ade her good-night, put the flute in its case, and laid
himself down in the lowest chamber to sleep.

Before the dawn he was awake again, and his first care was to give to
each of his horses as much corn as he could eat, and then to lead them
to the well to water. Then he dressed himself and made ready to start.

'Stop,' cried Venus from her window, 'I have still a piece of advice
to give you. Leave one of your horses here, and only take three. Ride
slowly till you get to the fairy's kingdom, then dismount and go on
foot. When you return, see that all your three horses remain on the
road, while you walk. But above all beware never to look the Fairy
of the Dawn in the face, for she has eyes that will bewitch you, and
glances that will befool you.

She is hideous, more hideous than anything you can imagine, with owl's
eyes, foxy face, and cat's claws. Do you hear? do you hear? Be sure you
never look at her.'

Petru thanked her, and managed to get off at last.

Far, far away, where the heavens touch the earth, where the stars kiss
the flowers, a soft red light was seen, such as the sky sometimes has in
spring, only lovelier, more wonderful.

That light was behind the palace of the Fairy of the Dawn, and it took
Petru two days and nights through flowery meadows to reach it. And
besides, it was neither hot nor cold, bright nor dark, but something of
them all, and Petru did not find the way a step too long.

After some time Petru saw something white rise up out of the red of the
sky, and when he drew nearer he saw it was a castle, and so splendid
that his eyes were dazzled when they looked at it. He did not know there
was such a beautiful castle in the world.

But no time was to be lost, so he shook himself, jumped down from his
horse, and, leaving him on the dewy grass, began to play on his flute as
he walked along.

He had hardly gone many steps when he stumbled over a huge giant, who
had been lulled to sleep by the music. This was one of the guards of the
castle! As he lay there on his back, he seemed so big that in spite of
Petru's haste he stopped to measure him.

The further went Petru, the more strange and terrible were the sights he
saw--lions, tigers, dragons with seven heads, all stretched out in the
sun fast asleep. It is needless to say what the dragons were like, for
nowadays everyone knows, and dragons are not things to joke about. Petru
ran through them like the wind. Was it haste or fear that spurre