Page:The Pentamerone, or The Story of Stories.djvu/283

Rh At a window in the tower Tittone saw a most beautiful maiden, sitting at the feet of a hideous dragon, who was asleep. When the damsel saw Tittone, she said in a low and piteous voice, "O noble youth, sent perchance by Heaven to comfort me in my miseries in this place, where the face of a Christian is never seen, release me from the power of this tyrannical serpent, who has carried me off from my father, the king of Bright-Valley, and shut me up in this frightful tower, where I must die a miserable death."

"Alas, my beauteous lady," replied Tittone, what can I do to serve thee? who can pass this lake? who can climb this tower? who can approach yon horrid dragon, that carries terror in his look, sows fear, and causes dismay to spring up? But softly; wait a minute, and we'll find a way with another's help to drive this serpent away. Step by step—the more haste the worse speed : we shall soon see whether 'tis egg or wind ." And so saying he threw the feather, the hair and the scale, which his brothers-in-law had given him, on the ground, exclaiming, "Come hither, come hither!" And falling on the earth like drops of summer rain, which makes the frogs spring up, suddenly there appeared the Falcon, the Stag and the