uty lives," he thought, "other men
also know."

So one by one he went to all the old men in the village and asked them
what they knew of Peerless Beauty. One by one they shook their heads and
told him that Peerless Beauty was no maiden for him to be thinking
about.

"Put her out of your mind," they said. "These enchanted maidens are a
snare to young men. What you want to do is marry some quiet industrious
girl here in the village and settle down like a sensible young man."

But the oftener Danilo heard this advice, the more firmly convinced he
became that it was just what he did not want to do.

"Time enough to settle down after I've seen Peerless Beauty," he told
himself. "She must be beautiful indeed, or all these old men would not
be so anxious to keep me from seeing her. Well, if they won't tell me
where she is, I'll go out in the world and find her for myself."

So he put on rich clothes as befitted his wealth, took a bag of the gold
his father had left him, mounted his horse, and rode off into the world.
Everywhere he went he made inquiries about Peerless Beauty and
everywhere he found old men who knew about the enchanted maiden but
would tell him nothing. Every one of them advised him to go home like a
sensible young man and think no more about her. But all they said only
made him the more determined to see the maiden for himself.

Finally one day as evening approached he came to a little hut in the
woods. At the door of the hut sat a poor old woman. She held out her
hand as he passed and begged an alms. Danilo, being a kind hearted young
man, gave her a gold piece.

"May God reward you!" the old woman said.

"Granny," Danilo asked, "can you tell me the way to Peerless Beauty?"

"Aye, my son, that I can but he is a rash youth who seeks that maiden!
It were better for you to turn back than to go on!"

"But I'm not going to turn back!" Danilo declared. "Whatever the outcome
I'm going to find Peerless Beauty and see for myself why all men fear
her."

When the old woman saw that Danilo was determined, she gave up pleading
with him and pointed out a faint trail in the forest which, she told
him, would lead him to Peerless Beauty's castle.

He slept that night in the old woman's hut and early next morning set
out on the forest trail. By afternoon he reached the castle.

"What do you want?" the guards demanded roughly.

"I want to see Peerless Beauty."

"Have you gold?" they asked him.

Danilo showed