"I'm sure of it," responded the Princess.
"Then," said the boy, "maybe I can make a bargain with him."
So he leaned out of the window and called to the monster: "you might as well go away now. I've decided to become a spider."
"What!" shouted the twenty-headed Gallopus, "why, you must be crazy. Why—why, it's an awful feeling to be a spider. It's much nicer to be eaten. Come on out and I'll swallow you whole and it won't hurt a bit."
"No," said Ting, "I think I prefer to be a spider."
"Oh, go on," said the Gallopus, looking awfully disappointed, "you can't mean it."
"Yes, I do," said the Prince, "although I might change my mind if you let the Princess go free."
"Never," cried the monster, gnashing his teeth.
"Very well, then," said Ting, "you'll not eat me." And he started to draw in his head.
"Wait, wait," shouted the Gallopus, "wait a moment. Let me think." Then after a moment he groaned. "All right, I'll do it, though I ought to be ashamed of myself. But it has been so many years since I tasted a boy I simply cannot resist the temptation. So come out and be eaten and the moment I gulp you down I'll go off to my cave and shut my eyes, and the Princess can come out of the castle."