’DieSiebenkopfigeSchlange，’fromSchmidt’sGriechischeMahrchen。
　　Onceuponatimetherewasakingwhodeterminedtotakealongvoyage。Heassembledhisfleetandalltheseamen，andsetout。
　　Theywentstraightonnightandday，untiltheycametoanislandwhichwascoveredwithlargetrees，andundereverytreelayalion。AssoonastheKinghadlandedhismen，thelionsallroseuptogetherandtriedtodevourthem。Afteralongbattletheymanagedtoovercomethewildbeasts，butthegreaternumberofthemenwerekilled。Thosewhoremainedalivenowwentonthroughtheforestandfoundontheothersideofitabeautifulgarden，inwhichalltheplantsoftheworldflourishedtogether。
　　Therewerealsointhegardenthreesprings:thefirstflowedwithsilver，thesecondwithgold，andthethirdwithpearls。
　　Themenunbuckledtheirknapsacksandfilledthemwiththosepreciousthings。Inthemiddleofthegardentheyfoundalargelake，andwhentheyreachedtheedgeofittheLakebegantospeak，andsaidtothem，’Whatmenareyou，andwhatbringsyouhere？Areyoucometovisitourking？’Buttheyweretoomuchfrightenedtoanswer。
　　ThentheLakesaid，’Youdowelltobeafraid，foritisatyourperilthatyouarecomehither。Ourking，whohassevenheads，isnowasleep，butinafewminuteshewillwakeupandcometometotakehisbath！Woetoanyonewhomeetshiminthegarden，foritisimpossibletoescapefromhim。Thisiswhatyoumustdoifyouwishtosaveyourlives。Takeoffyourclothesandspreadthemonthepathwhichleadsfromheretothecastle。TheKingwillthenglideoversomethingsoft，whichhelikesverymuch，andhewillbesopleasedwiththatthathewillnotdevouryou。Hewillgiveyousomepunishment，butthenhewillletyougo。’
　　ThemendidastheLakeadvisedthem，andwaitedforatime。Atnoontheearthbegantoquake，andopenedinmanyplaces，andoutoftheopeningsappearedlions，tigers，andotherwildbeasts，whichsurroundedthecastle，andthousandsandthousandsofbeastscameoutofthecastlefollowingtheirking，theSeven-headedSerpent。TheSerpentglidedovertheclotheswhichwerespreadforhim，cametotheLake，andaskeditwhohadstrewedthosesoftthingsonthepath？TheLakeansweredthatithadbeendonebypeoplewhohadcometodohimhomage。TheKingcommandedthatthemenshouldbebroughtbeforehim。Theycamehumblyontheirknees，andinafewwordstoldhimtheirstory。
　　Thenhespoketothemwithamightyandterriblevoice，andsaid，’Becauseyouhavedaredtocomehere，Ilayuponyouthepunishment。Everyyearyoumustbringmefromamongyourpeopletwelveyouthsandtwelvemaidens，thatImaydevourthem。Ifyoudonotdothis，Iwilldestroyyourwholenation。’
　　Thenhedesiredoneofhisbeaststoshowthementhewayoutofthegarden，anddismissedthem。Theythenlefttheislandandwentbacktotheirowncountry，wheretheyrelatedwhathadhappenedtothem。Soonthetimecameroundwhenthekingofthebeastswouldexpecttheyouthsandmaidenstobebroughttohim。
　　TheKingthereforeissuedaproclamationinvitingtwelveyouthsandtwelvemaidenstoofferthemselvesuptosavetheircountry；
　　andimmediatelymanyyoungpeople，farmorethanenough，hastenedtodoso。Anewshipwasbuilt，andsetwithblacksails，andinittheyouthsandmaidenswhowereappointedforthekingofthebeastsembarkedandsetoutforhiscountry。WhentheyarrivedtheretheywentatoncetotheLake，andthistimethelionsdidnotstir，nordidthespringsflow，andneitherdidtheLakespeak。Sotheywaitedthen，anditwasnotlongbeforetheearthquakedevenmoreterriblythanthefirsttime。TheSeven-headedSerpentcamewithouthistrainofbeasts，sawhispreywaitingforhim，anddevoureditatonemouthful。Thentheship’screwreturnedhome，andthesamethinghappenedyearlyuntilmanyyearshadpassed。
