He did so with delight , and her brother standing behind her back passed her the egg unseen . She took it , and dashed it straight at the horrible head , and the monster started , and with a groan that people took for the rumblings of an earthquake , he turned over and died . As the breath went out of his body the husbands of the two eldest daughters resumed their proper shapes , and , sending for their mother-in-law , whose sorrow was so unexpectedly turned into joy , they had a great feast , and the youngest sister was rich to the end of her days with the treasures she found in the cave , collected by the monster . -LSB- From the Portuguese . -RSB- THE STORY OF BENSURDATU There was once a king and a queen who had three wonderfully beautiful daughters , and their one thought , from morning till night , was how they could make the girls happy . One day the princesses said to the king , ` Dear father , we want so much to have a picnic , and eat our dinner in the country . ' ` Very well , dear children , let us have a picnic by all means , ' answered he , and gave orders that everything should be got ready . When luncheon was prepared it was put into a cart , and the royal family stepped into a carriage and drove right away into the country . After a few miles they reached a house and garden belonging to the king , and close by was their favourite place for lunch . The drive had made them very hungry , and they ate with a hearty appetite , till almost all the food had disappeared . When they had quite done , they said to their parents : ` Now we should like to wander about the garden a little , but when you want to go home , just call to us . ' And they ran off , laughing , down a green glade , which led to the garden . But no sooner had they stepped across the fence , than a dark cloud came down and covered them , and prevented them seeing whither they were going . -LSB- Illustration : NOW THE THREE PRINCESSES WERE LOST -RSB- Meanwhile the king and queen sat lazily among the heather , and an hour or two slipped away . The sun was dropping towards the horizon , and they began to think it was time to go home . So they called to their daughters and called again , but no one answered them . Frightened at the silence , they searched every corner of the garden , the house , and the neighbouring wood , but no trace of the girls was to be found anywhere . The earth seemed to have swallowed them up . The poor parents were in despair . The queen wept all the way home , and for many days after , and the king issued a proclamation that whoever should bring back his lost daughters should have one of them to wife , and should , after his death , reign in his stead .
Now two young generals were XXXXX that time living at the court , and when they heard the king 's declaration , they said one to the other : ` Let us go in search of them ; perhaps we shall be the lucky persons . '
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