We show that every homeomorphic W 1,1 loc solution f of a Beltrami equation ∂f = µ ∂f in a domain D ⊆ C is the so-called ring Q−homeomorphism with Q(z) = K T µ (z, z 0 ) where K T µ (z, z 0 ) is the tangent (angular) dilatation quotient of the equation with respect to an arbitrary point z 0 ∈ D. In this connection, we develop the theory of the boundary behavior of the ring Q−homeomorphisms with respect to prime ends. On this basis, we show that, for wide classes of degenerate Beltrami equations ∂f = µ ∂f , there exist regular solutions of the Dirichlet problem in arbitrary simply connected domains in C and pseudoregular and multivalent solutions in arbitrary finitely connected domains in C with boundary datum ϕ that are continuous with respect to the topology of prime ends.Remark 1.1. This topology can be described in terms of metrics. Namely, as known, every bounded finitely connected domain D in C can be mapped by a conformal mapping g 0 onto the so-called circular domain D 0 whose boundary consists of a finite collection of mutually disjoint circles and isolated points, see, e.g., Theorem V.6.2 in [8]. Moreover, isolated singular points of bounded conformal mappings are removable by Theorem 1.2 in [4] due to Weierstrass. Hence isolated points of ∂D correspond to isolated points of ∂D 0 and inversely.Reducing this case to the Caratheodory theorem, see, e.g., Theorem 9.4 in [4] for simple connected domains, we have a natural one-to-one correspondence between points of ∂D 0 and prime ends of the domain D. Determine in D P the metric ρ 0 (p 1 , p 2 ) = | g 0 (p 1 ) − g 0 (p 2 )| where g 0 is the extension of g 0 to D P just mentioned.If g * is another conformal mapping of the domain D on a circular domain D * , then the corresponding metric ρ * (p 1 , p 2 ) = | g * (p 1 ) − g * (p 2 )| generates the same convergence in D P as the metric ρ 0 because g 0 •g −1 * is a conformal mapping between the domains D * and D 0 that is extended to a homeomorphism between D * and D 0 , see, e.g., Theorem V.6.1 ′ in [8]. Consequently, the given metrics induce the same topology in the space D P .This topology coincides with topology of prime ends described in inner terms of the domain D in Section 9.5 of [4]. Later on, we prefer to apply the description of the topology of prime ends in terms of the given metrics because it is more clear, more convenient and it is important for us just metrizability of D P . Note also that the space D P for every bounded finitely connected domain D in C with the given topology is compact because the closure of the circular domain D 0 is a compact space and by the construction g 0 : D P → D 0 is a homeomorphism.Applying the description of the topology of prime ends in Section 9.5 of [4], we reduce the case of bounded finitely connected domains to Theorem 9.3 in [4] for simple connected domains and obtain the following useful fact.Lemma 1.2. Each prime end P of a bounded finitely connected domain D in C contains a chain of cross-cuts σ m lying on circles S(z 0 , r m ) with z 0 ∈ ∂D and r m → 0 as m →...