der penalty
of death. And if, when your Minor Canon comes back to you, you do not
bow yourselves before him, put him in the highest place among you,
and serve and honor him all his life, beware of my terrible
vengeance! There were only two good things in this town: the Minor
Canon and the stone image of myself over your church-door. One of
these you have sent away, and the other I shall carry away myself."

With these words he dismissed the meeting, and it was time, for the
end of his tail had become so hot that there was danger of its
setting fire to the building.

The next morning, the Griffin came to the church, and tearing the
stone image of himself from its fastenings over the great door, he
grasped it with his powerful fore-legs and flew up into the air.
Then, after hovering over the town for a moment, he gave his tail an
angry shake and took up his flight to the dreadful wilds. When he
reached this desolate region, he set the stone Griffin upon a ledge
of a rock which rose in front of the dismal cave he called his home.
There the image occupied a position somewhat similar to that it had
had over the church-door; and the Griffin, panting with the exertion
of carrying such an enormous load to so great a distance, lay down
upon the ground, and regarded it with much satisfaction. When he felt
somewhat rested he went to look for the Minor Canon. He found the
young man, weak and half starved, lying under the shadow of a rock.
After picking him up and carrying him to his cave, the Griffin flew
away to a distant marsh, where he procured some roots and herbs which
he well knew were strengthening and beneficial to man, though he had
never tasted them himself. After eating these the Minor Canon was
greatly revived, and sat up and listened while the Griffin told him
what had happened in the town.

"Do you know," said the monster, when he had finished, "that I have
had, and still have, a great liking for you?"

"I am very glad to hear it," said the Minor Canon, with his usual
politeness.

"I am not at all sure that you would be," said the Griffin, "if you
thoroughly understood the state of the case, but we will not consider
that now. If some things were different, other things would be
otherwise. I have been so enraged by discovering the manner in which
you have been treated that I have determined that you shall at last
enjoy the rewards and honors to which you are entitled. Lie down and
have a good sleep, and then I w