Finally, therefore, it was arranged
that she should be conducted to a mountain-top, there to await the
dragon. Everything was made ready for the great sacrificial rite, and nothing so
mournful had ever been seen before. Black garments and pale, distraught
faces were encountered at every turn. Four hundred maidens of the
noblest birth, clad in long white robes and wearing crowns of cypress,
accompanied the princess. The latter was borne in an open litter of
black velvet, that all men might behold the wondrous miracle of her
beauty. Her tresses, tied with crape, hung over her shoulders, and she
wore a crown of jasmine and marigolds. The only thing that seemed to
affect her was the grief of the king and queen, who walked behind her,
overwhelmed with the burden of their sorrow. Beside the litter strode
the giant, armed from top to toe, and looking hungrily at the princess,
as though already he savoured his share of the dish she was to make. The
air was filled with sighs and sobs, and the tears of the spectators made
rivulets along the road. 'O Frog, dear Frog,' cried the queen; 'you have indeed forsaken me! Why
give me help in that dismal place and refuse it to me here? Had I but
died then, I should not now be mourning the end of all my hopes, and I
should have been spared the agony of waiting to see my darling Moufette
devoured.' Slowly the procession made its way to the summit of the fatal mountain. On arrival there the cries and lamentations broke out with renewed
force, and a more pitiful noise was never heard before. The giant then
directed that all farewells must be said, and a general withdrawal made,
and his order was obeyed. Folks in those days were docile and obedient,
and never thought of combating ill-fortune. The king and queen, with all the Court, now climbed another hill-top,
from which they could obtain a view of all that happened to the
princess. They had not long to wait, for they quickly espied a dragon,
half a league long, sailing through the sky. He flew laboriously, for
his bulk was so great that even six large wings could hardly support it. His body was covered all over with immense blue scales and tongues of
poison flame, his twisted tail had fifty coils and another half coil
beyond that, while his claws were each as big as a windmill. His jaws
were agape, and inside could be seen three rows of teeth as long as an
elephant's tusks. Now while the dragon was slowly wending his way to the mountain-top, the
good and faithful Frog, mounted on a hawk's back, was flying at full
speed to Prince Moufy. She was wearing her cap of roses, and though he
was locked in his privy chamber she needed no key to enter. 'Hapless lover!' she cried; 'what are you doing here? This very moment,
while you sit dreaming about her beauty, Moufette is in direst peril! See, here is a rose-leaf; I have but to blow upon it and it will become
a mettlesome steed.' As she spoke there suddenly appeared a green horse. It had twelve hoofs
and three heads, and from the latter it could spit forth fire,
bomb-shells, and cannon-balls respectively. The Frog then gave the
prince a sword, eight yards long and no heavier than a feather, and a
garment fashioned out of a single diamond. This he slipped on like a
coat, and though it was hard as rock it was so pliant that his movements
were in no way impeded. 'Now fly to the rescue of your love,' said the Frog; 'the green horse
will carry you to her. Do not omit to let her know, when you have
delivered her, of what my part has been.' 'Great-hearted fairy!' cried the prince, 'this is no moment to return
you thanks, but from henceforth I am your faithful servant.' Off went the horse with the three heads, galloping on its twelve hoofs
three times as fast, and more, than the best of ordinary steeds; and in
a very short time the prince had reached the mountain, where he found
his dear princess all alone. As the dragon slowly drew near, the green horse began to throw out fire,
bomb-shells, and cannon-balls, which greatly disconcerted the monster. Twenty balls lodged in his throat, his scaly armour was dinted, and the
bomb-shells put out one of his eyes. This enraged him, and he tried to
hurl himself upon the prince. But the latter's long sword was so finely
tempered that he could do what he liked with it, and now he plunged it
in up to the hilt, now cut with it as though it had been a whip. The
prince would have suffered, however, from the dragon's claws had it not
been for his diamond coat, which was impenetrable. Moufette had recognised her lover from afar, for the gleaming diamond
which covered him was transparent; and she was like to die of terror at
the risk he ran. The king and queen, however, felt hope revive within
them. They had little thought to see arriving so opportunely a horse
with three heads and twelve hoofs that breathed forth fire and flame,
nor yet a prince, in diamond mail, and armed with so redoubtable a
sword, who performed such prodigies of valour. The king put his hat on
the end of his stick, the queen tied a handkerchief to hers, and with
all the Court following suit, there was no lack of signals of
encouragement to the prince. Not that such were necessary, for his own
stout heart and the peril in which he saw Moufette were enough to keep
his courage up. Heavens, how he fought! Barbs, talons, horns, wings, and scales fell
from the dragon till the ground was covered with them, and the soil was
dyed blue and green with the mingled blood of dragon and horse. Five
times the prince was unhorsed, but each time he picked himself up and
composedly mounted his steed again. Then would follow such cannonades,
bombardments, and flame-throwing as had never been seen or heard of
before. At length, its strength exhausted, the dragon fell, and the prince
delivered a finishing stroke. None could believe their eyes when from
the gaping wound so made there stepped forth a handsome and elegant
prince, clad in a coat of blue and gold velvet, embroidered with pearls,
and wearing on his head a little Grecian helmet with a crest of white
feathers. With outstretched hands this new-comer ran to Prince Moufy and
embraced him. 'How can I ever repay you, my gallant deliverer?' he cried. 'Never was
monarch confined in a more dreadful prison than the one from which you
have freed me. It is sixteen years since the Lion-Witch condemned me to
it, and I have languished there ever since. Moreover, such is her power
that she would have obliged me, against my will, to devour that sweet
princess. I beg you to let me pay my respects to her, and explain my
hapless plight!' Astonished and delighted by the remarkable way in which his adventure
had ended, Prince Moufy lavished courtesies upon the newly-discovered
prince. Together they went to Moufette, who rendered thanks a thousand
times to Providence for her unexpected happiness.