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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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