He stretched his hand cautiously out to seize the bridle , when the horse suddenly began to neigh as loud as he could . Now the room in which the dragon slept was just above the stable , and at the sound of the neighing he woke and cried to the horse , ` What is the matter , my treasure ? is anything hurting you ? ' After waiting a little while the young man tried again to loose the horse , but a second time it neighed so loudly that the dragon woke up in a hurry and called out to know why the horse was making such a noise . But when the same thing happened the third time , the dragon lost his temper , and went down into the stable and took a whip and gave the horse a good beating . This offended the horse and made him angry , and when the young man stretched out his hand to untie his head , he made no further fuss , but suffered himself to be led quietly away . Once clear of the stable the young man sprang on his back and galloped off , calling over his shoulder , ` Hi ! dragon ! dragon ! if anyone asks you what has become of your horse , you can say that I have got him ! ' But the king said , ` The flying horse is all very well , but I want something more . You must bring me the covering with the little bells that lies on the bed of the dragon , or I will have you hewn into a thousand pieces . ' ` Is that all ? ' answered the youth . ` That is easily done . ' And when night came he went away to the dragon 's house and climbed up on to the roof . Then he opened a little window in the roof and let down the chain from which the kettle usually hung , and tried to hook the bed covering and to draw it up . But the little bells all began to ring , and the dragon woke and said to his wife , ` Wife , you have pulled off all the bed-clothes ! ' and drew the covering towards him , pulling , as he did so , the young man into the room . Then the dragon flung himself on the youth and bound him fast with cords saying as he tied the last knot , ` To-morrow when I go to church you must stay at home and kill him and cook him , and when I get back we will eat him together . '
So the following morning the dragoness took hold of the young man and reached down XXXXX the shelf a sharp knife with which to kill him .
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