The next morning he armed himself with a stout sword, and they started. It was a long distance, and when the soldier tired of walking the bear carried him on its back. At last they met a procession carrying the princess to the dragon. Thousands of people were in the procession, and they were all weeping. The soldier and his comrades went along with the rest to the edge of a big, desolate plain. Then the people turned back and left the princess to go on alone. The cavern of the dragon was in the midst of the plain, and every month a maiden had to come to him to be devoured. Otherwise, he would have devastated the whole kingdom. The maidens were chosen by lot, and this time the lot had fallen on the daughter of the king. Abandoned by all the world, she went slowly on, wailing and shedding great tears.
Meanwhile the soldier was engaged in buying a handsome horse from one of the returning citizens. As soon as he had secured it, he galloped after the princess with the bear and the rabbit following him. When he overtook her he said, “I pray you, dear lady, to mount behind me, and I will carry you whither you are going.”
“Alas!” she responded, “I shall get there only too soon. I do not wish to hasten to my death.”
“Confide in me,” said the soldier. “With the aid of my two companions, whom you see here, I will save you from the monster.”
“I will do whatever you say,” the princess agreed, “though I have little hope that you can save me.”
Then the soldier leaped to the ground, helped the princess on to the horse’s back, remounted himself, and rode on toward the abode of the dragon. The dragon heard them coming, and crawled out of its cave. “So you are here at last, princess!” it snorted. “But I see you have companions with you. The more the better, for I shall eat you and them, too.”
Next the dragon addressed the soldier, and said: “Young man, I am all ready. Throw me the princess.”
“If you want her, come and take her,” the soldier responded.
“Throw her to me,” ordered the dragon savagely, “or with my sharp teeth I will make sausage meat of you in no time.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” retorted the soldier.