He strode away, the golden reed pipe in hand. He climbed a huge rocky mountain and saw a ferocious-looking dragon coiled at the entrance to a cave. Piles of human bones lay all around him. He also saw a girl in red chiseling away at the cave. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. The evil dragon whipped the girl on the back with his tail and shouted vilely at her:
Most ungrateful loathsome Mistress Red!
Since with me you would not wed,
Day by day,
Rock by rock,
Hew me out a handsome cave,
Or I'll send you to your grave!
Bayberry realized that the girl was none other than his sister. He shouted:
Wicked monster! Evil fiend!
To torment my sister so!
Till your wretched life shall end
On this pipe I'll blow and blow!
Bayberry began to blow on his golden reed pipe. The music set the evil dragon dancing despite himself. Little Red downed her chisel and emerged from the cave to watch.
Bayberry blew on the pipe. The evil dragon continued to dance, squirming and writhing. The quicker the tune, the faster the evil dragon moved.
Little Red came over and wanted to speak to her brother. With a gesture of his hand, Bayberry showed her that he could not stop playing the pipe. If he did, the evil dragon would eat them both up.
Bayberry kept blowing for all he was worth, and the evil dragon stretched his long waist and kept writhing around in time to the music.
Fire came from his eyes, steam from his nostrils, and panting breath from his mouth. The evil dragon pleaded:
Ho-ho-ho! Brother you're the stronger!
Blow no more! Torture me no longer!
I'll send her home,
If you leave me alone!
Bayberry had no intention of stopping. As he blew, he walked towards a big pond. The evil dragon followed him to the bank of the pond, squirming and dancing all the way. With a great splash the evil dragon fell into the pond and the water rose several feet. The evil dragon was utterly exhausted. Fire came from his eyes, steam from his nostrils and panting breath from his mouth. He entreated again in a hoarse voice:
Ho-ho-ho! Brother you're the stronger!
Let me alone and I'll stay in this pond
And torture folk no longer!
Bayberry replied:
Wicked fiend!
This is my bargain:
Stay at the bottom of this pond,
And never do harm again.
The evil dragon kept nodding his head. As soon as the golden reed pipe stopped blowing, he sank to the bottom of the pond.
Bayberry took hold of his sister's hand and walked happily away.
Not long after they set off, they heard the sound of water splashing in the pond. They looked over their shoulders and saw the evil dragon emerge from the water pond. He raised his head and flew in their direction, baring his fangs and clawing the air.
Little Red cried:
Go deep when digging a well;
Pull up the roots when hoeing a field.
While that dragon is still alive
To kindly ways he'll never yield.
Bayberry rushed back to the pond and began to blow on his pipe once more. The evil dragon fell back into the pond and began to dance again, squirming and writhing in the water.
Bayberry stood on the bank for seven days and nights, a fast tune blowing on his pipe. Finally, the evil dragon could move no longer and floated on the surface of the water. His days had come to an end.
Sister and brother joyfully returned home, dragging the body of the evil dragon along behind them. When their mother saw her two children coming home, her face lit up with happiness.
They peeled the dragon's skin to make a house, took out the dragon's bones to serve as pillars and beams and cut off the dragon's horn to make plowshares. With the dragon's horn they plowed the fields quickly and had no need of oxen. In this way they plowed many fields, sowed much grain and enjoyed a life of plenty. |
