"
The overjoyed king promised to do whatever the mermaid should direct,
and seating himself by her desire upon her fish's tail, they sailed
away together over the rolling sea.
When they had sailed some time, "Now," said the mermaid to the king,
"we are approaching the place where your princess is kept prisoner by
the Yellow Dwarf. You will have many enemies to fight before you can
come to her, take, therefore, this sword, with which you may overcome
everything, provided you never let it go out of your hand."
The king returned her all the thanks that the most grateful heart
could suggest; and the mermaid landed and took leave of him, promising
him farther assistance when necessary. The king boldly advanced, and,
meeting with two terrible sphinxes, laid them dead at his feet with
the sword. Next he attacked six dragons that opposed him, and
despatched them also. Then he met four-and-twenty nymphs, crowned with
garlands of flowers, at the sight of whom he stopped, being unwilling
to destroy so much beauty; when he heard a voice say, "Strike! strike!
or you lose your princess for ever!" So he threw himself into the
midst of the nymphs, smiting right and left, and soon dispersed them.
Presently he came to the castle, where was imprisoned the princess
All-Fair. "O my princess," exclaimed he, "behold your faithful lover!"
"Faithful lover!" she replied, drawing herself back: "Did I not see
you passing through the air with a beautiful nymph? were you faithful
then?"
"Yes," replied the king, "I was.
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