Atondido Stories
The Story of a Hero Whose Mother Loved a Dragon
There was once a mother who had an only son. "He shall be a he-
ro," she said, "and his name shall be Vitazko, the Victorious."
She suckled him for twice seven years and then, to try his
strength, she led him out to the forest and bade him pull up a fir-
tree by the roots.
When the boy was not strong enough to do this, she took him
home and suckled him for another seven years. Then when she
had suckled him for thrice seven years, she led him out to the
forest again and ordered him to pull up a beech-tree by its roots.
The youth laid hold on the tree and with one mighty pull up-
rooted it.
"Now, my son, you are strong enough," the mother said.
"Now you are worthy of your name Vitazko. Forget not the
mother who has suckled you for thrice seven years but, now that
you are grown, take care of her."
"I will, my mother," Vitazko promised. "Only tell me what
you want me to do."
"First," the mother said, "go out into the world and find me a
splendid dwelling where I may live in peace and plenty."
Taking in his hand the uprooted beech-tree as a club and
armed only with it, Vitazko set forth. He followed the wind here
and there and the other place and it led him at last to a fine cas-
tle.
This castle was inhabited by dragons. Vitazko pounded on
the castle gates but the dragons refused to admit him. There-
upon the young hero battered down the gates, pursued the drag-
ons from room to room of the castle, and slaughtered them all.
When he had thrown the last of them over the wall, he took
possession of the castle. He found nine spacious chambers
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