Atondido Stories
disappeared again into the sea.
Dionysia sent word through her father to her royal suitor
that she would wed him only when he procured her a dress the
colour of the fields and all their flowers. The king was very much
in love with Dionysia, so he was secretly filled with joy at this re-
quest. He searched everywhere for a dress the colour of the
fields and all their flowers. It was a very difficult thing to find
but at last he procured one. He sent it to Dionysia at once.
When Dionysia saw that the king had really found the dress for
her she was filled with grief. She thought that there was no es-
cape and that she would have to marry the king after all. As
soon as she could get away from the palace without being no-
ticed she ran down to the sea and again called, "Labismena, La-
bismena."
The sea serpent at once came out of the sea. "Do not fear," she
said to Dionysia. "Go back and say that you will not wed the
king until he gives you a dress the colour of the sea and all its
fishes."
When the king heard this new request of Dionysia's he was
rather discouraged. However he searched for the dress and, at
last, after expending a great sum of money, he procured such a
gown.
When Dionysia saw that a dress the colour of the sea and all
its fishes had been found for her she again went to seek counsel
from her old playmate. "Do not be afraid," Labismena again said
to her. "This time you must ask the king to get you a dress the
colour of the sky and all its stars. You may also tell him that this
is the last present you will ask him to make you."
When the king heard about the demand for a dress the col-
our of the sky and all its stars he was completely disheartened,
but when he heard that Dionysia had promised that this would
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