` My strength , ' replied the dragon , ` lies far away ; so far that you could never reach it . Far , far from here is a kingdom , and by its capital city is a lake , and in the lake is a dragon , and inside the dragon is a wild boar , and inside the wild boar is a pigeon , and inside the pigeon a sparrow , and inside the sparrow is my strength . ' And when the old woman heard this , she thought it was no use flattering him any longer , for never , never , could she take his strength from him . The following morning , when the dragon had left the mill , the prince came back , and the old woman told him all that the creature had said . He listened in silence , and then returned to the castle , where he put on a suit of shepherd 's clothes , and taking a staff in his hand , he went forth to seek a place as tender of sheep . For some time he wandered from village to village and from town to town , till he came at length to a large city in a distant kingdom , surrounded on three sides by a great lake , which happened to be the very lake in which the dragon lived . As was his custom , he stopped everybody whom he met in the streets that looked likely to want a shepherd and begged them to engage him , but they all seemed to have shepherds of their own , or else not to need any . The prince was beginning to lose heart , when a man who had overheard his question turned round and said that he had better go and ask the emperor , as he was in search of some one to see after his flocks . ` Will you take care of my sheep ? ' said the emperor , when the young man knelt before him . ` Most willingly , your Majesty , ' answered the young man , and he listened obediently while the emperor told him what he was to do . ` Outside the city walls , ' went on the emperor , ` you will find a large lake , and by its banks lie the richest meadows in my kingdom . When you are leading out your flocks to pasture , they will all run straight to these meadows , and none that have gone there have ever been known to come back . Take heed , therefore , my son , not to suffer your sheep to go where they will , but drive them to any spot that you think best . ' With a low bow the prince thanked the emperor for his warning , and promised to do his best to keep the sheep safe . Then he left the palace and went to the market-place , where he bought two greyhounds , a hawk , and a set of pipes ; after that he took the sheep out to pasture . The instant the animals caught sight of the lake lying before them , they trotted off as fast as their legs would go to the green meadows lying round it . The prince did not try to stop them ; he only placed his hawk on the branch of a tree , laid his pipes on the grass , and bade the greyhounds sit still ; then , rolling up his sleeves and trousers , he waded into the water crying as he did so : ` Dragon ! dragon ! if you are not a coward , come out and fight with me ! '
And a voice answered XXXXX the depths of the lake : ' I am waiting for you , O prince ' ; and the next minute the dragon reared himself out of the water , huge and horrible to see .
As For by from if in inside into on with