l his courage, and rang his
bell, if perchance it might be heard amidst all this clamour. Great was
his relief when the rope began slowly to pull him upwards.

Then the other general plunged in; but he fared no better than the
first, and was soon on dry ground again.

'Well, you are a brave pair!' said Bensurdatu, as he tied the rope round
his own waist; 'let us see what will happen to me.' And when he heard
the thunder and clamour round about him he thought to himself, 'Oh, make
as much noise as you like, it won't hurt me!' When his feet touched the
bottom he found himself in a large, brilliantly lighted hall, and in the
middle sat the eldest princess, and in front of her lay a huge giant,
fast asleep. Directly she saw Bensurdatu she nodded to him, and asked
with her eyes how he had come there.

For answer he drew his sword, and was about to cut off the giant's head,
when she stopped him quickly, and made signs to hide himself, as the
giant was just beginning to wake. 'I smell the flesh of a man!' murmured
he, stretching his great arms.

'Why, how in the world could any man get down here?' replied she; 'you
had better go to sleep again.'

So he turned over and went to sleep. Then the princess signed to
Bensurdatu, who drew his sword and cut off the giant's head with such a
blow that it flew into the corner. And the heart of the princess leapt
within her, and she placed a golden crown on the head of Bensurdatu, and
called him her deliverer.

'Now show me where your sisters are,' he said, 'that I may free them
also.'

So the princess opened a door, and led him into another hall, wherein
sat her next sister, guarded by a giant who was fast asleep. When the
second princess saw them, she made a sign to them to hide themselves,
for the giant was showing symptoms of waking.

'I smell man's flesh!' murmured he, sleepily.

'Now, how could any man get down here?' asked she; 'go to sleep again.'
And as soon as he closed his eyes, Bensurdatu stole out from his corner,
and struck such a blow at his head that it flew far, far away. The
princess could not find words to thank Bensurdatu for what he had done,
and she too placed in his hand a golden crown.

'Now show me where your youngest sister is,' said he, 'that I may free
her also.'

'Ah! that I fear you will never be able to do,' sighed they, 'for she is
in the power of a serpent with seven heads.'

'Take me to him,' replied Bensurdatu. 'It will be a splendid fight.