It was a dreadful order. To cook a man like a leg of mutton or a shin of beef! Good heavens! it was awful. But the dwarf, powerful as he was, little dreamed of the amazing influence of the ram’s horn. By its potent force our hero set the whole army of monsters by the ears, who fell foul of and slew each other. Not satisfied with this, they set fire to the mansion, where, amidst the conflagration, those who were not slain perished in the flames.
At the beginning of the fray our hero seized the dwarf, and transforming him into a donkey, placed the King’s daughter on his back, and retraced his steps to Mother Dot’s hut on the cliff. The dame came out at their approach, and at the sight of her the ass began to bray loudly.
“Thou wicked sprite!” she cried, shaking her staff over him. “Thou camest to me in sore need, and I gave thee power. How hast thou used my gift? Why, to evil. Beast thou art, and a beast thou shalt remain for evermore.”
The donkey drew back his long ears, and kicked spitefully, for fully five minutes, at the [[37]]decree. Meanwhile, Mother Dot took the young Princess and her companion into the hut, and placed refreshment before them. It was amusing to see the attention the Nugget bestowed upon the fair young creature by his side, and to note the tell-tale blushes which ever and anon suffused her face as their eyes or their hands chanced to meet. Even the old crone, who wasn’t looking their way, nodded her ancient head, muttered, and chuckled in a wise way, as if she had known it all beforehand.
“AT THE SIGHT OF HER THE ASS BEGAN TO BRAY LOUDLY.”
[[38]]
The meal ended, Silverhaze approached the dame and whispered, “Dear Mother Dot, who is this gallant youth who has delivered me from the wicked dwarf?”
“Ah, he will tell you soon, my pearl,” she answered with a leer; “meantime, he’s called the Knight of the Ram’s Horn.”
Presently the Nugget drew near the old woman, and plucking her by the sleeve, said, “Dame, canst tell what I am to do with this gentle maiden?”