The Dragon-mother answered, "My dear friend, stay here over this night. What God has given us we will share with you--you shall not suffer hunger in my house. As soon as my sons, the Dragons, return home from afar I will ask them about the Princess. I have five sons, each one wiser and cleverer than the other. The first has the power of stealing anything that he takes a fancy to; he could steal the calf from the cow or the foal from the mare, and they never observe it. The second can follow up the trace of any lost object, though it have been lost for years. The third draws a sure arrow upon anything that he can see. The fourth can build an impregnable fortress in an instant, and can hide anything he chooses within it, so that no one can possibly find it. And the fifth is as bold as a falcon and as swift as the lightning when there is anything to be overtaken and caught." While she was speaking, her sons, the Dragons, came home, and the mother inquired of them if they knew anything of the whereabouts of the King's lost daughter. "To be sure," they answered. "She is with a more powerful Dragon than we. He stole her away from her father, the King, and now keeps her in one of his castles." "I adjure you," interrupted the High Chamberlain, "help me to find her. I may on no account appear before the King and live unless I bring his daughter with me. My master will not show himself ungrateful to you." The Dragons declared themselves quite willing to help him. The second brother traced up the scent, and the first brother stole the lovely maiden and brought her back with him. But the more powerful Dragon pursued after them, took her away, and flew up into the air to carry her to a place of safety. Then the third brother fitted a bolt to his crossbow, drew it, sped the arrow, and hit that Dragon in the very middle of his heart. With a fearful outcry the Dragon fell from the clouds and was dashed to little bits upon a rock. And thus it would inevitably have been with the King's daughter, whom the Dragon held tightly clasped, had not the fifth brother flown swiftly and caught up the maiden, so that she was kept safe and sound. But now ensued a sudden and unlooked-for danger, for the dead Dragon's brother drew near, and several other monsters with him; and it would soon have been all over with the brothers if the fourth had not speedily erected a strong fortress, in which all the brothers, the King's daughter, and the High Chamberlain safely concealed themselves. For a long time those hideous Dragons lay in wait around the fortress; but they finally went away, having accomplished nothing. Then the five brothers, the gracious maiden, and the High Chamberlain came out and went home to the Dragon-mother.