So luscious and luxuriant, too, was the grass that a few
tufts were sufficient for a meal for the noble steeds, and put such
strength and spirit into them, that, in spite of the fatigues they
underwent, they were ever ready for any task they might be called on to
perform. Even the shrubs were so high that they could ride beneath some
of them. Others were covered with leaves of such thickness that a spear
could scarcely pierce them, while they were armed with spikes of length
so formidable that it was dangerous to approach the branches, and
impossible to force a passage through them. Strange, too, were the
plants. Some were like a mass of twisting serpents which wriggled about
and hissed as the travellers passed, and though Saint George cut off
their heads with his sword, they so quickly again grew up that he
perceived that the attempt to destroy them was labour lost.

"So is it," he moralised, "with vicious propensities; the nature of the
plant must be changed, or the branches will spring forth, and evil fruit
will continually be produced." Other plants of the most fantastic
shapes and most lovely hues seemed endued with life. One covering a
wide circle of ground, and tinted with every colour of the rainbow, they
stopped to admire. Suddenly it darted forth feelers of great length
high into the air, and drew back hundreds of gay-coloured butterflies,
and moths, and beetles, which were flying near.

Numerous birds also of the most gorgeous plumage, which darted down,
attracted by the flies, were seized hold of and dragged within the
capacious mouth of the plant.

"On, on," cried Saint George, pricking forward his steed. "If we stop
to admire all these separate wonders we shall never attain the great
objects of our expedition." The Squire if he heard did not heed his
master, for he kept gazing at the proceedings of the strange plant, and
trying to count the number of insects it gobbled up in a minute.
Thoughtlessly he drew closer and closer, till suddenly the monster plant
darted forth all its feelers and grasped him round the body. He felt
himself dragged helplessly towards the capacious maw where he had
already seen so many creatures conveyed. "Oh, master, master! help,
help!" he shouted at the top of his voice, though a feeler getting round
his neck almost stopped his breath.

Saint George, seeing what had occurred, spurred back in hot haste, and,
slashing away with his trusty falchion, severed the feeler