rs,
who drew their bows and swung their swords, and halted in the
courtyard.

The giant called out harshly: "Who are you? Get out of my way!"

Du Dsi Tschun did not move. And he returned no answer to his
questions.

Then the giant flew into a passion and cried with a thundering voice:
"Chop off his head!"

But Du Dsi Tschun remained unmoved, so the giant went off raging.

Then a furious tiger and a poisonous serpent came up roaring and
hissing. They made as though to bite him and leaped over him. But Du
Dsi Tschun remained unperturbed in spirit, and after a time they
dissolved and vanished.

Suddenly a great rain began to fall in streams. It thundered and
lightninged incessantly, so that his ears rang and his eyes were
blinded. It seemed as though the house would fall. The water rose to a
flood in a few moments' time, and streamed up to the place where he
was sitting. But Du Dsi Tschun remained motionless and paid no
attention to it. And after a time the water receded.

Then came a great demon with the head of an ox. He set up a kettle in
the middle of the courtyard, in which bubbled boiling oil. He caught
Du Dsi Tschun by the neck with an iron fork and said: "If you will
tell me who you are I will let you go!"

Du Dsi Tschun shut his eyes and kept silent. Then the demon picked
him up with the fork and flung him into the kettle. He withstood the
pain, and the boiling oil did not harm him. Finally the demon dragged
him out again, and drew him down the steps of the house before a man
with red hair and a blue face, who looked like the prince of the
nether world. The latter cried: "Drag in his wife!"

After a time Du Dsi Tschun's wife was brought on in chains. Her hair
was torn and she wept bitterly.

The demon pointed to Du Dsi Tschun and said: "If you will speak your
name we will let her go!"

But he answered not a word.

Then the prince of evil had the woman tormented in all sorts of ways.
And she pleaded with Du Dsi Tschun: "I have been your wife now for ten
years. Will you not speak one little word to save me? I can endure no
more!" And the tears ran in streams from her eyes. She screamed and
scolded. Yet he spoke not a word.

Thereupon the prince of evil shouted: "Chop her into bits!" And there,
before his eyes, it seemed as though she were really being chopped to
pieces. But Du Dsi Tschun did not move.

"The scoundrel's measure is full!" cried the prince of evil. "He shall
dwell no longer among th