The Dragon Megapack

by Wildside Press

  He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some wine such as is drunk by the King.”

  Then she bade the cup-bearer be called, who was to give the lion some wine like that which was drunk by the King.

  The lion said, “I will go with him, and see that I get the right wine.”

  Then he went down with the cup-bearer, and when they were below, the cup-bearer wanted to draw him some of the common wine that was drunk by the King’s servants, but the lion said, “Stop, I will taste the wine first,” and he drew half a measure, and swallowed it down at one draught.

  “No,” said he, “that is not right.”

  The cup-bearer looked at him askance, but went on, and was about to give him some out of another barrel which was for the King’s marshal.

  The lion said, “Stop, let me taste the wine first,” and drew half a measure and drank it.

  “That is better, but still not right,” said he.

  Then the cup-bearer grew angry and said, “How can a stupid animal like you understand wine?”

  But the lion gave him a blow behind the ears, which made him fall down by no means gently, and when he had got up again, he conducted the lion quite silently into a little cellar apart, where the King’s wine lay, from which no one ever drank. The lion first drew half a measure and tried the wine, and then he said, “That may possibly be the right sort,” and bade the cup-bearer fill six bottles of it.

  And now they went upstairs again, but when the lion came out of the cellar into the open air, he reeled here and there, and was rather drunk, and the cup-bearer was forced to carry the wine as far as the door for him, and then the lion took the handle of the basket in his mouth, and took it to his master.

  The huntsman said, “Behold, sir host, here have I bread, meat, vegetables, confectionery and wine such as the King has, and now I will dine with my animals,” and he sat down and ate and drank, and gave the hare, the fox, the wolf, the bear, and the lion also to eat and to drink, and was joyful, for he saw that the King’s daughter still loved him.

  And when he had finished his dinner, he said, “Sir host, now have I eaten and drunk, as the King eats and drinks, and now I will go to the King’s court and marry the King’s daughter.”

  Said the host, “How can that be, when she already has a betrothed husband, and when the wedding is to be solemnized to-day?”

  Then the huntsman drew forth the handkerchief which the King’s daughter had given him on the dragon’s hill, and in which were folded the monster’s seven tongues, and said, “That which I hold in my hand shall help me to do it.”

  Then the innkeeper looked at the handkerchief, and said, “Whatever I believe, I do not believe that, and I am willing to stake my house and courtyard on it.” The huntsman, however, took a bag with a thousand gold pieces, put it on the table, and said, “I stake that on it.”

  * * * *

  Now the King said to his daughter, at the royal table, “What did all the wild animals want, which have been coming to thee, and going in and out of my palace?”

  She replied, “I may not tell you, but send and have the master of these animals brought, and you will do well.”

  The King sent a servant to the inn, and invited the stranger, and the servant came just as the huntsman had laid his wager with the innkeeper. Then said he, “Behold, sir host, now the King sends his servant and invites me, but I do not go in this way.”

  And he said to the servant, “I request the Lord King to send me royal clothing, and a carriage with six horses, and servants to attend me.”

  When the King heard the answer, he said to his daughter, “What shall I do?”

  She said, “Cause him to be fetched as he desires to be, and you will do well.”

  Then the King sent royal apparel, a carriage with six horses, and servants to wait on him. When the huntsman saw them coming, he said, “Behold, sir host, now I am fetched as I desired to be,” and he put on the royal garments, took the handkerchief with the dragon’s tongues with him, and drove off to the King.

  When the King saw him coming, he said to his daughter, “How shall I receive him?”

  She answered, “Go to meet him and you will do well.”

  Then the King went to meet him and led him in, and his animals followed. The King gave him a seat near himself and his daughter, and the marshal, as bridegroom, sat on the other side, but no longer knew the huntsman.

  And now at this very moment, the seven heads of the dragon were brought in as a spectacle, and the King said, “The seven heads were cut off the dragon by the marshal, wherefore to-day I give him my daughter to wife.”

  The the huntsman stood up, opened the seven mouths, and said, “Where are the seven tongues of the dragon?”

  Then was the marshal terrified, and grew pale and knew not what answer he should make, and at length in his anguish he said, “Dragons have no tongues.”

  The huntsman said, “Liars ought to have none, but the dragon’s tongues are the tokens of the victor,” and he unfolded the handkerchief, and there lay all seven inside it. And he put each tongue in the mouth to which it belonged, and it fitted exactly. Then he took the handkerchief on which the name of the princess was embroidered, and showed it to the maiden, and asked to whom she had given it, and she replied, “To him who killed the dragon.”

  And then he called his animals, and took the collar off each of them and the golden clasp from the lion, and showed them to the maiden and asked to whom they belonged. She answered, “The necklace and golden clasp were mine, but I divided them among the animals who helped to conquer the dragon.”

  Then spake the huntsman, “When I, tired with the fight, was resting and sleeping, the marshal came and cut off my head. Then he carried away the King’s daughter, and gave out that it was he who had killed the dragon, but that he lied I prove with the tongues, the handkerchief, and the necklace.” And then he related how his animals had healed him by means of a wonderful root, and how he had travelled about with them for one year, and had at length again come there and had learnt the treachery of the marshal by the inn-keeper’s story.