　　NowtheKingofthisunhappycountrywasgrowingold，andsowastheQueen，andtheyhadnochildren。OnedaytheQueenwassittingatthewindowweepingbitterlybecauseshewaschildless，andknewthatthecrownwouldthereforepasstostrangersaftertheKing’sdeath。Suddenlyalittleoldwomanappearedbeforeher，holdinganappleinherhand，andsaid，’Whydoyouweep，myQueen，andwhatmakesyousounhappy？’
　　’Alas，goodmother，’answeredtheQueen，’IamunhappybecauseI
　　havenochildren。’
　　’Isthatwhatvexesyou？’saidtheoldwoman。’Listentome。I
　　amanunfromtheSpinningConvent，[10]andmymotherwhenshediedleftmethisapple。Whoevereatsthisappleshallhaveachild。’
　　ConventGnothi。
　　TheQueengavemoneytotheoldwoman，andboughttheapplefromher。Thenshepeeledit，ateit，andthrewtherindoutofthewindow，anditsohappenedthatamarethatwasrunninglooseinthecourtbelowateuptherind。AfteratimetheQueenhadalittleboy，andthemarealsohadamalefoal。Theboyandthefoalgrewuptogetherandlovedeachotherlikebrothers。IncourseoftimetheKingdied，andsodidtheQueen，andtheirson，whowasnownineteenyearsold，wasleftalone。Oneday，whenheandhishorseweretalkingtogether，theHorsesaidtohim，’Listentome，forIloveyouandwishforyourgoodandthatofthecountry。IfyougooneveryyearsendingtwelveyouthsandtwelvemaidenstotheKingoftheBeasts，yourcountrywillverysoonberuined。Mountuponmyback:IwilltakeyoutoawomanwhocandirectyouhowtokilltheSeven-headedSerpent。’
　　Thentheyouthmountedhishorse，whocarriedhimfarawaytoamountainwhichwashollow，forinitssidewasagreatundergroundcavern。Inthecavernsatanoldwomanspinning。
　　Thiswasthecloisterofthenuns，andtheoldwomanwastheAbbess。Theyallspenttheirtimeinspinning，andthatiswhytheconventhasthisname。Allroundthewallsofthecaverntherewerebedscutoutofthesolidrock，uponwhichthenunsslept，andinthemiddlealightwasburning。Itwasthedutyofthenunstowatchthelightinturns，thatitmightnevergoout，andifanyoneofthemletitgoouttheothersputhertodeath。
　　AssoonastheKing’ssonsawtheoldAbbessspinninghethrewhimselfatherfeetandentreatedhertotellhimhowhecouldkilltheSeven-headedSerpent。
　　Shemadetheyouthrise，embracedhim，andsaid，’Know，myson，thatitisIwhosentthenuntoyourmotherandcausedyoutobeborn，andwithyouthehorse，withwhosehelpyouwillbeabletofreetheworldfromthemonster。Iwilltellyouwhatyouhavetodo。Loadyourhorsewithcotton，andgobyasecretpassagewhichIwillshowyou，whichishiddenfromthewildbeasts，totheSerpent’spalace。YouwillfindtheKingasleepuponhisbed，whichisallhungroundwithbells，andoverhisbedyouwillseeaswordhanging。WiththisswordonlyitispossibletokilltheSerpent，becauseevenifitsbladebreaksanewonewillgrowagainforeveryheadthemonsterhas。Thusyouwillbeabletocutoffallhissevenheads。AndthisyoumustalsodoinordertodeceivetheKing:youmustslipintohisbed-chamberverysoftly，andstopupallthebellswhichareroundhisbedwithcotton。Thentakedowntheswordgently，andquicklygivethemonsterablowonhistailwithit。Thiswillmakehimwakenup，andifhecatchessightofyouhewillseizeyou。Butyoumustquicklycutoffhisfirsthead，andthenwaittillthenextonecomesup。Thenstrikeitoffalso，andsogoontillyouhavecutoffallhissevenheads。’
