'

Then the princess opened a door, and Bensurdatu passed through, and
found himself in a hall that was even larger than the other two. And
there stood the youngest sister, chained fast to the wall, and before
her was stretched a serpent with seven heads, horrible to see. As
Bensurdatu came forward it twisted all its seven heads in his direction,
and then made a quick dart to snatch him within its grasp. But
Bensurdatu drew his sword and laid about him, till the seven heads were
rolling on the floor. Flinging down his sword he rushed to the princess
and broke her chains, and she wept for joy, and embraced him, and took
the golden crown from off her head, and placed it in his hand.

'Now we must go back to the upper world,' said Bensurdatu, and led her
to the bottom of the river. The other princesses were waiting there, and
he tied the rope round the eldest, and rung his bell. And the generals
above heard, and drew her gently up. They then unfastened the cord and
threw it back into the river, and in a few moments the second princess
stood beside her sister.

So now there were left only Bensurdatu and the youngest princess. 'Dear
Bensurdatu,' said she, 'do me a kindness, and let them draw you up
before me. I dread the treachery of the generals.

'No, no,' replied Bensurdatu, 'I certainly will not leave you down here.
There is nothing to fear from my comrades.'

'If it is your wish I will go up then; but first I swear that if you do
not follow to marry me, I shall stay single for the rest of my life.'
Then he bound the rope round her, and the generals drew her up.

But instead of lowering the rope again into the river, envy at the
courage and success of Bensurdatu so filled the hearts of the two
generals, that they turned away and left him to perish. And, more than
that, they threatened the princesses, and forced them to promise to tell
their parents that it was the two generals who had set them free. 'And
if they should ask you about Bensurdatu, you must say you have never
seen him,' they added; and the princesses, fearing for their lives,
promised everything, and they rode back to court together.

The king and queen were beside themselves with joy when they saw their
dear children once more. But when the generals had told their story, and
the dangers they had run, the king declared that they had gained their
reward, and that the two eldest princesses should become their wives.

And now we must see what poor Bensu