t curious of all, when George
fell ill one of the roses began to wilt, and if Albert had an illness
the same thing happened with the other rose.

Now when George and Albert grew up they heard that a Seven-Headed
Dragon was ravaging the neighbouring kingdom, and that the king had
promised his daughter's hand to anyone that would free the land from
this scourge. They both wanted to go and fight the dragon, but at last
the twins agreed that George go and Albert stop at home and look after
their father and mother, who had now grown old. So George took his
horse and his dog and rode off where the dragon had last been seen.
And when he came to Middlegard, the capital of the kingdom, he rode
with his horse and his dog to the chief inn of the town and asked the
landlady why everything looked so gloomy and why the houses were
draped in black. "Have you not heard, sir," asked the landlady, "that
the Dragon with the Seven Heads has been eating up a pure maiden
every month? And now he demands that the princess herself shall be
delivered up to him this day. That is why the town is draped in black
and we are all so gloomy." Thereupon George took his horse and his dog
and rode out to where the princess was exposed to the coming of the
Dragon with Seven Heads. And when the princess saw George with his
horse and his sword and his dog she asked him, "Why come you here,
sir? Soon the Dragon with Seven Heads, whom none can withstand, will
be here to claim me. Flee before it is too late." But George said,
"Princess, a man can die once, and I will willingly try to save you
from the dragon." Now as they were talking a horrible roar rent the
air and the Dragon with the Seven Heads came towards the princess. But
when it saw George it called out, "Can'st fight?" and George said, "If
I can't I can learn." "I'll learn thee," said the dragon. And
thereupon began a mighty combat between George and the dragon; and
whenever the dragon came near to George his dog would spring at one of
his paws, and when one of the heads reared back to deal with it
George's horse would spring to that side, and George's sword would
sweep that head away. And so at last all the seven heads of the dragon
were shorn off by George's sword, and the princess was saved. And
George opened the mouths of seven of the dragon's heads and cut out
the tongues, and the princess gave him her handkerchief, and he wrapt
all the seven tongues in it and put them away next his heart. But
Ge