ly
confide your trouble in me.'

Then they told her that they had become the servants of the Dragon for
seven long years, and how he had given them money as plentifully as
blackberries; but as they had signed their names they were his, unless
when the seven years had passed they could guess a riddle. The old woman
said, 'If you would help yourselves, one of you must go into the wood,
and there he will come upon a tumble-down building of rocks which looks
like a little house. He must go in, and there he will find help.'

The two melancholy ones thought, 'That won't save us!' and they remained
where they were. But the third and merry one jumped up and went into the
wood till he found the rock hut. In the hut sat a very old woman, who
was the Dragon's grandmother. She asked him how he came, and what was
his business there. He told her all that happened, and because she was
pleased with him she took compassion on him, and said she would help
him.

She lifted up a large stone which lay over the cellar, saying, 'Hide
yourself there; you can hear all that is spoken in this room. Only sit
still and don't stir. When the Dragon comes, I will ask him what the
riddle is, for he tells me everything; then listen carefully what he
answers.'

At midnight the Dragon flew in, and asked for his supper. His
grandmother laid the table, and brought out food and drink till he was
satisfied, and they ate and drank together. Then in the course of the
conversation she asked him what he had done in the day, and how many
souls he had conquered.

'I haven't had much luck to-day,' he said, 'but I have a tight hold on
three soldiers.'

'Indeed! three soldiers!' said she. 'Who cannot escape you?'

'They are mine,' answered the Dragon scornfully, 'for I shall only give
them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.'

'What sort of a riddle is it?' she asked.

'I will tell you this. In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall
be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their
silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their
wineglass.'

When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone
and let out the soldier.

'Did you pay attention to everything?'

'Yes,' he replied, 'I know enough, and can help myself splendidly.'

Then he went by another way through the window secretly, and in all
haste back to his comrades. He told them how the Dragon had been
outwitted by hi