emanded what
seemed to me impossibilities from your bridegroom, but now that he has
done all I required, I am bound to stick to my part of the bargain. Be a
good child, and as you love me, do not force me to break my word, but
give yourself up with as good grace as you can to a most unhappy fate.'

'Do with me what you like, my lord and father, for your will is my law,'
answered Grannonia.

When the King heard this, he told Cola-Mattheo to bring the snake to the
palace, and said that he was prepared to receive the creature as his
son-in-law.

The snake arrived at court in a carriage made of gold and drawn by six
white elephants; but wherever it appeared on the way, the people fled in
terror at the sight of the fearful reptile.

When the snake reached the palace, all the courtiers shook and trembled
with fear down to the very scullion, and the King and Queen were in such
a state of nervous collapse that they hid themselves in a far-away
turret. Grannonia alone kept her presence of mind, and although both her
father and mother implored her to fly for her life, she wouldn't move a
step, saying, 'I'm certainly not going to fly from the man you have
chosen for my husband.'

[Illustration]

As soon as the snake saw Grannonia, it wound its tail round her and
kissed her. Then, leading her into a room, it shut the door, and
throwing off its skin, it changed into a beautiful young man with golden
locks, and flashing eyes, who embraced Grannonia tenderly, and said all
sorts of pretty things to her.

When the King saw the snake shut itself into a room with his daughter,
he said to his wife, 'Heaven be merciful to our child, for I fear it is
all over with her now. This cursed snake has most likely swallowed her
up.' Then they put their eyes to the keyhole to see what had happened.

Their amazement knew no bounds when they saw a beautiful youth standing
before their daughter with the snake's skin lying on the floor beside
him. In their excitement they burst open the door, and seizing the skin
they threw it into the fire. But no sooner had they done this than the
young man called out, 'Oh, wretched people! what have you done?' and
before they had time to look round he had changed himself into a dove,
and dashing against the window he broke a pane of glass, and flew away
from their sight.

But Grannonia, who in one and the same moment saw herself merry and sad,
cheerful and despairing, rich and beggared, complained bitterly