be a brother to me ! ' called the fox , ` and free me from this trap , and I will help you when you are in need . Pull out one of my hairs , and when you are in danger twist it in your fingers , and I will come . ' So the prince unfastened the trap , pulled out one of the fox 's hairs , and continued his journey . And as he was going over the mountain he passed a wolf entangled in a snare , who begged to be set at liberty . ` Only deliver me from death , ' he said , ` and you will never be sorry for it . Take a lock of my fur , and when you need me twist it in your fingers . ' And the prince undid the snare and let the wolf go . For a long time he walked on , without having any more adventures , till at length he met a man travelling on the same road . ` Oh , brother ! ' asked the prince , ` tell me , if you can , where the dragon-emperor lives ? ' The man told him where he would find the palace , and how long it would take him to get there , and the prince thanked him , and followed his directions , till that same evening he reached the town where the dragon-emperor lived . When he entered the palace , to his great joy he found his wife sitting alone in a vast hall , and they began hastily to invent plans for her escape . There was no time to waste , as the dragon might return directly , so they took two horses out of the stable , and rode away at lightning speed . Hardly were they out of sight of the palace than the dragon came home and found that his prisoner had flown . He sent at once for his talking horse , and said to him : ` Give me your advice ; what shall I do -- have my supper as usual , or set out in pursuit of them ? ' ` Eat your supper with a free mind first , ' answered the horse , ` and follow them afterwards . ' So the dragon ate till it was past mid-day , and when he could eat no more he mounted his horse and set out after the fugitives . In a short time he had come up with them , and as he snatched the empress out of her saddle he said to the prince : ` This time I will forgive you , because you brought me the water when I was in the cask ; but beware how you return here , or you will pay for it with your life . ' Half mad with grief , the prince rode sadly on a little further , hardly knowing what he was doing .
Then he could bear it no longer and turned back XXXXX the palace , in spite of the dragon 's threats .
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