Part 4 (1/2)

Once more Longstaff crept down the ladder into the depths of the earth.

The seven-headed serpent was still lying where he had fallen and Longstaff stepped past him and knocked at the door which barred his way.

”Who is there?” called out a voice from within.

”This is Longstaff! Open!”

”Hurry away as fast as you can. This is the home of the dwarf with red boots,” said the voice.

”That red-booted dwarf is exactly the person I want to see,” answered Longstaff, holding fast to his heavy iron bar which his father had made him long ago in the blacksmith's shop.

The door slowly swung open and Longstaff stepped inside. At once he heard the footsteps of the red-booted dwarf. The tiny dwarf looked up at him in surprise.

”We'll fight and see who is the best man,” stormed he. ”You fight with the black sword and I'll use the white one.”

”No indeed,” said Longstaff. ”I'll use the white sword and you the black. Otherwise I'll not wait to fight with swords but will choose my own weapon which happens to be this iron staff of mine.”

The little red-booted dwarf looked up at the heavy iron staff in Longstaff's hand. It could crush him very easily indeed.

”Very well!” said he. ”Just as you like!”

Longstaff fought with the white sword and the dwarf with the black one, and soon the dwarf had fallen, though his great agility made up for his lack of size. With the first drop of blood which fell from the red-booted dwarf the beautiful princess was disenchanted.

She gave her gla.s.s ball back to Longstaff after she had recognized it as her own; and, safe in his arms, she was borne up the long ladder to the place where her sister was awaiting her with Pinepuller and Rockheaver.

”I've left my staff behind!” cried Longstaff in alarm. ”I must go down once more and get it.”

He had never been without his staff near at hand even when he was asleep. Hastily he again descended the ladder. There was his staff lying where he had dropped it when he took the white sword. When he turned around to go up the ladder again, it had disappeared. His friends had forgotten all about him, so interested had they become in the two beautiful maidens. Even at that moment they were on their way to the king's palace. They had pulled up the ladder, never giving another thought as to how Longstaff was going to get out of the hole.

Longstaff shouted in vain. Then he remembered how the dwarf had appeared in the kitchen. Evidently the red-booted dwarf knew how to get up to the surface of the earth. A drink from Longstaff's flask quickly revived him. He reached for the white sword ready to fight again.

”Wait a minute, my friend,” said Longstaff. ”You are now my prisoner.

I'll let you go as soon as you perform a little service for me. Just take me up to the surface of the earth.”

”That is easy,” answered the dwarf. ”Take hold of my hand.”

As soon as Longstaff had taken the hand of the red-booted dwarf he felt himself rise. In a moment he was safe outside the hole.

”There's another thing I want you to do for me before I let you go,” he said. ”Take me to the king's palace.”

Longstaff took hold of the dwarf's hand and in a moment more they were at the palace. It was only a minute after the king's daughters had been restored to him. The royal palace was wild with joy. Even the fact that the two lovely maidens were dumb was almost overlooked.

When Pinepuller and Rockheaver saw Longstaff's angry eyes they ran away as fast as they could. They were never seen near the royal palace again.

Longstaff drew the two gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s from his pocket and gave one to each of the two beautiful princesses. At once they could speak, and together they told their story to their father, the king.

”You may wed whichever princess you prefer,” said the king to Longstaff when he had heard how he had made the bold rescue.

Longstaff wedded the princess who was more beautiful than her sister, and when the king died he reigned over the whole kingdom.