In an instant the mirror lay at his feet broken into a thousand pieces , but as every piece reflected part of himself , the dragon thought that he too had been smashed into atoms . It was the moment for which the Knight of the Fish had watched and waited , and before the dragon could find out that he was not hurt at all , the young man 's lance was down his throat , and he was rolling , dead , on the grass . Oh ! what shouts of joy rang through the great city , when the youth came riding back with the princess sitting behind him , and dragging the horrible monster by a cord . Everybody cried out that the king must give the victor the hand of the princess ; and so he did , and no one had ever seen such balls and feasts and sports before . And when they were all over the young couple went to the palace prepared for them , which was so large that it was three miles round . The first wet day after their marriage the bridegroom begged the bride to show him all the rooms in the palace , and it was so big and took so long that the sun was shining brightly again before they stepped on to the roof to see the view . ` What castle is that out there , ' asked the knight ; ` it seems to be made of black marble ? ' ` It is called the castle of Albatroz , ' answered the princess . ` It is enchanted , and no one that has tried to enter it has ever come back . ' Her husband said nothing , and began to talk of something else ; but the next morning he ordered his horse , took his spear , called his bloodhound , and set off for the castle . It needed a brave man to approach it , for it made your hair stand on end merely to look at it ; it was as dark as the night of a storm , and as silent as the grave . But the Knight of the Fish knew no fear , and had never turned his back on an enemy ; so he drew out his horn , and blew a blast . The sound awoke all the sleeping echoes in the castle , and was repeated now loudly , now softly ; now near , and now far . But nobody stirred for all that . ` Is there anyone inside ? ' cried the young man in his loudest voice ; ` anyone who will give a knight hospitality ? Neither governor , nor squire , not even a page ? ' ` Not even a page ! ' answered the echoes .
But the young man did not heed them , and only struck a furious blow XXXXX the gate .
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