ht of the castle
the beautiful bird took flight, and, making straight for the dying King,
at once cured him of his sickness. Then she resumed her natural shape,
and he found that the bird was no other than the Queen Constance, whom
he had long believed to be dead. Peridor was rejoiced to embrace his
wife and his son once more, and with the help of the fairies began to
make preparations for the marriage of Saphir and Serpentine, who turned
out to be the daughter of Aglantine and Diamantino, and as much a
princess as he was a prince. The people of the kingdom were delighted,
and everybody lived happy and contented to the end of their lives.

THE SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT(9)

(9) 'Die Siebenkopfige Schlange,' from Schmidt's Griechische Mahrchen.

Once upon a time there was a king who determined to take a long voyage.
He assembled his fleet and all the seamen, and set out. They went
straight on night and day, until they came to an island which was
covered with large trees, and under every tree lay a lion. As soon as
the King had landed his men, the lions all rose up together and tried
to devour them. After a long battle they managed to overcome the
wild beasts, but the greater number of the men were killed. Those who
remained alive now went on through the forest and found on the other
side of it a beautiful garden, in which all the plants of the world
flourished together.

There were also in the garden three springs: the first flowed with
silver, the second with gold, and the third with pearls. The men
unbuckled their knapsacks and filled them with those precious things. In
the middle of the garden they found a large lake, and when they reached
the edge of it the Lake began to speak, and said to them, 'What men are
you, and what brings you here? Are you come to visit our king?' But they
were too much frightened to answer.

Then the Lake said, 'You do well to be afraid, for it is at your peril
that you are come hither. Our king, who has seven heads, is now asleep,
but in a few minutes he will wake up and come to me to take his bath!
Woe to anyone who meets him in the garden, for it is impossible to
escape from him. This is what you must do if you wish to save your
lives. Take off your clothes and spread them on the path which leads
from here to the castle. The King will then glide over something soft,
which he likes very much, and he will be so pleased with that that he
will not devour you. He will give you some punis