Iancu's letter to Ciprian
In this letter to his dearest friend Ciprian, Iancu announces he is leaving Parlita for a few days to climb to the Balaur's peak. He knows Ciprian would try to stop him and forbids it — this time, he says, it is too important, and he will explain everything on his return.
Iancu dreams that if the stories about the monster are true, he will come home a hero — the daring slayer of the Beast of Balaur — and Parlita's folk would be freed from fearing the mountains. He signs off as Iancu, the Monster Slayer in the making.