And all her father 's and mother 's tears and prayers availed nothing to move her . The next morning Muffette was put into a litter , and , guarded by the giant and followed by the king and queen and the weeping maids of honour , they started for the foot of the mountain where the dragon had his castle . The way , though rough and stony , seemed all too short , and when they reached the spot appointed by the dragon the giant ordered the men who bore the litter to stand still . ` It is time for you to bid farewell to your daughter , ' said he ; ` for I see the dragon coming to us . ' It was true ; a cloud appeared to pass over the sun , for between them and it they could all discern dimly a huge body half a mile long approaching nearer and nearer . At first the king could not believe that this was the small beast who had seemed so friendly on the shore of the lake of quicksilver but then he knew very little of necromancy , and had never studied the art of expanding and contracting his body . But it was the dragon and nothing else , whose six wings were carrying him forward as fast as might be , considering his great weight and the length of his tail , which had fifty twists and a half . He came quickly , yes ; but the frog , mounted on a greyhound , and wearing her cap on her head , went quicker still . Entering a room where the prince was sitting gazing at the portrait of his betrothed , she cried to him : ` What are you doing lingering here , when the life of the princess is nearing its last moment ? In the courtyard you will find a green horse with three heads and twelve feet , and by its side a sword eighteen yards long . Hasten , lest you should be too late ! ' The fight lasted all day , and the prince 's strength was well-nigh spent , when the dragon , thinking that the victory was won , opened his jaws to give a roar of triumph . The prince saw his chance , and before his foe could shut his mouth again had plunged his sword far down his adversary 's throat . There was a desperate clutching of the claws to the earth , a slow flagging of the great wings , then the monster rolled over on his side and moved no more . Muffette was delivered . After this they all went back to the palace . The marriage took place the following day , and Muffette and her husband lived happy for ever after . The Adventures of Covan the Brown-Haired -LSB- From Les Contes des Fees , par Madame d'Aulnoy . -RSB- On the shores of the west , where the great hills stand with their feet in the sea , dwelt a goatherd and his wife , together with their three sons and one daughter . All day long the young men fished and hunted , while their sister took out the kids to pasture on the mountain , or stayed at home helping her mother and mending the nets .
For several years they all lived happily together , when one day , as the girl was out XXXXX the hill with the kids , the sun grew dark and an air cold as a thick white mist came creeping , creeping up from the sea .
After From as at in of on that though with