English Original
Once upon a time, there lived a man with two sons who did not get along. The elder brother, jealous of the younger's good looks, grew to hate him. One day in the woods, the elder seized his brother, tied him to a tree, and left him to starve.
An old, hunchbacked shepherd passed by and asked why he was tied up. The clever youth replied, "Because I was crooked, but being tied has cured me, and now my back is straight." Desiring a straight back himself, the shepherd begged to be tied to the tree. The youth agreed, untied himself, bound the shepherd firmly, and drove off with the flock.
Through this and other clever tricks, the young man became famous. The king, curious to meet this master trickster, had him captured and brought to court. "Your pranks have forfeited your life," declared the king. "But I will spare you if you bring me the flying horse belonging to the great dragon. Fail, and you will be hewn into a thousand pieces."
"If that is all, you shall soon have it," said the youth.
He went to the dragon's stable. Each time he tried to take the horse, it neighed loudly, waking the dragon who slept above. After being disturbed twice, the dragon angrily beat the horse. Offended, the horse remained quiet when the youth tried a third time, allowing itself to be led away. The youth galloped off, shouting back to the dragon.
The king was pleased but demanded more: the dragon's bed covering with little bells. That night, the youth climbed onto the dragon's roof and tried to hook the covering with a chain. The bells rang, waking the dragon, who pulled the covering—and the youth—into the room. The dragon bound him, ordering his wife to kill and cook him the next day.
In the morning, as the dragoness untied him to kill him, the youth overpowered her, killed her instead, and took the covering to the king.
Still unsatisfied, the king demanded the dragon himself. The youth asked for two years to grow a beard as a disguise. When ready, he exchanged clothes with a beggar and went to the dragon's house. He found the dragon making a box intended for him. The youth, disguised as a beggar, questioned if the box was big enough. To prove it was, the dragon climbed inside. The youth instantly clapped on the lid, nailed it shut, and carried the box to the king.
Overcome with excitement, the king pried the lid open just a crack to peek inside. It was enough space for the dragon's great mouth, which snapped shut, swallowing the king whole. The young man then married the king's daughter and ruled the land. What became of the dragon, nobody knows.
中文翻译
从前，有一个人有两个儿子，他们相处得不好。哥哥嫉妒弟弟英俊的相貌，对他心怀怨恨。一天在树林里，哥哥抓住弟弟，把他绑在树上，留他自生自灭。
一位年老的驼背牧羊人路过，问他为何被绑。聪明的年轻人回答：“因为我以前是驼背，但被绑在这里治好了我，现在我的背直得不能再直了。”牧羊人渴望自己也变直，便恳求被绑到树上。年轻人同意了，他解开自己，把牧羊人牢牢绑住，然后赶着羊群离开了。
凭借这次和其他巧妙的计谋，年轻人变得声名远扬。国王对这个智计百出的人感到好奇，便命人将他抓来宫廷。“你的恶作剧依法当处死刑，”国王宣布，“但如果你能把属于巨龙的飞马带来给我，我就饶你一命。失败的话，你将被碎尸万段。”
“如果只是这样，你很快就能得到它。”年轻人说。
他来到巨龙的马厩。每次他试图牵走飞马，马都会大声嘶鸣，吵醒睡在上面的巨龙。被吵醒两次后，巨龙愤怒地鞭打了飞马。飞马感到委屈，当年轻人第三次尝试时，它不再吵闹，任由自己被牵走。年轻人策马飞奔，回头向巨龙喊话。
国王很高兴，但要求更多：巨龙那带小铃铛的床罩。当晚，年轻人爬上巨龙的屋顶，试图用链条钩住床罩。铃铛响了，吵醒了巨龙，巨龙拉回床罩——连同年轻人一起——拽进了房间。巨龙绑住了他，命令妻子第二天杀了他并做成菜。
早上，当龙妻解开绳子要杀他时，年轻人制服了她，反而杀了她，然后带着床罩去见国王。
国王仍不满足，要求把巨龙本人带来。年轻人请求给他两年时间蓄须伪装。准备妥当后，他与一个乞丐交换了衣服，来到巨龙的住处。他发现巨龙正在做一个打算用来装他的箱子。伪装成乞丐的年轻人质疑箱子是否够大。为了证明够大，巨龙爬了进去。年轻人立刻盖上箱盖，钉死钉子，把箱子带给了国王。
国王兴奋不已，撬开箱盖一条缝往里窥视。这点缝隙刚好够巨龙的大嘴伸出来，它一口咬下，把整个国王吞了下去。年轻人随后娶了国王的女儿，统治了这个国家。至于巨龙后来如何，就无人知晓了。