Then the Lake said , ` You do well to be afraid , for it is at your peril that you are come hither . Our king , who has seven heads , is now asleep , but in a few minutes he will wake up and come to me to take his bath ! Woe to anyone who meets him in the garden , for it is impossible to escape from him . This is what you must do if you wish to save your lives . Take off your clothes and spread them on the path which leads from here to the castle . The King will then glide over something soft , which he likes very much , and he will be so pleased with that that he will not devour you . He will give you some punishment , but then he will let you go . ' The men did as the Lake advised them , and waited for a time . At noon the earth began to quake , and opened in many places , and out of the openings appeared lions , tigers , and other wild beasts , which surrounded the castle , and thousands and thousands of beasts came out of the castle following their king , the Seven-headed Serpent . The Serpent glided over the clothes which were spread for him , came to the Lake , and asked it who had strewed those soft things on the path ? The Lake answered that it had been done by people who had come to do him homage . The King commanded that the men should be brought before him . They came humbly on their knees , and in a few words told him their story . Then he spoke to them with a mighty and terrible voice , and said , ` Because you have dared to come here , I lay upon you the punishment . Every year you must bring me from among your people twelve youths and twelve maidens , that I may devour them . If you do not do this , I will destroy your whole nation . ' Then he desired one of his beasts to show the men the way out of the garden , and dismissed them . They then left the island and went back to their own country , where they related what had happened to them . Soon the time came round when the king of the beasts would expect the youths and maidens to be brought to him . The King therefore issued a proclamation inviting twelve youths and twelve maidens to offer themselves up to save their country ; and immediately many young people , far more than enough , hastened to do so .
A new ship was built , and set with black sails , and XXXXX it the youths and maidens who were appointed for the king of the beasts embarked and set out for his country .
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