PART III
THE DRAGON OF THE FOUNTAIN
Let us now return to the youngest prince.
Destiny, having carried him seven leagues under the earth, surprised him still further, by showing him there, another world. He walked until evening, when he reached a city and knocked at the first door. It was opened by an aged woman, who asked what he desired.
“Mother, wilt thou take me in for the night?”
“Ah, my son,” was her reply, “I have no place to sleep myself. How, then, can I harbor thee?”
Her sense of hospitality was so quickened by the gift of three gold pieces that she conducted the prince to an upper chamber. He then asked for a draught of water; at which the old woman went to the cupboard and brought a jar of water, in the bottom of which lay a finger’s depth of slime. When the prince saw that no beast would taste of such water as had been offered to him he asked:
“How is this, mother, that you offer me such as this with which to quench my thirst?”
Thereupon the old woman made answer: “O, my son! The water of this country is cut off by a huge dragon, who demands every year that a maiden be given to him. During the time that he is tearing her into pieces and eating her, water flows from the spring which supplies this city. At other times we have none. So thou canst see how we suffer. Just now we are hard pressed, because it is the end of the year. To-morrow they will give the king’s daughter to the dragon. Haply, that sacrifice may suffice for all time. And if they do not give her, Allah have mercy! We must all perish!”
When the brave young prince heard this he became lost in thought. Very early the next morning he found his way to the fountain, where were great multitudes of people, each with jugs in their hands. Presently slaves appeared leading the king’s daughter, who was dressed in red garments richly adorned. When they had led her to the brink of the fountain they left her there. It was near the time appointed for the appearance of the monster, and the poor young princess was weeping bitterly.
At this pitiable sight the spirit of the young prince became heavy with sorrow. He made a great decision that he would endeavor to rescue the sufferer. Approaching her, he said:
“Fair princess, get thou behind me. Hold fast to me, and have no fear!”
The maiden obeyed gladly. The prince then bent his bow and stood in readiness. Very shortly there appeared in the west a seven-headed dragon. Fire flashed from his mouth and nostrils. The earth trembled as he approached. “Aha!” he cried. “Hitherto hath my portion been one. Now has it become two.” And from half an hour’s distance he tried to draw the prince and the young maiden to him.
But the prince, bracing his feet, stood firmly; and, although the dragon used such force that, had they been a mountain, it must have come to his mouth, he could not move them. He came nearer and tried again.
Then the prince took a firmer stand and cried, “Bismillah! Through the power of Allah!” and let fly an arrow which entered the open mouth of the fiend and came through his neck. He leaped three times, then fell with such force as to raise a great cloud of earth about him. So much blood ran from his mouth and nose that the water was hidden quite. But after a few minutes it was washed away, and the water became clearer than it had been before.
The maiden secretly dipped her finger in the blood of the dragon and made a mark upon the back of her deliverer. Then, the cloud being so dense that neither her departure nor that of the prince was visible, she hastened to the palace.
When the king saw that his daughter was still living he was afraid, and began to upbraid her. She acquitted herself by telling the circumstances of her deliverance and assuring her father that her promise had not been broken. The king could not believe the great good fortune. He went, himself, to see the dead dragon, which was so awful in its proportions as to make the spectator lose his senses. Then the king, being exceedingly desirous of rewarding their rescuer, asked his daughter whether she could surely recognize him. The princess insisted that she would be able to do this, whereupon the king sent out criers, commanding that all the inhabitants of the country, between the ages of one and seventy, should pass before the palace.
Let us return to the prince. After having freed the land from the cruel curse of the dragon, he returned to the house of the old woman and sat down in his chamber. But the woman rebuked him for disregarding the decree of the king, and bade him go to the palace.
The prince believed in obeying the commands of a sovereign. He became one in the long line which marched past the palace of the king. The princess saw his approach, from the window behind which she was hidden, and made a sign to the guards, who laid hold upon him and conducted him into the presence of the king. The mark of blood upon the back of the prince convinced everyone that he indeed was the one who had saved them.
The king then bade the prince ask anything that his heart wanted. The modest youth wished for his majesty’s health, and that whenever it should near the end it might be renewed. At this the king answered: “My son, thou profitest nothing through my good health. Ask something for thyself.”
Then the prince desired to be granted three days in which to render a decision; after which he returned to the house of the old woman.