such as you."

The giant put himself into a terrible passion, and would have killed
Avenant with one blow, only a raven from above flew at his head, and
pecked him straight in the eyes, so violently that he was blinded. He
began striking out on all sides, but Avenant avoided his blows, and
with his sword pierced him so many times that at last he fell to the
ground. Then Avenant cut off his head, and the raven, who had perched
on a tree, said,

"I have not forgotten how you rescued me from the eagle; I promised to
repay you, I think I have done so to-day."

"I owe everything to you, Mr. Raven," responded Avenant, as, holding
Galifron's head, he rode off.

When he entered the town, crowds followed him crying, "Here is the
brave Avenant who has slain the monster."

Avenant advanced to the Princess, and said, "Madam, your enemy is
dead. I hope you will no more refuse the King, my master."

"Although it is so," answered the Princess, "I shall refuse him unless
you will bring me some water from the Grotto of Darkness. At the
entrance there are two dragons, with fire in their eyes and mouths;
inside the grotto there is a deep pit into which you must descend, it
is full of toads, scorpions, and serpents. At the bottom of this pit
there is a little cave where flows the fountain of beauty and health.
Positively I must possess the water; all who wash in it, if they are
beautiful, continue so always, if they are ugly they become beautiful;
if they are young they remain young, if they are old they regain their
youth. You cannot wonder, Avenant, that I will not leave my kingdom
without taking it with me."

So once more Avenant and Cabriole set out; they journeyed on until
they came to a rock, black as ink, from which smoke was issuing, and
a moment later there appeared one of the dragons belching forth fire
from his eyes and mouth. He was a frightful looking creature with a
green and yellow body, and his tail was so long that it went into a
hundred curves. Avenant saw all this, but resolved to die, he drew his
sword, and, carrying the flask the Princess had given to him to hold
the water, he said to Cabriole:

"My days are ended, I can never obtain that water the dragons are
guarding; when I am dead, fill this flask with my blood and carry it
to the Princess, that she may know what it has cost me, then go to the
King, my master, and tell him of my misfortune."

As he was speaking, a voice called, "Avenant, Avenant," and lo