Page:Czech Folk Tales.pdf/101

Rh among the other keys for the key, and opened the room for himself.

In the room he saw a three-headed dragon, and each of its heads was stuck upon a hook so that it hung down from it. Under the dragon were placed three glasses of water. The lad was terrified and started to run away. But the dragon kept on calling out: "Don't be frightened, don't run away, but come back again and give me that glass of water. Your life shall be spared this once."

So he gave him the glass of water; the dragon drained it up, and instantly one of the heads fell from the hook. He begged again: "Now give me that other glass of water, and your life shall be spared a second time."

He gave it him; the dragon drank it up, and immediately the second head fell from the hook. Then the dragon said: "Now do as you like. But you must give me the third glass of water, whether you like it or not!"

In terror he gave him the third glass; the third head drank it up and fell from its hook. Now the dragon was quite free, and instantly he made for the Red Sea, and began to chase