ng, he perceived that the road went over a narrow drawbridge,
and saw two terrible monsters lying close beside the way. Their bodies
were like those of lions, very large and very strong, but they had
necks like that of a snake, and from each neck issued a hundred
horrible heads, all differing in kind from one another.

The poor Prince was alarmed, and said to his companion: "Do you see
those horrible brutes? Is there no other way into the castle but
between them?"

"There are a thousand ways into the castle," replied his companion,
"but every way is guarded by monsters just like those. But do not be
alarmed. Go on with me, and I will help you. Besides, some one will
come out of the castle, most likely, to give us assistance."

VII

Upon these words, the Prince went on more cheerfully, especially when
he saw a man come running down from the gate of the castle as they
approached the drawbridge.

"Ay," said his companion, stepping on without stopping a moment,
"there comes my friend Courage to help us. He is a good, serviceable
fellow."

Just as he spoke, the two monsters sprang forward, and the one which
was nearest to Perseverance growled terribly at him; but he struck him
a blow with his pikestaff, which knocked him down and cowed him
entirely; and there he lay, with all his hundred heads prostrated in a
manner which the Prince could hardly have thought possible. The other
brute sprang right at the Prince himself, as if to destroy him, so
that he was inclined to draw back; but the man Courage, who had run
down from the castle, put his foot upon the creature's snaky neck, and
crushed it into the earth.

"Go on, go on, young man!" he cried. "These are terrible monsters
truly, but you see our friend Perseverance has vanquished Difficulty,
and I have trampled upon Danger."

As he spoke, the Prince passed on rapidly over the drawbridge; and
when he stood under the gate of the castle, Perseverance took him by
the hand with a smiling air, and led him in, saying: "Now I will
conduct you to my lady, Success."

At the very sound the poor Prince seemed quite refreshed, forgot all
the weary way he had traveled, the dark forest of Adversity, the grim
frown of Necessity, the faintness and the weariness, and
hundred-headed Difficulty and Danger. But he was more rejoiced still
when, on entering the building, he found himself suddenly, all at
once, in the great hall of his own palace of Prosperity, with a
beautiful