She replied：“Go and hide yourself under that copper bridge。He passes over it， and there you can hide yourself and there you can meet him。”
Sucna Murga went and sat himself down under the bridge。He heard a noise like rolling thunder。It was the Zmeu going home on his charger。When the horse came near the bridge it began sniffing， prancing and rearing itself on its hind legs。It refused to cross the bridge。
The Zmeu said：“What are you frightened at？”
“I am frightened at Sucna Murga，”replied the horse。
“You need not be afraid of him。No wind has brought as much as a hair of his head to this world。”
At these words Sucna Murga sprang forward and shouted：“You are barking as a dog。Not only is my hair here， but my entire body is here。I have come here to fight you。”
For a moment the Zmeu felt terrified， but he recovered himself and said：“How shall we fight？ By racing one another， or shall we fight with swords or by wrestling？”
“Let us try all three，”answered Sucna Murga。
The Zmeu began running， but his horse burst under him。He drew the sword， but Sucna Murga soon broke it。Then they started wrestling。After a while Sucna Murga lifted the Zmeu from the ground， and then forced him down into the ground with such violence that he sank into it up to his knees。The Zmeu tore himself free， and， lifting Sucna Murga， he drove him， in his turn， into the ground as far as his knees。Sucna Murga tore himself up from the ground， and， lifting the Zmeu with all his might， drove him into the ground as far up as his neck； then， drawing his sword， he cut off his head， and pulling out the body he cast it under the bridge。After that he returned to the palace and told the Princess of the death of the Zmeu。Then they began eating and drinking and making merry and rejoicing over her recovered freedom。
Afterwards Sucna Murga continued his journey on the same road until he reached the palace of the second Zmeu。Here the same thing happened。The Princess could not believe her eyes when she saw him， but he assured her that he was alive， and had killed the first Zmeu。She breathed a little more freely， but still she was very anxious， for her Zmeu was much stronger than his elder brother， and had two heads。Sucna Murga asked her：“How much does he eat and drink？”
“Ten roasted calves， ten ovenfuls of bread， and ten casks of wine。That is his daily ration。These must be ready and on the table， neither too cold nor too hot， as soon as the club knocking at door announces his coming。”
Whilst they were thus speaking a tremendous knock was heard at the gate。The walls shook。
“The Zmeu is coming，”said the second Princess。
“Where can I wait for him？”asked Sucna Murga。
“Yonder under the silver bridge。”
He went and sat himself down under the bridge， when again a noise was heard like rolling thunder。It was the sound of the horse on which the Zmeu rode。
When they approached the bridge， the horse refused to pass over it。It turned， it reared itself on its hind legs and would not cross the bridge。
“Of whom are you afraid， my little horse？”asked the Zmeu。
“Of Sucna Murga，”answered the horse。
“Why， not even a hair of his head has a bird brought hither，”said the Zmeu，“still less can Sucna Murga reach this part of the world。”
On hearing these words， Sucna Murga sprang forward and shouted at him：“Why are you barking like a dog， you Zmeu？ Come and fight。Here am I， with my hair and my body。”
The Zmeu was stupified on seeing Sucna Murga， but he recovered himself and said：“How shall we fight？ By racing one another， or by fighting with a sword， or by wrestling？”
“By all three，”replied Sucna Murga。
But during the racing the horse of the Zmeu burst under him。He drew the sword， but it was knocked out of his hand and broken by Sucna Murga。Then they began wrestling。Sucna Murga found this part of the fight more difficult， for this Zmeu was stronger than his elder brother。Still， lifting him up， he drove him into the ground as far up as the knees。The Zmeu， tearing himself free， drove Sucna Murga in as far up as his waist。Then Sucna Murga gathered up his entire strength， and， ramming him down with all his might， drove him into the ground up to his neck， and， drawing his sword， he cut off both his heads。Then he took the body and threw it under the bridge。
Full of joy at having killed the second Zmeu， he returned to the palace， and there spent a few days in feasting and merry-making。
Then he said：“I must now get my own beloved free。”
Continuing his journey， he came to her palace， which was much more beautiful and grander than the other two。When the youngest Princess saw him she was stunned， so great was her surprise and delight， and her joy increased when she heard what he had done to the two Zmei。
“Still，”she said，“you have now to deal with one that is more powerful than the other two together， and I doubt whether you will be able to conquer him。”
“What is his daily ration？”asked Sucna Murga。
“Fifteen roasted calves， fifteen ovenfuls of bread， and fifteen casks of wine。The food must neither be too cold nor too hot， and ready on the table at the time when his club knocking at the gate announces his coming。”
At that moment the club knocked so violently at the gate that it seemed as if the heavens were falling into pieces。“He is coming，”she said，“and if you wish to meet him， go and hide under the golden bridge。”He left her and went to the golden bridge and sat himself down under it。She remained behind， frozen almost to death， like an icicle， with fear and anxiety。
Whilst Sucna Murga was waiting he heard a noise like the rolling of thunder with the flash of lightning fast approaching。It was the three-headed Zmeu riding on his horse。When they drew near， the horse reared violently， and almost threw off the rider。It would not pass the bridge。
“Horse， my dear horse， what are you frightened at？”asked the Zmeu。
“I am frightened at Sucna Murga。”
“You need not be afraid of him。No wind， no breath has carried as much as a hair of him to this upper world。”
“Has it not？”shouted Sucna Murga， jumping out from under the bridge。“Here I am with my whole body。I have come to fight you， robber of my beloved。”
Strong as the Zmeu was， he felt fear creeping over him， but he pulled himself together， and he replied to Sucna Murga：“Well， let us fight， but how shall we fight？ By racing， with the sword， or by wrestling？”
“By all three，”replied Sucna Murga。
The Zmeu began running， but his horse burst under him。He then drew his sword， but he was no match for Sucna Murga； the sword split at the first stroke， and then they commenced wrestling。This again proved the heaviest task， for the three-headed monster was very powerful。After they had been twisting and turning for some time， gripping one another very tightly so that they heard their bones cracking， and their eyes were starting out of their sockets， the Zmeu lifted Sucna Murga and drove him down into the ground as far as his knees。Sucna Murga freed himself， and， lifting the Zmeu， he also drove him down as far as his knees。The Zmeu， having torn himself free， drove Sucna Murga into the ground as far as his waist， but Sucna Murga was not easily to be beaten。He got himself free and drove the Zmeu up to the waist into the ground， and thus they went on fighting one another until both felt very much exhausted。
As they were thus grappling with one another two eagles came flying overhead。When the Zmeu saw them he said：“Oh， dear Eagles， go to yonder fountain， dip your wings into the pure water and moisten my tongues so that I may recover my strength and kill this man。I will give you in reward the carcase of Sucna Murga。”
But Sucna Murga said：“You dear Eagles，go and dip your wings in yonder well and moisten my tongue，for if I win I will give you three carcases to eat。”