  Then the King asked his daughter, “Is it true that this man killed the dragon?”

  And she answered, “Yes, it is true. Now can I reveal the wicked deed of the marshal, as it has come to light without my connivance, for he wrung from me a promise to be silent. For this reason, however, did I make the condition that the marriage should not be solemnized for a year and a day.”

  Then the King bade twelve councillors be summoned who were to pronounce judgment on the marshal, and they sentenced him to be torn to pieces by four bulls. The marshal was therefore executed, but the King gave his daughter to the huntsman, and named him his viceroy over the whole kingdom.

  The wedding was celebrated with great joy, and the young King caused his father and his foster-father to be brought, and loaded them with treasures. Neither did he forget the inn-keeper, but sent for him and said, “Behold, sir host, I have married the King’s daughter, and your house and yard are mine.”

  The host said, “Yes, according to justice it is so.”

  But the young King said, “It shall be done according to mercy,” and told him that he should keep his house and yard, and gave him the thousand pieces of gold as well.

  And now the young King and Queen were thoroughly happy, and lived in gladness together. He often went out hunting because it was a delight to him, and the faithful animals had to accompany him. In the neighborhood, however, there was a forest of which it was reported that it was haunted, and that whosoever did but enter it did not easily get out again.

  The young King, however, had a great inclination to hunt in it, and let the old King have no peace until he allowed him to do so. So he rode forth with a great following, and when he came to the forest, he saw a snow-white hart and said to his people, “Wait here until I return, I want to chase that beautiful creature,” and he rode into the forest after it, followed only by his animals.r />
  The attendants halted and waited until evening, but he did not return, so they rode home, and told the young Queen that the young King had followed a white hart into the enchanted forest, and had not come back again. Then she was in the greatest concern about him.

  He, however, had still continued to ride on and on after the beautiful wild animal, and had never been able to overtake it; when he thought he was near enough to aim, he instantly saw it bound away into the far distance, and at length it vanished altogether. And now he perceived that he had penetrated deep into the forest, and blew his horn but he received no answer, for his attendants could not hear it.

  And as night, too, was falling, he saw that he could not get home that day, so he dismounted from his horse, lighted himself a fire near a tree, and resolved to spend the night by it. While he was sitting by the fire, and his animals also were lying down beside him, it seemed to him that he heard a human voice. He looked round, but could perceived nothing. Soon afterwards, he again heard a groan as if from above, and then he looked up, and saw an old woman sitting in the tree, who wailed unceasingly, “Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!”

  Said he, “Come down, and warm thyself if thou art cold.”

  But she said, “No, thy animals will bite me.”

  He answered, “They will do thee no harm, old mother, do come down.”

  She, however, was a witch, and said, “I will throw down a wand from the tree, and if thou strikest them on the back with it, they will do me no harm.” Then she threw him a small wand, and he struck them with it, and instantly they lay still and were turned into stone. And when the witch was safe from the animals, she leapt down and touched him also with a wand, and changed him to stone. Thereupon she laughed, and dragged him and the animals into a vault, where many more such stones already lay.

  As, however, the young King did not come back at all, the Queen’s anguish and care grew constantly greater.

  And it so happened that at this very time the other brother who had turned to the east when they separated, came into the kingdom. He had sought a situation, and had found none, and had then travelled about here and there, and had made his animals dance. Then it came into his mind that he would just go and look at the knife that they had thrust in the trunk of a tree at their parting, that he might learn how his brother was.

  When he got there his brother’s side of the knife was half rusted, and half bright. Then he was alarmed and thought, “A great misfortune must have befallen my brother, but perhaps I can still save him, for half the knife is still bright.”

  He and his animals travelled towards the west, and when he entered the gate of the town, the guard came to meet him, and asked if he was to announce him to his consort the young Queen, who had for a couple of days been in the greatest sorrow about his staying away, and was afraid he had been killed in the enchanted forest?

  The sentries, indeed, thought no otherwise than that he was the young King himself, for he looked so like him, and had wild animals running behind him. Then he saw that they were speaking of his brother, and thought, “It will be better if I pass myself off for him, and then I can rescue him more easily.”

  So he allowed himself to be escorted into the castle by the guard, and was received with the greatest joy. The young Queen indeed thought that he was her husband, and asked him why he had stayed away so long.

  He answered, “I had lost myself in a forest, and could not find my way out again any sooner.”

  At night he was taken to the royal bed, but he laid a two-edged sword between him and the young Queen; she did not know what that could mean, but did not venture to ask.

  He remained in the palace a couple of days, and in the meantime inquired into everything which related to the enchanted forest, and at last he said, “I must hunt there once more.”

  The King and the young Queen wanted to persuade him not to do it, but he stood out against them, and went forth with a larger following.

