you come to a crossroad, always look at this diamond before you settle on which way you are going to take. If it sparkles as brightly as ever, go straight on, but if its luster dims, choose another path.”
I kissed him on the forehead and leapt into the air, vanishing in a little white cloud.