ld not move it from the spot, so the youth
found there was nothing for it but to move it with his own strength
by means of the magic ring. The Dragon was now so near that in a
couple of springs he would be over the frontier. The youth now began
to consider how he should act, for if he had to push the iron horse
from behind he could not ride upon it as the sorcerer had said he
must. But a raven unexpectedly gave him this advice: 'Ride upon the
horse, and push the spear against the ground, as if you were pushing
off a boat from the land.' The youth did so, and found that in this
way he could easily move forwards. The Dragon had his monstrous jaws
wide open, all ready for his expected prey. A few paces nearer, and
man and horse would have been swallowed up by them! The youth trembled
with horror, and his blood ran cold, yet he did not lose his courage;
but, holding the iron spear upright in his hand, he brought it down
with all his might right through the monster's lower jaw. Then quick
as lightning he sprang from his horse before the Dragon had time to
shut his mouth. A fearful clap like thunder, which could be heard for
miles around, now warned him that the Dragon's jaws had closed upon
the spear. When the youth turned round he saw the point of the spear
sticking up high above the Dragon's upper jaw, and knew that the other
end must be fastened firmly to the ground; but the Dragon had got his
teeth fixed in the iron horse, which was now useless. The youth now
hastened to fasten down the chains to the ground by means of the
enormous iron pegs which he had provided. The death struggle of the
monster lasted three days and three nights; in his writhing he beat
his tail so violently against the ground, that at ten miles' distance
the earth trembled as if with an earthquake. When he at length lost
power to move his tail, the youth with the help of the ring took up a
stone which twenty ordinary men could not have moved, and beat the
Dragon so hard about the head with it that very soon the monster lay
lifeless before him.

You can fancy how great was the rejoicing when the news was spread
abroad that the terrible monster was dead. His conqueror was received
into the city with as much pomp as if he had been the mightiest of
kings. The old King did not need to urge his daughter to marry the
slayer of the Dragon; he found her already willing to bestow her hand
upon this hero, who had done all alone what whole armies had tried in
v