The king repeated his assurances, for he was dying of impatience to
regain his beloved queen, and mounted the dragon just as though he were
the most dashing of steeds. But now the other monsters rushed to bar the
way. The combat was joined, and nought was audible save the hissing of
the serpents, nought visible save the brimstone, fire and sulphur, which
were belched forth in every direction. The king reached the palace at last, but there fresh efforts were
required of him, for the entrances were defended by bats and owls and
ravens. But even the boldest of these was torn to pieces by the dragon,
who attacked them tooth and nail. The queen, too, who was a spectator of
this savage fight, kicked down chunks of the wall, and armed with these
helped her dear husband in the fray. Victory at length rested with them,
and as they flew to one another's arms, the enchantment was brought to
an end by a thunderbolt which plunged into the lake and dried it up. The friendly dragon vanished, along with all the other monsters, and the
king found himself (by what means he had not the least idea) home again
in his own city, and seated, with his queen and Moufette beside him, in
a splendid dining-hall before a table laid with the richest fare. Never
before was there such amazement and delight as theirs. The populace came
running for a sight of the queen and princess, and to add to the wonder
of it all, the latter was seen to be attired in apparel of such
magnificence that the gaze was almost dazzled by her jewels. You can easily imagine what festivities now took place at the palace. There were masquerades, and tournaments with tilting at the ring which
attracted the highest princes from all over the world; even more were
these drawn by the bright eyes of Moufette. Amongst the handsomest and most accomplished in skill-at-arms, there was
none anywhere who could outshine Prince Moufy. He won the applause and
admiration of all, and Moufette, who had hitherto known only dragons and
serpents, was not backward in according him her share of praise. Prince
Moufy was deeply in love with her, and not a day passed but he showed
her some fresh attention in the hope of gaining her favour. In due
course he offered himself as a suitor, informing the king and queen that
his realm was of a richness and extent that might well claim their
favourable consideration. The king replied that Moufette should make her own choice of husband,
for his only wish was to please her and make her happy. With this answer
the prince was well satisfied, for he was already aware that the
princess was not indifferent to him. He offered her his hand, and she
declared that if he were not to be her husband, then no other man should
be. Prince Moufy threw himself in rapture at her feet, and exacted,
lover-like, a promise that she would keep her word with him. The prince and princess were betrothed, and Prince Moufy then returned
to his own realm, in order to make preparations for the marriage. Moufette wept much at his going, for she was oppressed by an
inexplicable presentiment of evil. The prince likewise was much
downcast, and the queen, noticing this, gave him a portrait of her
daughter with an injunction to curtail the splendour of his preparations
rather than allow his return to be delayed. The prince was nothing loth
to obey her behest, and promised to adopt a course which so well
consulted his own happiness. The princess amused herself with music during his absence, for in a few
months she had learned to play exceedingly well. One day, when she was in the queen's apartment, the king rushed in. Tears were streaming down his face as he took his daughter in his arms
and cried aloud: 'Alas, my child! O wretched father! O miserable king!' Sobs choked his utterance, and he could say no more. Greatly alarmed, the queen and princess asked him what had happened, and
at last he got out that there had just arrived an enormously tall giant,
who professed to be an envoy of the dragon of the lake; and that in
pursuance of the promise which the king had given in exchange for
assistance in fighting the monsters, the dragon demanded that he should
give up the princess, as he desired to make her into a pie for dinner. The king added that he had bound himself by solemn oaths to give the
dragon what he asked--and in the days of which we are telling no one
ever broke his word. The queen received this dire news with piercing shrieks, and clasped her
child to her bosom. 'My life shall be forfeit,' she cried, 'ere my
daughter is delivered up to this monster. Let him rather take our
kingdom and all that we have. Unnatural father! Is it possible you can
consent to such cruelty? What! My child to be made into a pie! The bare
notion is intolerable! Send this grim envoy to me; it may be the
spectacle of my anguish will soften his heart.' The king said nothing, but went in quest of the giant. He brought him to
the queen, who flung herself at his feet with her daughter. She begged
him to have mercy, and to persuade the dragon to take all that they
possessed, but to spare Moufette's life. The giant replied, however,
that the matter did not rest with him. The dragon, he said, was so
obstinate, and so addicted to the pleasures of the table, that no power
on earth would restrain him from eating what he had a mind to make a
meal of. Furthermore, he counselled them, as a friend, to yield with a
good grace lest greater ills should be in store. At these words the
queen fainted, and the princess would have been in similar case, if she
had not been obliged to go to the assistance of her mother. No sooner was the dreadful news known throughout the palace than it
spread all over the city. On all sides there was weeping and wailing,
for Moufette was greatly beloved. The king could not bring himself to give her up to the giant, and the
latter, after waiting several days, grew restive and began to utter
terrible threats. But the king and queen, taking counsel together, were
agreed. 'What is there worse that could happen to us?' they said; 'if
the dragon of the lake were to come and eat us all up, we could not
suffer more, for if Moufette is put into a pie that will be the end of
us.' Presently the giant informed them that he had received a message from
the dragon, to the effect that if the princess would agree to marry one
of his nephews, he would spare her life. This nephew was not only young
and handsome, but a prince to boot; and there was no doubt of her being
able to live very happily with him. This proposal somewhat assuaged their grief, but when the queen
mentioned it to the princess, she found her more ready to face death
than entertain this marriage. 'I cannot break faith just to save my
life,' said Moufette; 'you promised me to Prince Moufy, and I will marry
none else. Let me perish, for my death will enable you to live in
peace.' The king in his turn tried, with many endearments, to persuade
her, but she could not be moved.