aside into a dimly-lighted
antechamber; 'who and what is he?'

'He is the Dragon King,' she replied in a whisper; 'and he is no friend
of my brothers. Yet I will hide you, and then ask him what he would do
if you sought me out.'

That evening, when the Dragon King came home on whirring wings, there
was no sign of either the Prince or his charger. Yet he raised his
nostrils in the air and sniffed.

'I smell a human being,' he said. 'Confess, woman; who is it?'

'No one,' replied she. But he was certain about the matter, saying that
his senses had never yet deceived him, though a woman might.

'That is nought,' said she. 'But, tell me; if my brothers came to look
for me, how would you take it?'

'If your eldest brother came here,' replied the Dragon King, 'I would
eat him raw. Your second brother I would stew gently over a slow fire,
or, if he were nice and fat, I should roast him to a turn; but your
youngest brother--him I would spare.'

Then said she, 'O King, my youngest brother, who is your brother-in-law,
is here in your castle. I will summon him.'

It was a great meeting between the young Prince and the Dragon King. One
would have thought that they had known each other for years. They
embraced and wished each other health and long life; and then they sat
down to a sumptuous banquet quickly brought in by winged attendants, who
were evidently of the uneducated dragon classes;--indeed, though richly
attired, they looked like slaves.

In the course of conversation the Prince happened to mention that he was
on the track of one Bashtchelik, who had run off with his wife against
her will.

'Bashtchelik!' exclaimed the Dragon King. 'My dear brother, I beseech
you, seek him not. This kingdom itself put out five thousand strong, and
took him unawares. But he escaped by a trick, gave battle to ten
thousand of my picked dragons, fought his retreat to the mountains, and
so escaped triumphant. Man to man--you against Bashtchelik--you cannot
hope to win. If you will go back to your home, I will give you an escort
and three asses laden with gold.'

'Three asses laden with gold!' said the Prince. 'I thank you much, but I
have better than that: I have three lives, which I won from Bashtchelik
himself. I will seek him and reclaim my wife.'

The Dragon King wondered at his words; then, plucking a feather from his
wing, he said, 'You are determined, and I wish you well. Take this
feather, and, if at any time you want my