　　TheoldAbbessthengavethePrinceherblessing，andhesetoutuponhisenterprise，arrivedattheSerpent’scastlebyfollowingthesecretpassagewhichshehadshownhim，andbycarefullyattendingtoallherdirectionshehappilysucceededinkillingthemonster。Assoonasthewildbeastsheardoftheirking’sdeath，theyallhastenedtothecastle，buttheyouthhadlongsincemountedhishorseandwasalreadyfaroutoftheirreach。
　　Theypursuedhimasfastastheycould，buttheyfounditimpossibletoovertakehim，andhereachedhomeinsafety。Thushefreedhiscountryfromthisterribleoppression。
　　FromtheHungarian。Kletke。
　　Therewasonceuponatimeamanandwomanwhohadthreefine-lookingsons，buttheyweresopoorthattheyhadhardlyenoughfoodforthemselves，letalonetheirchildren。Sothesonsdeterminedtosetoutintotheworldandtotrytheirluck。
　　Beforestartingtheirmothergavethemeachaloafofbreadandherblessing，andhavingtakenatenderfarewellofherandtheirfatherthethreesetforthontheirtravels。
　　Theyoungestofthethreebrothers，whosenamewasFerko，wasabeautifulyouth，withasplendidfigure，blueeyes，fairhair，andacomplexionlikemilkandroses。Histwobrotherswereasjealousofhimastheycouldbe，fortheythoughtthatwithhisgoodlookshewouldbesuretobemorefortunatethantheywouldeverbe。
　　Onedayallthethreeweresittingrestingunderatree，forthesunwashotandtheyweretiredofwalking。Ferkofellfastasleep，buttheothertworemainedawake，andtheeldestsaidtothesecondbrother，’WhatdoyousaytodoingourbrotherFerkosomeharm？Heissobeautifulthateveryonetakesafancytohim，whichismorethantheydotous。Ifwecouldonlygethimoutofthewaywemightsucceedbetter。’
　　’Iquiteagreewithyou，’answeredthesecondbrother，’andmyadviceistoeatuphisloafofbread，andthentorefusetogivehimabitofoursuntilhehaspromisedtoletusputouthiseyesorbreakhislegs。’
　　Hiseldestbrotherwasdelightedwiththisproposal，andthetwowickedwretchesseizedFerko’sloafandateitallup，whilethepoorboywasstillasleep。
　　Whenhedidawakehefeltveryhungryandturnedtoeathisbread，buthisbrotherscriedout，’Youateyourloafinyoursleep，youglutton，andyoumaystarveaslongasyoulike，butyouwon’tgetascrapofours。’
　　Ferkowasatalosstounderstandhowhecouldhaveeateninhissleep，buthesaidnothing，andfastedallthatdayandthenextnight。Butonthefollowingmorninghewassohungrythatheburstintotears，andimploredhisbrotherstogivehimalittlebitoftheirbread。Thenthecruelcreatureslaughed，andrepeatedwhattheyhadsaidthedaybefore；butwhenFerkocontinuedtobegandbeseechthem，theeldestsaidatlast，’Ifyouwillletusputoutoneofyoureyesandbreakoneofyourlegs，thenwewillgiveyouabitofourbread。’
　　AtthesewordspoorFerkoweptmorebitterlythanbefore，andborethetormentsofhungertillthesunwashighintheheavens；
　　thenhecouldstanditnolonger，andheconsentedtoallowhislefteyetobeputoutandhisleftlegtobebroken。Whenthiswasdonehestretchedouthishandeagerlyforthepieceofbread，buthisbrothersgavehimsuchatinyscrapthatthestarvingyouthfinisheditinamomentandbesoughtthemforasecondbit。