Tiger, who again began to beg, promising to give him a
salve which had the power of fastening against the wall any one upon
whose back it was rubbed, and keeping him there fast and firm until he
chose to let him go.

The youth took the salve and went on farther, till he reached a city
which was all shrouded in mourning. He entered and asked why every one
was in mourning, and received answer that a fearful Dragon was to come
that day and carry off the Emperor's daughter.

At this he laughed heartily, and said, "That may easily be helped;
just go and announce to the Emperor that I am ready to ransom the
Princess, if it is agreeable to him." This was announced, and the
Emperor received him into the castle with great joy.

As the appointed time for the Dragon's coming had arrived, the young
man placed himself in readiness. At the stroke of twelve the Dragon
suddenly appeared, driving four horses. The young man was waiting for
him, and as soon as the Dragon had taken the Princess by the hand to
carry her off he spread the salve upon his back, pressed him against
the wall, and set his dogs upon him. At the same time he belaboured
him with the butt-end of his musket, till the Dragon was quite
exhausted and began to beg off, promising to give a written agreement
never again to molest the Princess. When he had written the paper in
his own blood and signed it he vanished through the window.

Then the Emperor knew not what to do for joy. He offered his daughter
to the soldier to wife, or, if he liked it better, the half of his
kingdom. But the young man declined both offers and returned to his
own ladies, where he married the youngest with the greatest
festivities. As they came out of church to go to their house a new
city sprang up along the roadside. The hilarity was great. I myself
was among the guests, and after I had made merry to my heart's content
I set out upon the way home to Varazdin.

_The Two Melons_

An Honest and poor old woman was washing clothes at a pool, when a
bird that a hunter had disabled by a shot in the wing, fell down into
the water before her. She gently took up the bird, carried it home
with her, dressed its wound, and fed it until it was well, when it
soared away. Some days later it returned, put before her an oval seed,
and departed again. The woman planted the seed in her yard and when it
came up she recognized the leaf as that of a melon. She made a trellis
for it, and gradually a frui