‘The bridegroom and bride will sleep there; you can’t.’
‘What’s our bargain?’
‘Thou knowest.’
They went, they lay down; Baldpate took his sword, he lay down, he covered his head. At midnight he hears a dragon coming. He draws his sword; he cuts off its heads; he puts them beneath his pillow. The king’s son awoke, and sees his sword in his hands. He cried, ‘Baldpate will kill us.’
The father came and asked, ‘What made you call out, my son?’
‘Baldpate will kill us,’ he answered.
They took and bound Baldpate’s arms.
Day broke; the king summoned him. ‘Why have you acted thus? Seven years you have gone, you have journeyed, and brought the maiden; and now you have risen to slay them.’
‘What could I do?’
‘You would kill my son, then will I kill you.’