Page:The Allies Fairy Book.djvu/114

 he entered the door and saw the animals lying there, he was overcome with terror and turned to fly. But Cesarino, who had watched the hermit’s approach, cried out: “My father, be not afraid, but come into your cell without fear, because all these animals you see are so tame and gentle that they will in no way do you any hurt.” Whereupon the hermit, assured by these words of Cesarino, went into his humble cell. Now Cesarino was much worn out by the length of his journeying, and, turning to the hermit, he said: “My father, have you here by chance a morsel of bread and a drop of wine you can give me to bring back a little of my strength?” “Assuredly I have, my son,” replied the hermit, “but not perhaps of quality so good as you may desire.” Then the hermit, when he had flayed and cut up some of the game he had brought with him, put it upon a spit to roast, and, having got ready the table and spread it with such poor viands as were at hand, he and Cesarino took their supper merrily together.

When they had finished their meal, the hermit said to Cesarino: “Not far from this place there lives a dragon whose poisonous breath destroys and annihilates everything around, nor is there found any one in the country who can withstand him, and so great is the ruin he works that before long all the peasants of the land will be forced to abandon their fields and fly elsewhere. And, over and beside this, it is necessary to send him every day the body of some human being to devour, for, failing this, he would destroy everything far and near. By a cruel and evil fate the one chosen by lot for to-morrow is the daughter of the king, who in beauty and worth and goodness excels every other maiden now alive, nor is there aught to be found in her which is not worthy of the highest praise. Of a truth, it is a foul mischance that so fair and virtuous a damsel should thus cruelly perish, and she herself all the while free of any offence.”