went boldly toward the witch's castle.

As he drew nigh to the castle, he saw the old witch fly away on her
broomstick, accompanied by a bevy of snarling hobgoblins that were also
on broomsticks and looked very hideous. Then Wilhelm knew the witch
and her escort were off for the forest and would not return till
midnight.

The princess Mary was standing at the barred window of her chamber and
was weeping. As Wilhelm approached the castle, the swans rushed to
meet him, and the flapping of their wings and their piteous cries
attracted the attention of the princess, and she saw Wilhelm.

"Oh, fly from here, sweet prince," cried the princess; "for if the
witch were to return, she would kill you and boil your heart in her
cauldron!"

"I am no prince," replied Wilhelm, "and I do not fear the ugly old
witch."

Then Wilhelm told the princess who he was and how he was ready to serve
her, for, having perceived her rare beauty and amiability, he was madly
in love with her and was ready to die for her sake. But the princess,
who was most agreeably impressed by his manly figure, handsome face,
and honest valor, begged him not to risk his life for her.

"It is better that I should pass my existence here in prison," said
she, "than that you should be transformed as these other wretched
princes have been."

And when they heard these words, the swans craned their necks and gave
utterance to such heartrending sighs that the princess sobbed with
renewed vigor and even Wilhelm fell to weeping.

At this moment, hearing the commotion in the yard, the hideous
catamaran and the ugly boogaboo came out of the castle and regarded
Wilhelm with ferocious countenances. Never before had Wilhelm seen
such revolting monsters!

The catamaran had a body and tail like an alligator, a head like a
hippopotamus, and four legs like the legs of an ostrich. The body was
covered with greenish scales, its eyes were living fire, and scorching
flames issued from its mouth and ears. The boogaboo was none the less
frightful in its appearance. It resembled a monster ape, except that
instead of a hairy hide it had a scabby skin as red as a salamander's.
Its arms were long and muscular, and its bony hands were armed with
eleven fingers each, upon which were nails or claws shaped like fish
hooks and keen as razors. This boogaboo had skinny wings like a huge
bat, and at the end of its rat-like tail was a sting more deadly than
the poison of a snake.