Then the sister did as the Drakos advised, and next day Janni set out to
fetch the cherries, taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the
garden where the cherries grew he jumped off his horse, drank some water
from the spring, which rose there, and fell directly into a deep sleep.
The Draken came round about to eat him, but the dogs flung themselves on
them and tore them in pieces, and scratched a grave in the ground with
their paws, and buried the Draken so that Janni might not see their dead
bodies. When Janni awoke, and saw his dogs all covered with blood, he
believed that they had caught, somewhere, a wild beast, and was angry
because they had left none of it for him. But he plucked the cherries,
and took them back to his sister.
When the Drakos heard that Janni had come back, he fled for fear forty
fathoms underground. And the sister ate the cherries and declared
herself well again.
The next day, when Janni was gone to hunt, the Drakos came out, and
advised the sister that she should pretend to be ill again, and when her
brother asked her what she would like, she should answer ‘Quinces,’ and
when he inquired where these were to be found, she should say: ‘In a
garden distant about two days’ journey.’ Then would Janni certainly be
destroyed, for there dwelt six brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had
two heads.
The sister did as she was advised, and next day Janni again set
off, taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the garden he
dismounted, sat down to rest a little, and fell fast asleep. First there
came three Draken round about to eat him, and when these three had been
worried by the dogs, there came three others who were worried in like
manner. Then the dogs again dug a grave and buried the dead Draken, that
their master might not see them. When Janni awoke and beheld the dogs
all covered with blood, he thought, as before, that they had killed a
wild beast, and was again angry with them for leaving him nothing. But
he took the quinces and brought them back to his sister, who, when she
had eaten them, declared herself better. The Drakos, when he heard that
Janni had come back, fled for fear forty fathoms deeper underground.
Next day, when Janni was hunting, the Drakos went to the sister and
advised that she should again pretend to be ill, and should beg for some
pears, which grew in a garden three days’ journey from the castle. From
this quest Janni would certainly never return, for there dwelt nine
brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had three heads.
The sister did as she was told, and next day Janni, taking his three
dogs with him, went to get the pears. When he came to the garden he laid
himself down to rest, and soon fell asleep.
Then first came three Draken to eat him, and when the dogs had worried
these, six others came and fought the dogs a long time. The noise of
this combat awoke Janni, and he slew the Draken, and knew at last why
the dogs were covered with blood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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