he head, and instantly it was
turned into a stone. And the stone beast is there on the sea-coast to
this day.

Then the boy and the girl went to the palace of the King, her father,
where everyone was weeping for her death, and they could hardly believe
their eyes when they saw her come back well. And the King and Queen made
much of the boy, and could not contain themselves for delight when they
found he wanted to marry their daughter. So the two were married with
the most splendid rejoicings, and when they had passed some time at
court they went home in a ship to the boy's own country. For he could
not carry his bride through the air, so he took the Shoes of Swiftness,
and the Cap of Darkness, and the Sword of Sharpness up to a lonely place
in the hills. There he left them, and there they were found by the man
and woman who had met him at home beside the sea, and had helped him to
start on his journey.

When this had been done the boy and his bride set forth for home, and
landed at the harbor of his native land. But whom should he meet in the
very street of the town but his own mother, flying for her life from the
wicked King, who now wished to kill her because he found that she would
never marry him! For if she had liked the King ill before, she liked him
far worse now that he had caused her son to disappear so suddenly. She
did not know, of course, where the boy had gone, but thought the King
had slain him secretly. So now she was running for her very life,
and the wicked King was following her with a sword in his hand. Then,
behold! she ran into her son's very arms, but he had only time to kiss
her and step in front of her, when the King struck at him with his
sword. The boy caught the blow on his shield, and cried to the King:

"I swore to bring you the Terrible Head, and see how I keep my oath!"

Then he drew forth the head from his wallet, and when the King's eyes
fell on it, instantly he was turned into stone, just as he stood there
with his sword lifted!

Now all the people rejoiced, because the wicked King should rule them no
longer. And they asked the boy to be their king, but he said no, he must
take his mother home to her father's house. So the people chose for king
the man who had been kind to his mother when first she was cast on the
island in the great chest.

Presently the boy and his mother and his wife set sail for his mother's
own country, from which she had been driven so unkindly. But on the w