I am chained to a rock in the middle of a torrent, waiting for a seven-headed serpent to get hungry. When he does, he’ll eat me.

Who could possibly save me? No one from my country. The serpent has already eaten all the men and most of the women in this land. My salvation will have to come from somewhere else!

Maiden About to Be Eaten in The Two Brothers, Pink Fairy Book. Painting by Gustav Dore.