They brought her to the seashore and left her there, and every one went away except two nobles of the Court. One of them was driving the coach that brought the Princess, and the other one sat beside him as footman. They were to wait until all was over, and then they were to take the news back to the King, but they kept the coach high up on top of the cliff where they would be out of danger.
The Prince waited until all the others had left her, and then he came out from behind the rocks and went to speak to the Princess; but when she saw him she was frightened, for she did not know who he was nor whence he came.
“Do not fear me,” the Prince said to her. “I mean you no harm, but instead I have come hither to do battle with the dragon, and if it may be, to save you.”
When the Princess heard this, she begged and implored him to leave her. “Why should you perish also? None can ever do battle with yonder monster and come out alive.”
But the Prince would not listen to her.
And now the dragon bestirred itself and turned and came slowly toward the shore, and as it came they could smell the smoke of its breathing.
The Prince drew his sword and stood waiting for it. Then as it came still nearer, the fox sprang out on a rock, dipped his tail in the salty water and slashed it across the eyes of the monster so that it was almost blinded. The lion and the bear also splashed up the water; the boar ripped at the dragon with his sharp tusks; the hare sprang upon its head and struck with its paws; and the Prince drew his sword and plunged it into the monster’s heart, so that the life blood ran out from it into the sea, and it was dead.
Then he went to the Princess, and they kissed each other on the lips, and she gave him the half of her handkerchief and the half of her ring to show that they were true lovers. He also took the tongue and the ears of the dragon, and then they went back to the coach where it was waiting on the cliff, and the Princess bade the nobleman drive them to the palace of the King, that she and the Prince might be married as her father had promised.
But on the way, the two noblemen talked together.
“Why should we drive this stranger to the palace?” said they. “No one knows who he is or whence he comes. Let us slay him, and then we will draw lots as to which of us shall claim the Princess.”