St. George and the Dragon

Saint George is one of the most adored saints in Christianity. He is the patron saint of Canada, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Serbia, the cities of Ljubljana and Moscow. He is immortalized in the tale of George and the Dragon.

The King of Selene, a city in Libya, had one daughter, named Cleodolinda. She was as sweet as a summer morning, and as brave as a winter sun. The King loved his daughter and she was dearer to him than anything else in the world.

One day, a huge dragon settled in the marshes in the neighbourhood. It crawled on four twisted feet, it pushed itself with its black wings; and its eyes shone like red flames, and from its nostrils came out a black flame which contained most poisonous deadly fumes. Its body was covered with strong thick scales. The King gave orders that none should go outside the city walls till the dragon had gone back whence it came.

But the dragon crawled to the gates of the city and from its nostrils it poured terrible fumes, so that the people were about to die. The dragon demanded, by signs and hoarse noises, that it would only stop troubling the people of Selene, if it was granted two sheep a day. The King ordered to obey him and the dragon devoured two sheep a day and crawled to the marshes to rest.

But when soon the sheep became few in number, the bravest knights of Selene dared to go out and to battle with the dragon. And the dragon breathed out its terrible poison on them, and beat them with its wings. And, since the knights couldn't pierce the scales with which its body was covered, they were speedily overcome by the fumes and perished, one and all.

When there were no longer any sheep left to offer to the dragon, it demanded by signs and noises: "Let me be granted one child a day for my meal, and I will not trouble the people of Selene." Bitterly

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wept the people of Selene. Nevertheless, because the poison from the dragon was reaching everywhere, so that none could escape, they subdued, hoping that the dragon would return to its home before all the children were devoured. And any child who was not yet fifteen years of age, on whom fell the lot, was sacrificed.

Princess Cleodolinda was aged fourteen. A day came when the lot fell upon her. The King and the people of the city mourned Cleodolinda, for she was well beloved. But the Princess did not weep and said: "I am ashamed to weep for myself, I who am a King's daughter; and I'll die gladly for the people of Selene." Women clad the Princess in white clothes, and she was placed outside the city wall to await the coming of the dragon.

Shortly after that she heard upon the ground the noise of a horse's hoofs, and her heart was filled with fear, for she saw a knight of a fairer face and grace than any she had seen. This knight was an honorable soldier of the Roman Emperor, who was passing through Libya to join his men. He stopped and asked the trembling, pale Princess what her distress was. She cried out for him: "Press on your way before the fearful dragon, which has been the death of many noble knights, rises from those marshes!" But the knight replied: "I cannot leave you unprotected against the dragon."

And at that moment the dragon crawled from its hiding-place and the knight thrust him with his spear. The dragon looped the knight and his horse by its body and tail, and threw out the poison deadlier than before, and cast lightning upon him from its eyes. But the soldier managed to stand and fight back. Through the deadly fumes that issued from the dragon the Princess could see his pale face lighted up by some radiance that shone from within. As he fought the dragon, this radiance grew greater, so that at last it was like the light of the sun.

The fight lasted a long time. Then the knight noticed that the dragon tried always to protect one place in its body beneath its left wing. And with a great blow, the knight thrust his spear with a turn into that place. Then he felt the dragon's clasp upon him loosen and the smoke ceased to rise from its nostrils, and the great beast fell to the ground. Now that the dragon was helpless, though not dead, the knight

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asked Cleodonia to give him her belt. He bound it about the neck of the dragon and gave the ends into the hand of the Princess that she might lead the dragon toward the city. When they had reached the city gates they were met with great joy by the people of Selene, who had watched from the city this great fight.

With his sword the knight killed the dragon. The King said:

"What shall be given to this brave knight, who has saved us from our enemy?" And the people cried of honours, and wealth, that should be given to the knight. But he thus replied: "I desire only that you believe in the God who strengthened my hand to gain this victory, and be baptised." And when he had turned the city into the Christian faith, he went on his way.

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