Andrew Lang_Fairy Book 06 by The Grey Fairy Book Page A

sister.
    When the Drakos heard that Janni had come back, he fled for fear
forty fathoms underground. And the sister ate the cherries and
declared herself well again.
    The next day, when Janni was gone to hunt, the Drakos came out,
and advised the sister that she should pretend to be ill again,
and when her brother asked her what she would like, she should
answer 'Quinces,' and when he inquired where these were to be
found, she should say: 'In a garden distant about two days'
journey.' Then would Janni certainly be destroyed, for there
dwelt six brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had two heads.
    The sister did as she was advised, and next day Janni again set
off, taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the garden
he dismounted, sat down to rest a little, and fell fast asleep.
First there came three Draken round about to eat him, and when
these three had been worried by the dogs, there came three others
who were worried in like manner. Then the dogs again dug a grave
and buried the dead Draken, that their master might not see them.
When Janni awoke and beheld the dogs all covered with blood, he
thought, as before, that they had killed a wild beast, and was
again angry with them for leaving him nothing. But he took the
quinces and brought them back to his sister, who, when she had
eaten them, declared herself better. The Drakos, when he heard
that Janni had come back, fled for fear forty fathoms deeper
underground.
    Next day, when Janni was hunting, the Drakos went to the sister
and advised that she should again pretend to be ill, and should
beg for some pears, which grew in a garden three days' journey
from the castle. From this quest Janni would certainly never
return, for there dwelt nine brothers of the Drakos, each of whom
had three heads.
    The sister did as she was told, and next day Janni, taking his
three dogs with him, went to get the pears. When he came to the
garden he laid himself down to rest, and soon fell asleep.
    Then first came three Draken to eat him, and when the dogs had
worried these, six others came and fought the dogs a long time.
The noise of this combat awoke Janni, and he slew the Draken, and
knew at last why the dogs were covered with blood.
    After that he freed all whom the Draken held prisoners, amongst
others, a king's daughter. Out of gratitude she would have taken
him for her husband; but he put her off, saying: 'For the
kindness that I have been able to do to you, you shall receive in
this castle all the blind and lame who pass this way.' The
princess promised him to do so, and on his departure gave him a
ring.
    So Janni plucked the pears and took them to his sister, who, when
she had eaten them, declared she felt better. When, however, the
Drakos heard that Janni had come back yet a third time safe and
sound, he fled for fright forty fathoms deeper underground; and,
next day, when Janni was away hunting, he crept out and said to
the sister: 'Now are we indeed both lost, unless you find out
from him wherein his strength lies, and then between us we will
contrive to do away with him.'
    When, therefore, Janni had come back from hunting, and sat at
evening with his sister by the fire, she begged him to tell her
wherein lay his strength, and he answered: 'It lies in my two
fingers; if these are bound together then all my strength
disappears.'
    'That I will not believe,' said the sister, 'unless I see it for
myself.'
    Then he let her tie his fingers together with a thread, and
immediately he became powerless. Then the sister called up the
Drakos, who, when he had come forth, tore out Janni's eyes, gave
them to his dogs to eat, and threw him into a dry well.
    Now it happened that some travellers, going to draw water from
this well, heard Janni groaning at the bottom. They came near,
and asked him where he was, and he begged them to draw him up
from the well, for he was a poor unfortunate man.
    The travellers let a rope down and drew him up to daylight. It
was not till then that he first became