On and on he walked till he arrived at the Kingdom of Deep-Hole, inhabited by the mice, where, being taken for a spy of the cats, he was instantly led before Nibbler the King. Then the King asked him who he was, whence he came, and what he was about in that country ; and Minecco, after first giving the King a cheese-paring, in sign of tribute, related to him all his misfortunes, one by one. He concluded by saying that he was resolved to continue his toil and travel until he should get tidings of those thievish villains who had robbed him of so precious a jewel.

At these words King Nibbler felt pity gnawing at his heart ; and wishing to comfort the poor man, he summoned the mice elders to a council, and asked their opinions on the misfortunes of Minecco, commanding them to use all diligence and endeavour to obtain some tidings of those false merchants. Now, among the rest it happened that Pecker and Skipjack were present mice who were well used to the ways of the world, and had lived for six years at a tavern of great resort hard by ; and they said to Minecco, "Be of good heart, comrade! matters will turn out better than you imagine. You must know that one day, when we were in a room in the hostelry of the 'Horn,' where the most famous men in the world lodge and make merry, two persons from Hook-Castle came in, who, after they had eaten their fill and had seen the bottom of their flagon, fell to talking of a trick they had played on a certain old man of Black-Grotto, cheating him out of a stone of great value. 'As for me,' said one of the rascals, Jennaroné by name, 'I shall never take it from my finger lest I lose it in my turn.'"

When Minecco heard this, he told the two mice that if they would trust themselves in his company, and come with him to the country where those rogues lived, and recover the ring for him, he would give them as much cheese and salt meat as ever they liked, which they might eat and enjoy with his Majesty King Nibbler. For such a reward the two mice were willing to go over seas and mountains ; and taking leave of his mousy majesty they set out.

At last they arrived at Hook-Castle, where the mice told Minecco to remain under some trees on the brink of a river, while they went to seek the house of the magicians. As they knew Jennaroné never took the ring from his finger they had to resort to a trick to get it from him. So waiting till the magicians had gone to bed and were fast asleep, Pecker began to nibble the finger on which the ring was ; whereupon Jennaroné, feeling the smart, took the ring off and laid it on a table at the head of the bed. But as soon as Skipjack saw this he popped it into his mouth. Then they both ran back to find Minecco. Great indeed was his joy ; and as the ring gave him back his power, he instantly turned the magicians into two donkeys. On one he rode. The other he loaded with cheese and bacon, and set off towards Deep-Hole, where, having given presents to the King and his councillors, he thanked them for their assistance, praying that no mousetrap might ever lay hold of them and no cat ever mishandle them.

Minecco returned to Black-Grotto even more handsome than before, and was received by the King and by his daughter Pentella with the greatest affection in the world. The two asses remained beasts of burden ; but he lived happily with Pentella till the end of his life. As you may think, he was never again so foolish as to take the ring from his finger.

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