the ground,
and he clapped them all in prison. But his wife caressed and wheedled
him again, and said, "Nay, but tell me, wherein doth thy strength
lie?"--"My strength, darling," said he, "lies in my boots." Then she
drew off his boots while he slept, and gave them to his enemies. And
they fell upon him again as he went out, but again he waved his sword,
and as many as he struck fell to the ground, and he put them all in
prison. Then his wife wheedled and caressed him the third time. "Nay,
but tell me, darling," quoth she, "wherein doth thy strength lie?"
Then he was wearied with her beseeching, and said to her, "My strength
lies in this sword of mine, and in my shirt, and so long as I have
this shirt on, nobody can touch me." Then she caressed and fondled
him, and said, "Thou shouldst take a bath, my darling, and well wash
thyself. My father always did so." So he let himself be persuaded, and
no sooner had he undressed than she changed all his clothes for
others, and gave his sword and his shirt to his enemies. Then he came
out of his bath, and immediately they fell upon him, cut him to
pieces, put him in a sack, placed him on his horse, and let the horse
go where it would. So the horse went on and on, and wandered farther
and farther, till it came to the old place where he had stayed with
the Serpent Lady. And when his benefactress saw him, she said, "Why,
if poor unlucky Daniel hasn't fallen into a scrape again." And
immediately she took him out of the sack, and fitted his pieces
together, and washed them clean, and took healing water from one of
the springs, and living water from the other, and sprinkled him all
over, and he stood there sound and strong again. "Now, did I not bid
thee tell not thy wife the truth for seven years?" said she, "and thou
wouldst not take heed." And he stood there, and spoke never a word.
"Well, now, rest awhile," she continued, "for thou dost need it, and
then I'll give thee something else." So the next day she gave him a
chain, and said to him, "Listen! Go to that inn where thou didst go
before, and early next morning, whilst thou art bathing, bid the
innkeeper beat thee with all his might on the back with this chain,
and so thou wilt get back to thy wife, but tell her not a word of what
has happened." So he went to this same inn and passed the night there,
and, on the morrow, he called the innkeeper, and said to him, "Look
now! the first time I dip my head in the water, beat me about t