was like lilies and roses. As the Prince was
dancing with her he managed to whisper in her ear, 'I have come to set
you free!'

Then the beautiful girl said to him, 'If you succeed in bringing the
mare back safely the third day, ask the Mother Dragon to give you a foal
of the mare as a reward.'

The ball came to an end at midnight, and early next morning the Prince
again led the Mother Dragon's mare out into the meadow. But again she
vanished before his eyes. Then he took out his little bell and rang it
twice.

In a moment the King of the Foxes stood before him and said: 'I know
already what you want, and will summon all the foxes of the world
together to find the mare who has hidden herself in a hill.'

With these words the King of the Foxes disappeared, and in the evening
many thousand foxes brought the mare to the Prince.

Then he rode home to the Mother-Dragon, from whom he received this time
a cloak made of silver, and again she led him to the ball-room.

The Flower Queen's daughter was delighted to see him safe and sound,
and when they were dancing together she whispered in his ear: 'If you
succeed again to-morrow, wait for me with the foal in the meadow. After
the ball we will fly away together.'

On the third day the Prince led the mare to the meadow again; but once
more she vanished before his eyes. Then the Prince took out his little
bell and rang it three times.

In a moment the King of the Fishes appeared, and said to him: 'I know
quite well what you want me to do, and I will summon all the fishes
of the sea together, and tell them to bring you back the mare, who is
hiding herself in a river.'

Towards evening the mare was returned to him, and when he led her home
to the Mother Dragon she said to him:

'You are a brave youth, and I will make you my body-servant. But what
shall I give you as a reward to begin with?'

The Prince begged for a foal of the mare, which the Mother Dragon at
once gave him, and over and above, a cloak made of gold, for she had
fallen in love with him because he had praised her beauty.

So in the evening he appeared at the ball in his golden cloak; but
before the entertainment was over he slipped away, and went straight to
the stables, where he mounted his foal and rode out into the meadow to
wait for the Flower Queen's daughter. Towards midnight the beautiful
girl appeared, and placing her in front of him on his horse, the
Prince and she flew like the wind till they re