The servants approached armed with brooms and sticks, and the rabbit took to flight and leaped lightly through the window.
Next day the wedding guests assembled, but just when everything was ready for the ceremony the soldier, followed by the bear and the rabbit, entered the palace. The guests at this sight were about to stampede to safety, but the soldier raised his hand, and said, “Let no one attempt to leave the hall, or he will have to deal with my friend here.”
So saying, he pulled the bear’s ear, and the bear growled threateningly. Then the soldier turned to the king and asked: “Do you believe that it was this ugly charcoal-burner who rescued your daughter from the dragon? And are you willing to give him your daughter to be his wife?”
“I am a man of my word,” responded the king.
“Very well,” said the soldier, “but the charcoal-burner did not deliver the princess from the monster. It was I, though I must add that I had the help of these two friends, the bear and the rabbit.”
“But the charcoal-burner has given us proof we cannot doubt,” said the king. “He brought with him the dragon’s head.”
“Let the head be produced, and I will prove to you that he is a fraud,” said the soldier.
The king dispatched a servant to fetch the head, and when it had been brought the soldier said: “Now open the dragon’s mouth. See if it has a tongue.”
The servant opened the monster’s mouth. Sure enough, there was no tongue.
“Why, how does that happen?” asked the king.