'

This flattering speech pleased the dragons, and the eldest of them said,
'Well, you may come with me, and I will take you to the Mother Dragon.'

They entered the castle and walked through twelve splendid halls, all
made of gold and diamonds. In the twelfth room they found the Mother
Dragon seated on a diamond throne. She was the ugliest woman under the
sun, and, added to it all, she had three heads. Her appearance was a
great shock to the Prince, and so was her voice, which was like the
croaking of many ravens. She asked him, 'Why have you come here?'

The Prince answered at once, 'I have heard so much of your beauty and
kindness, that I would very much like to enter your service.'

'Very well,' said the Mother Dragon; 'but if you wish to enter my
service, you must first lead my mare out to the meadow and look after
her for three days; but if you don't bring her home safely every
evening, we will eat you up.'

The Prince undertook the task and led the mare out to the meadow.

But no sooner had they reached the grass than she vanished. The Prince
sought for her in vain, and at last in despair sat down on a big stone
and contemplated his sad fate. As he sat thus lost in thought, he
noticed an eagle flying over his head. Then he suddenly bethought him of
his little bell, and taking it out of his pocket he rang it once. In a
moment he heard a rustling sound in the air beside him, and the King of
the Eagles sank at his feet.

'I know what you want of me,' the bird said. 'You are looking for the
Mother Dragon's mare who is galloping about among the clouds. I will
summon all the eagles of the air together, and order them to catch the
mare and bring her to you.' And with these words the King of the Eagles
flew away. Towards evening the Prince heard a mighty rushing sound in
the air, and when he looked up he saw thousands of eagles driving the
mare before them. They sank at his feet on to the ground and gave the
mare over to him. Then the Prince rode home to the old Mother Dragon,
who was full of wonder when she saw him, and said, 'You have succeeded
to-day in looking after my mare, and as a reward you shall come to my
ball to-night.' She gave him at the same time a cloak made of copper,
and led him to a big room where several young he-dragons and she-dragons
were dancing together. Here, too, was the Flower Queen's beautiful
daughter. Her dress was woven out of the most lovely flowers in the
world, and her complexion