Hero woke the little boy, told him all, and said: "My boy, if you
are sacrificed to the Dreadful Goddess, our king will live. If not, he
will die in three days."

And the boy was true to his name. Without fear and without
hesitation he said: "My dear father, I am a lucky boy if the king
lives at the cost of my life. Besides, that would pay for the food we
have eaten. Why then delay? Take me quickly and sacrifice me to
the goddess. May the king's evil fate be averted by my death!"
And Hero was delighted and congratulated him, saying: "Well
said! You are indeed my son."

So Hero's wife Virtue and his daughter Heroic went through the
night with Hero and Trusty to the temple of the Dreadful Goddess.
The king too followed them, disguised and unnoticed. Then the
father took Trusty from his shoulder in the presence of the
goddess. And Trusty worshipped the goddess, and bravely saluted
her, and said: "O Goddess, by the sacrifice of my head may the
king live another hundred years and rule a thornless kingdom."

And as he prayed, Hero cut off his head and offered it to the
Dreadful Goddess, saying: "May the king live at the cost of my
son's life!" Then a voice cried from heaven: "O Hero, who else is
devoted to his master as you are? You have given life and royal
power to the king at the cost of your only son, and such a son." All
this the king himself saw and heard.

Then Hero's daughter Heroic kissed the lips of her dead brother,
and was blinded with sorrow, and her heart broke, and she died.