This time , however , the emperor sent two men on horseback to ride behind him , with orders to watch the prince all day long . The horsemen kept the prince and his sheep in sight , without being seen themselves . As soon as they beheld the sheep running towards the meadows , they turned aside up a steep hill , which overhung the lake . When the shepherd reached the place he laid , as before , his pipes on the grass and bade the greyhounds sit beside them , while the hawk he perched on the branch of the tree . Then he rolled up his trousers and his sleeves , and waded into the water crying : ` Dragon ! dragon ! if you are not a coward , come out and fight with me ! ' And the dragon answered : ' I am waiting for you , O prince , ' and the next minute he reared himself out of the water , huge and horrible to see . Again they clasped each other tight round the body and fought till it was noon , and when the sun was at its hottest , the dragon gasped : ' O prince , let me dip my burning head once in the lake , and I will hurl you up to the top of the sky . ' But the prince answered : ` Oh , ho ! my good dragon , do not crow too soon ! If the emperor 's daughter were only here , and would kiss me on the forehead , I would throw you up higher still ! ' And suddenly the dragon 's hold loosened , and he fell back into the lake . As soon as it was evening the prince again collected his sheep , and playing on his pipes he marched before them into the city . When he passed through the gates all the people came out of their houses to stare in wonder , for never before had any flock returned from the lake . Meanwhile the two horsemen had ridden quickly back , and told the emperor all that they had seen and heard . The emperor listened eagerly to their tale , then called his daughter to him and repeated it to her . ` To-morrow , ' he said , when he had finished , ` you shall go with the shepherd to the lake , and then you shall kiss him on the forehead as he wishes . ' But when the princess heard these words , she burst into tears , and sobbed out : ` Will you really send me , your only child , to that dreadful place , from which most likely I shall never come back ? ' ` Fear nothing , my little daughter , all will be well .
Many shepherds have gone to that lake and none have ever returned ; but this one has in these two days fought twice XXXXX the dragon and has escaped without a wound .
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