  When he had got into the forest, it fared with him as with his brother; he saw a white hart and said to his people, “Stay here, and wait until I return, I want to chase the lovely wild beast,” and then he rode into the forest and his animals ran after him. But he could not overtake the hart, and got so deep into the forest that he was forced to pass the night there. And when he had lighted a fire, he heard some one wailing above him, “Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!”

  Then he looked up, and the self-same witch was sitting in the tree. Said he, “If thou art cold, come down, little old mother, and warm thyself.”

  She answered, “No, thy animals will bite me.”

  But he said, “They will not hurt thee.”

  Then she cried, “I will throw down a wand to thee, and if thou smitest them with it they will do me no harm.”

  When the huntsman heard that, he had no confidence in the old woman, and said, “I will not strike my animals. Come down, or I will fetch thee.”

  Then she cried, “What dost thou want? Thou shalt not touch me.”

  But he replied, “If thou dost not come, I will shoot thee.”

  Said she, “Shoot away, I do not fear thy bullets!”

  Then he aimed, and fired at her, but the witch was proof against all leaden bullets, and laughed, and yelled and cried, “Thou shalt not hit me.”

  The huntsman knew what to do, tore three silver buttons off his coat, and loaded his gun with them, for against them her arts were useless, and when he fired she fell down at once with a scream. Then he set his foot on her and said, “Old witch, if thou dost not instantly confess where my brother is, I will seize thee with both my hands and throw thee into the fire.”

  She was in a great fright, begged for mercy and said, “He and his animals lie in a vault, turned to stone.”

  Then he compelled her to go thither with him, threatened her, and said, ““Old sea-cat, now shalt thou make my brother and all the human beings lying here, alive again, or thou shalt go into the fire!”

  She took a wand and touched the stones, and then his brother with his animals came to life again, and many others, merchants, artizans, and shepherds, arose, thanked him for their deliverance, and went to their homes. But when the twin brothers saw each other again, they kissed each other and rejoiced with all their hearts. Then they seized the witch, bound her, and laid her on the fire, and when she was burnt the forest opened of its own accord, and was light and clear, and the King’s palace could be seen at about the distance of a three hours’ walk.

  Thereupon the two brothers went home together, and on the way told each other their histories. And when the youngest said that he was ruler of the whole country in the King’s stead, the other observed, “That I remarked very well, for when I came to the town, and was taken for thee, all royal honours were paid me; the young Queen looked on me as her husband, and I had to eat at her side, and sleep in thy bed.”

  When the other heard that, he became so jealous and angry that he drew his sword, and struck off his brother’s head. But when he saw him lying there dead, and saw his red blood flowing, he repented most violently: “My brother delivered me,” cried he, “and I have killed him for it,” and he bewailed him aloud. Then his hare came and offered to go and bring some of the root of life, and bounded away and brought it while yet there was time, and the dead man was brought to life again, and knew nothing about the wound.

  After this they journeyed onwards, and the youngest said, “Thou lookest like me, hast royal apparel on as I have, and the animals follow thee as they do me; we will go in by opposite gates, and arrive at the same time from the two sides in the aged King’s presence.”

  So they separated, and at the same time came the watchmen from the one door and from the other, and announced that the young King and the animals had returned from the chase. The King said, “It is not possible, the gates lie quite a mile apart.”

  In the meantime, however, the two brothers entered the courtyard of the palace from opposite sides, and both mounted the steps. Then the King said to the daught
er, “Say which is thy husband. Each of them looks exactly like the other, I cannot tell.”

  Then she was in great distress, and could not tell; but at last she remembered the necklace which she had given to the animals, and she sought for and found her little golden clasp on the lion, and she cried in her delight, “He who is followed by this lion is my true husband.”

  Then the young King laughed and said, “Yes, he is the right one,” and they sat down together to table, and ate and drank, and were merry.

  At night when the young King went to bed, his wife said, “Why hast thou for these last nights always laid a two-edged sword in our bed? I thought thou hadst a wish to kill me.”

  Then he knew how true his brother had been.

  THE MANDELBROT DRAGON, by Mary A. Turzillo

  It was watching her, Heather knew. It didn’t move, unless her dad tapped the keys, but it was staring at her.

  “Dad, get rid of it.”

  “Get rid of what?”

  “The dragon. You called the dragon again.”

  Dad pushed away from the console and sighed. “Heather, I don’t see any dragon. And if there is a dragon, it’s just part of the fractal program.”

  “The Mandelbrot set.”

  “Yes. A function. Like—suppose I drew a line to show how tall you are each month.” On a scrap from the wastebasket he drew points, connected them. “See, that’s a function. The Mandelbrot set is just a more complicated function.”

  Her fear embarrassed her. “You explained all that before.” The fractal program was supposed to create a pretty picture, like on the front of the book on chaos. But the dragon wasn’t pretty; it was horrible.

  “Look, you’re a smart girl. Most eleven-year-olds couldn’t figure out what a function was if it bit them on the nose.” He leaned over and pretended to bite her nose. “Or a fractal. How come you’re scared of a silly picture?”