the Princess. Then the people shouted until they were hoarse, and
welcomed him as a great hero.

"Your enemy is dead," Charming told the Princess. "Will you now make
my master the happiest of kings?"

"There is," replied the reluctant Princess, "some water which gives
eternal health and beauty to those who drink it. I would regret to
leave my kingdom without possessing some of it; but no one has dared
to brave the two dragons that guard the cavern where the fountain is
to be found."

"You do not need the water, Princess; but my life is yours to
command," gallantly replied Charming; and he set out at once on the
perilous mission.

When he came to the mouth of the cavern, black smoke issued forth; and
presently he perceived the terrible form of a dragon, from whose
mouth and eyes fire was darting. Bidding good-by to faithful Frisk, he
grasped his sword in one hand and the crystal flask which the Princess
had given him in the other. Just then he heard his name called twice,
and, looking back, he saw an owl flying toward him.

"I can enter the gloomy cavern without danger," the owl said. "Give
the flask to me, and I will repay the debt I owe you for having saved
me from the net."

Charming gladly surrendered the flask to the owl, who in a short time
returned it to him filled with the precious water.

The Princess this time consented to marry the King, and after many
preparations she and Charming started for his kingdom. The journey
was made so entertaining for the Princess that she one day said to
Charming:

"Why did I not make you King, and remain in my own country?" Charming
replied that he must have considered his duty to his King, even before
a happiness so great.

The King, with presents of rich jewels and a splendid escort, met them
on the way to the palace. The marriage was celebrated with great
pomp, and Charming stood first in the King's favor. His good fortune,
however, did not continue long, for envious enemies pointed out to the
King that the Princess was never happy unless Charming was near. The
unhappy knight was again put into prison, where he was cruelly chained
and fed on bread and water.

When Goldilocks learned this, she wept and implored the King to set
him free. "But for him I never would have been here," she said. "Did
he not perform every task I required, even that of getting for me the
water whereby I shall never grow old?"

The Princess's grief only made the King more jealous, but he