Pagina 408 di 626

The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress

where he begged for a night's lodging. 'Yes,' said the lord of

the castle, 'if you will pass the night down there in the old

tower, go thither; but I warn you, it is at the peril of your

life, for it is full of wild dogs, which bark and howl without

stopping, and at certain hours a man has to be given to them,

whom they at once devour.' The whole district was in sorrow and

dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to stop

this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said: 'Just let

me go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can

throw to them; they will do nothing to harm me.' As he himself

would have it so, they gave him some food for the wild animals,

and led him down to the tower. When he went inside, the dogs did

not bark at him, but wagged their tails quite amicably around

him, ate what he set before them, and did not hurt one hair of

his head.