only be got out with the greatest difficulty, seized twelve pairs
of green spectacles, put them on all at once and flew towards the
castle.

Now the Dreadful Griffin was one of those creatures who do not stop
to think, consequently he came to grief. White cats gave him the
ague, but green dogs made him cough most fearfully; and a little
way out of the town he met thirteen white poodles taking a walk,
who of course all looked bright green to the Dreadful Griffin. He
coughed so fearfully that all the twelve pairs of spectacles fell
off his nose and were smashed to bits, and his plan was spoilt once
more.

No, I am not going to tell you what the Dreadful Griffin said and
did then, it is too terrible to speak of, but he had to keep in bed
for a week, and drink hot tar, and have his chest ironed with a
steam roller, and his nose greased with seven pounds of tallow
candles; but all his misfortunes did not cure him of wanting to eat
the Princess. When his cough was better, he went for a walk in the
wood near which he lived, to think out a new plan. Suddenly he
heard something croaking, and saw the Fat Frog sitting under a
tree. Now the Dreadful Griffin was so low in his mind that he
wanted to tell someone his troubles, so he told the Fat Frog.

"Don't come near me," said the Fat Frog when he had finished, "for
I hate heat. If you look under the fifth tree from the end of the
wood you'll find a thin packet. Put it in sixteen gallons of water
and pour it over the cats, only mind you shut your eyes first, and
for goodness sake don't come into this wood any more, you dry up
the moisture."