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Rh looking out of a window with golden bars, and recognising her brothers she screamed with delight. She then ordered them to be secretly admitted. Happily the Dragon was away, as the princess was greatly afraid lest he should see them; but no sooner had the princes come in than the silver pillar began to groan, the stairs to spread out, the roof to sparkle, and the whole castle to tremble and to turn round.

"The Dragon is coming!" cried the terrified princess. "At his approach the palace turns round and round. Hide, brothers, hide!"

No sooner had she uttered these words than the Dragon rushed hissing in, and demanded in a terrible voice, "Who is here?"

"We are here!" answered the princes fearlessly. "We have come for our sister Vasilisa."

"O-ho!" cried the Dragon, flapping his wings. "Since you have come to take your sister away, it will not be for nothing if I kill you. But, although you are the brothers of Vasilisa, you are no very terrible knights." And hissing and roaring he seized one of the brothers with his wings and hurled him against the other. The courtiers came in, took up the dead princes, and threw them into a deep ditch.

The princess burst into tears. Vasilisa would neither eat, nor drink, nor look upon the beautiful world around