that little dwarf. When we have finished supper I will show you
what I have done with him!' But when they reached the place
where Paul had left the dwarf, neither he nor the tree was to be
seen, for the little fellow had pulled it up by the roots and run away,
dragging it after him. The four friends followed the track of the
tree and found that it ended in a deep hole. 'He must have gone
down here,' said Paul, 'and I will go after him. See! there is a
basket that will do for me to sit in, and a cord to lower me with.
But when I pull the cord again, lose no time in drawing the basket
up.'

And he stepped into the basket, which was lowered by his friends.

At last it touched the ground and he jumped out and looked about
him. He was in a beautiful valley, full of meadows and streams,
with a splendid castle standing by. As the door was open he
walked in, but a lovely maiden met him and implored him to go
back, for the owner of the castle was a dragon with six heads, who
had stolen her from her home and brought her down to this
underground spot. But Paul refused to listen to all her entreaties,
and declared that he was not afraid of the dragon, and did not care
how many heads he had; and he sat down calmly to wait for him.

In a little while the dragon came in, and all the long teeth in his six
heads chattered with anger at the sight of the stranger.

'I am Shepherd Paul,' said the young man, 'and I have come to fight
you, and as I am in a hurry we had better begin at once.'

'Very good,' answered the dragon. 'I am sure of my supper, but let