“Ai, my son,” was the reply, “do you not know [[104]]that every six years a dragon comes to this country and feeds on the king’s liver? To-morrow night is the time of his next coming. It is thought possible that he may be tempted to eat of other food, if enough is spread in the banqueting hall. That is why we are in such great haste. Possibly we may save the life of our king.”
The princess was so amazed that she bit her finger, to learn whether, indeed, she were awake.
All that night she was not permitted to sleep, but worked as hard as she could, serving the cooks. When morning came she stole away, went into the other part of the palace, and climbed the stairs. There, in a room by herself, she saw a sultana who was dressed from head to foot in black. Without letting herself be seen, the young explorer went to another room, in which was seated another princess. This one, likewise, was dressed in black, and all the room was draped in mourning. Leaving this, she went to still another room, in which a sultana, who was arrayed from head to foot in scarlet, was seated upon a divan. The princess went on, noiselessly, until she came to the chamber of the king. The court physician had administered a powder to him, and the king lay unconscious.
During all this, more time had elapsed than the princess dreamed. It was now evening, and time [[105]]for the coming of the dragon. She knew, by savory odors that the feast which she had helped to prepare, was spread in the banqueting hall. It seemed to her that a time had come when she should apply for aid. Her heart was trembling with hope and fear; but she took the hairs from her bosom, rubbed them together, when—O, joy, the beautiful horse stood before her once more.
“My princess, art thou in need of me?” he asked. “And what is it that thou requirest?”
“If it be in your power, my noble deliverer, give me a sword so sharp and strong that should I strike an enormous dragon with it, he must be severed in two.”
Without moving from the spot, the horse turned his head and the princess saw a sword among his caparisons. “Take it, my sultana!” he answered. “Use it well. And remember that you must not strike a second blow, in the same place.” With this warning he disappeared.
The princess grasped the sword. Going directly to the king’s chamber, she hid herself in a corner.
The palace was deserted. It seemed strange that the people should leave their beloved king to his fate; but this was in the agreement by which the whole country had been spared. In the middle of [[106]]the night a great noise burst forth through all the sky. The moon and stars became obscured. Everything was black as pitch. Immediately afterward, with loud snorts, an immense dragon appeared in the middle of the room.
Scarcely had he appeared when the young princess seized the sword with both hands and crying, “Yellah!” struck him such a blow that his head was severed from the body.