was guarded by a
fiery dragon, the like of which he had never seen in all his life!
"Come and be devoured!" it cried, as Hans came into sight.

Poor Hans! He sat down by the roadside and held his head between his
hands and cried--the tears rolled down his cheeks I do assure you--for
he said to himself:

"If I go into the orchard I shall be eaten alive by the dragon, and if
I do not go I shall never see my mother or the good king, my master,
again."

How long he sat there, neither I nor anybody else can tell you, but by
and by he saw two birds flying through the air. Nearer and nearer they
came till at last they reached the spot where Hans sat and lighted at
his feet. And they were the very birds that Hans had helped. Their
wings had grown strong enough by this time to carry them wherever they
wanted to go and they flapped them joyfully as they cried:

"One good turn deserves another. You helped us, and we have come to
help you."

It was no trouble for them to fly into the orchard high above the
dragon's head; and almost before Hans knew they were gone they were
back again bringing with them the golden apple that the king desired.

He was astonished when Hans took it to him. He could scarcely believe
his eyes; but he would not let Hans go.

Instead he took a ring from his finger and threw it to the very bottom
of the sea.

"Go and fetch me that ring," he said, "and you shall be free as the
birds and the bees; but until it is upon my finger again you shall not
pass through my kingdom."

Poor Hans! He sat down on the seashore and cried--the tears rolled
down his cheeks I do assure you--for he said to himself:

"Who can do a task like this? I must either drown or stay here all the
days of my life. I shall never see my mother or the good king, my
master, again."

How long he sat there, neither I nor anybody else can tell you, but by
and by three little fishes came swimming to the shore.

"One good turn deserves another," they called, for they were the very
fish that Hans had thrown into the stream. "You helped us, and we have
come to help you."

Then down they went to the very bottom of the sea where the king's
ring lay. One of them took it in his mouth and so brought it safely to
Hans who ran with it to the king.

[Illustration: ONE OF THEM TOOK IT IN HIS MOUTH, AND SO BROUGHT IT
SAFELY TO HANS.]

And when the king saw the ring he knew that he must let Hans go; he
did not dare to keep him any longer.