, in the
appearance of a terrific green dragon, of huge proportions, who ranges
up and down the country, creating devastation and dismay in every
direction. No corner of the land is safe from his ravages; no one can
hope to escape the consequences of his appearance. Every day his
insatiable maw must be fed with the body of a young maiden, while so
pestiferous is the breath which exhales from his throat that it causes a
plague of a character so violent that whole districts have been
depopulated by it. He commences his career of destruction at dawn every
morning, and till his victim is ready he continues to ravage the land.
When he has swallowed his lamentable repast he remains asleep till next
morning, and then he proceeds as before.

"Many attempts have been made to capture him during the night, but they
have proved as fruitless as trying to catch a weasel (if you happen to
have heard of such an animal, Saint George, in your travels) asleep.
Fruitless I will not say to him, for he has invariably destroyed the
brave men who have gone out to attack him, and has swallowed them for
his supper. For no less than twenty-four long years has this dreadful
infliction been suffered by our beloved country, till scarcely a maiden
remains alive, nor does a brave man continue in it. The most lovely and
perfect of her sex, the King's only daughter, the charming Sabra, is to
be made an offering to the fell dragon to-morrow, unless a knight can be
found gallant and brave enough to risk his life in mortal combat with
the monster, and with skill and strength sufficient to destroy him.

"The King has promised, in his royal word, that, should such a knight
appear and come off victorious, he will give him his daughter in
marriage and the crown of Bagabornabou at his decease."

"Ah!" exclaimed the English Knight, his whole countenance beaming with
satisfaction, "here is a deed to be done truly worthy of my prowess!
What think you of that, reverend hermit?" And he bared his breast,
exhibiting the portrait of the green dragon which had been marked there
at his birth.

"A circumstance ominous of deep import," observed the Hermit, nodding
his head; "either the green dragon will kill you, or you will kill the
green dragon."

"Now, by my halidom, but I fully purpose to kill the dragon and rescue
the Princess," cried the Knight, in a cheerful voice. "Won't we, my
brave De Fistycuff?"

"What men dare they can do," answered the Squire, no