But Vitazko was not to be dissuaded from his quest.
"Nay, sweet princess, I must get the apples."
"Well, then," she said, "I will help you all I can. Here is a precious ring. Put it on a finger of your left hand. When you are sore pressed, think of me and twist the ring and you will have the strength of a hundred men. To conquer this horrible monster you will need the strength of more than a hundred."
Vitazko put on the ring, thanked the princess, and marched boldly on. In the center of the garden he found the tree that bore the Golden Apples. Under it lay the dragon himself.
On sight of Vitazko he raised his head and bellowed out:
"Ho, you murderer of dragons, what do you want here?"
Nothing daunted, Vitazko replied:
"I am come to shake down some of the Golden Apples."
"Indeed!" the dragon roared. "Then you will have to shake them down over my dead body!"
"I shall be glad to do that!" Vitazko said, springing at the dragon and at the same time twisting around the ring on his right hand and thinking of kind old St. Nedyelka.