Stand a little on one side , and then , when the serpent rises to the surface , I will say to him , `` O serpent , to-day you can eat two people . But you had better begin first with the young man , for I am chained and can not run away . '' When he hears this most likely he will attack you . ' So the young man stood carefully on one side , and by-and-bye he heard a great rushing in the water ; and a horrible monster came up to the surface and looked out for the rock where the king 's daughter was chained , for it was getting late and he was hungry . But she cried out , ' O serpent , to-day you can eat two people . And you had better begin with the young man , for I am chained and can not run away . ' Then the serpent made a rush at the youth with wide open jaws to swallow him at one gulp , but the young man leaped aside and drew his sword , and fought till he had cut off all the seven heads . And when the great serpent lay dead at his feet he loosed the bonds of the king 's daughter , and she flung herself into his arms and said , ` You have saved me from that monster , and now you shall be my husband , for my father has made a proclamation that whoever could slay the serpent should have his daughter to wife . ' But he answered , ' I can not become your husband yet , for I have still far to travel . But wait for me seven years and seven months . Then , if I do not return , you are free to marry whom you will . And in case you should have forgotten , I will take these seven tongues with me so that when I bring them forth you may know that I am really he who slew the serpent . ' So saying he cut out the seven tongues , and the princess gave him a thick cloth to wrap them in ; and he mounted his horse and rode away . Not long after he had gone there arrived at the river a slave who had been sent by the king to learn the fate of his beloved daughter . And when the slave saw the princess standing free and safe before him , with the body of the monster lying at her feet , a wicked plan came into his head , and he said , ` Unless you promise to tell your father it was I who slew the serpent , I will kill you and bury you in this place , and no one will ever know what befell . ' What could the poor girl do ? This time there was no knight to come to her aid . So she promised to do as the slave wished , and he took up the seven heads and brought the princess to her father . Oh , how enchanted the king was to see her again , and the whole town shared his joy ! And the slave was called upon to tell how he had slain the monster , and when he had ended the king declared that he should have the princess to wife .
But she flung herself XXXXX her father 's feet , and prayed him to delay .
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