"You are a fine boy," said the gentleman, "and I'll give you wages."
So Billy was herd.
The next day, his master told him to look after the house while he went up
to the king's town, to see a great sight. "What will it be?" said Billy.
"The king's daughter is to be eaten by a fiery dragon," said his master,
"unless the champion fighter they've been feeding for six weeks on
purpose kills the dragon." "Oh," said Billy.
After he was left alone, there were people passing on horses and afoot, in
coaches and chaises, in carriages and in wheelbarrows, all going to see
the great sight. And all asked Billy why he was not on his way. But Billy
said he didn't care about going.
When the last passer-by was out of sight, Billy ran and dressed himself in
his master's best suit of clothes, took the brown mare from the stable,
and was off to the king's town.
When he came there, he saw a big round place with great high seats built
up around it, and all the people sitting there. Down in the midst was the
champion, walking up and down proudly, with two men behind him to carry
his heavy sword. And up in the centre of the seats was the princess, with
her maidens; she was looking very pretty, but nervous.
The fight was about to begin when Billy got there, and the herald was
crying out how the champion would fight the dragon for the princess's
sake, when suddenly there was heard a fearsome great roaring, and the
people shouted, "Here he is now, the dragon!"
The dragon had more heads than the biggest of the giants, and fire and
smoke came from every one of them.
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