The Yellow Fairy Book | Page 8

who was standing
by in great astonishment, and began to speak to him, saying, 'Dearest
husband, now I can speak and tell you openly that I am innocent and
have been falsely accused.'
She told him of the old woman's deceit, and how she had taken the
three children away and hidden them. Then they were fetched, to the
great joy of the King, and the wicked mother came to no good end.
But the King and the Queen with their six brothers lived many years in
happiness and peace.

THE DRAGON OF THE NORTH[2]
[2] 'Der Norlands Drache,' from Esthnische Mahrchen. Kreutzwald,
Very long ago, as old people have told me, there lived a terrible
monster, who came out of the North, and laid waste whole tracts of
country, devouring both men and beasts; and this monster was so
destructive that it was feared that unless help came no living creature
would be left on the face of the earth. It had a body like an ox, and legs
like a frog, two short fore-legs, and two long ones behind, and besides
that it had a tail like a serpent, ten fathoms in length. When it moved it
jumped like a frog, and with every spring it covered half a mile of
ground. Fortunately its habit, was to remain for several years in the
same place, and not to move on till the whole neighbourhood was eaten
up. Nothing could hunt it, because its whole body was covered with
scales, which were harder than stone or metal; its two great eyes shone
by night, and even by day, like the brightest lamps, and anyone who
had the ill luck to look into those eyes became as it were bewitched,
and was obliged to rush of his own accord into the monster's jaws. In
this way the Dragon was able to feed upon both men and beasts without

the least trouble to itself, as it needed not to move from the spot where
it was lying. All the neighbouring kings had offered rich rewards to
anyone who should be able to destroy the monster, either by force or
enchantment, and many had tried their luck, but all had miserably
failed. Once a great forest in which the Dragon lay had been set on fire;
the forest was burnt down, but the fire did not do the monster the least
harm. However, there was a tradition amongst the wise men of the
country that the Dragon might be overcome by one who possessed
King Solomon's signet-ring, upon which a secret writing was engraved.
This inscription would enable anyone who was wise enough to interpret
it to find out how the Dragon could be destroyed. Only no one knew
where the ring was hidden, nor was there any sorcerer or learned man
to be found who would be able to explain the inscription.
At last a young man, with a good heart and plenty of courage, set out to
search for the ring. He took his way towards the sunrising, because he
knew that all the wisdom of old time comes from the East. After some
years he met with a famous Eastern magician, and asked for his advice
in the matter. The magician answered:
'Mortal men have but little wisdom, and can give you no help, but the
birds of the air would be better guides to you if you could learn their
language. I can help you to understand it if you will stay with me a few
days.'
The youth thankfully accepted the magician's offer, and said, 'I cannot
now offer you any reward for your kindness, but should my
undertaking succeed your trouble shall be richly repaid.'
Then the magician brewed a powerful potion out of nine sorts of herbs
which he had gathered himself all alone by moonlight, and he gave the
youth nine spoonfuls of it daily for three days, which made him able to
understand the language of birds.
At parting the magician said to him. 'If you ever find Solomon's ring
and get possession of it, then come back to me, that I may explain the
inscription on the ring to you, for there is no one else in the world who
can do this.'

From that time the youth never felt lonely as he walked along; he
always had company, because he understood the language of birds; and
in this way he learned many things which mere human knowledge
could never have taught him. But time went on, and he heard nothing
about the ring. It happened one evening, when he was hot and tired
with walking, and had sat down under a tree in a forest to eat his supper,
that he saw two gaily-plumaged birds, that were strange to him, sitting
at