According to Lang's preface, this version of this fairy tale from the Middle East or Central Asia was translated and adapted from Traditions Populaires de l'Asie Mineure by Carnoy et Nicolaides (Paris: Maison-neuve, 1889).
After she refuses her father's choice of a husband (the prime minister's son), he contrives a contest to settle the matter: the two men must go to a far destination and the first to return shall marry the princess.
The woman, who is a witch, instructs the boy: find and slay three particular dogs, burn them and collect their ashes, then make way to the sultan.
Unrecognized, the gardener's son offers to supply his rival with a ship - on the condition that the skin of his back be branded with the imprint of the bronze ring, heated in a fire.
Once that is done, the gardener's son asks the ring to prepare a ship with half-rotten timbers painted black, ragged sails and a maimed and sickly crew.
The gardener's son agrees, but when he sees the intended groom he objects, telling the king that the man is not worthy of the princess, being nothing more than his own slave.
When the prince sails off for a trip in his golden ship, he persuades the princess to trade him the ring for some red fish.
The Mouse Queen contacts all the mice of the world, three of whom know that the magician keeps the bronze ring in his pocket when awake, and in his mouth when asleep.
After some misadventures, the mice manage to return the ring to the prince, who restores his golden vessel and hurries home to the princess.