that a sea of
blood gushed from the wound which would have turned a water-mill, and in
his pain and rage flames of fire gushed from his mouth.

Unwinding his tail from his back, he coiled it like lightning about the
legs of the horse, which fell to the ground with his rider. But in an
instant the knight was on his feet, and by the mere force of his blows
forced his enemy to reel, though the brazen scales were still unpierced.
Though his courage was as great as ever, the young man began to lose
patience, when of a sudden he noticed that the monster could no longer
rise into the air by reason of his wounded wing. That sight gave him
heart, and he drew near once more, only to be scorched by the deadly
fire from the dragon's jaws. Half blinded and suffocated, he staggered,
which the dragon seeing, he dealt the knight such a blow that he fell
backwards into a well that lay behind.

* * * * *

'So that is the end of him,' said the dragon to himself; but, if he had
only known, it was the beginning, for the well into which the knight had
fallen was the well of life, which could cure all hurts and heal all
wounds.

All night Una watched at her post, for darkness had come before the
knight received his final blow. In the morning, before the sun had risen
above the plain, she was looking for the knight, who was lying she knew
not where. Her eyes dropping by chance on the well, she was sore amazed
to see him rise out of it fairer and mightier than before. With a rush
he fell upon the dragon, who had gone to sleep, safe in the knowledge of
his victory, and, taking his sword in both hands, he drove right through
the brazen scales, and wounded him deep in his skull. In vain did the
monster roar and struggle; the blows rained thick and fast, and most of
his tail was cut from his body.

Again and again the knight was overthrown, and again and again he rose
to his feet, and laid about him as valiantly as ever. But while the
fight was still hanging in the balance, the dragon thrust his head
forward with wide-open jaws, thinking to swallow his enemy and make an
end of him. Quick as thought the knight sprang aside, and, thrusting his
sword in the yawning gulf up to the hilt, gave the dragon his
death-blow.

Down he fell, fire and smoke gushing from his nostrils--down he fell,
and men thought some mighty mountain must have cast up rocks on the
earth.

The victor himself trembled, and it was long ere U