As told by F H Lee
In
The Children’s Book of Saints
Published January 1940
Very long ago in a lonely cave near Coventry dwelt a Wise Lady of the Woods. She was a wicked enchantress, who by her cunning had stolen away the new born son of Lord Albert of Coventry, and carried him off to her cave.
There she kept him for many years, and though she hated all that was good and noble, she had a great love for the child George, and wanted him to become a powerful knight. So he was taught all that a knight should know; but he was not happy and longed to ride away and do great deeds, though he did not tell the Wise Lady of the Woods of this, for she wanted to keep him with her always.
One day she took him to a castle of brass, and having told him who he really was, she gave him a wonderful horse, Bayard, a splendid suit of armour, and, best of all, a magic sword, Ascalon, which would never fail him.
St George was now all the more eager to escape from the witch’s power, and at the first chance, with the help of her own magic wand, he imprisoned her in a great rock and rode hastily away on his adventures.
His journeys led him at last to the land of Egypt, and, being weary, he asked shelter for the night from a hermit who lived in a small hut by the wayside. "You must rest here, and welcome." answered the hermit. And St George entered.
After laying aside his armour, he noticed how downcast the hermit seemed, and said, "Why are you so sad, Holy Father?" "Good reason have we to be troubled." replied the hermit. "And sad indeed is my story. In yonder town of Silene there is a great distress, for in the dark waters of a lake near by dwells a terrible dragon. Its scales are as hard as brass, its wings are like flames, its front paws are as strong as a lion, in its jaws are teeth of iron, while from its nostrils comes black poisonous smoke.
Soldiers have been sent to kill it, but are driven back by its fiery breath. Indeed, all ways of destroying it have been tried in vain. Each day for years the fearsome creature crawls swiftly across the marshy land towards the town, and each day two sheep have been sent out from the gates to feed the monster. These it has devoured greedily and then disappeared into the lake again. At last, when all the sheep and cattle were gone, the King assembled his people and said "We have nothing left to give this cruel dragon, save ourselves; for if we do not provide a meal the whole town will be destroyed by its breath."
So each morning they cast lots, and he on whom the lot fell went forth from the gates alone. And now the King is in sore trouble for the lot has fallen upon his own daughter, the beautiful princess Sabra, and to-morrow she must be led forth. Pity, indeed, is it that one so fair and so beloved should meet so cruel a death."
"Let me rest but awhile" said St George; "then show me the valley where the dragon comes, And I will fight the monster."
The next morning the princess dressed herself in her best robe and, bidding farewell to her father and the people, she went forth bravely and alone from the gates. As she drew near to the dreaded place her heart failed her, and she sat down and wept for sorrow and fear. So dim were her eyes with tears that she did not see that some one was approaching. Suddenly there was the sound of hoofs and looking up, she beheld a knight in shining armour on a white charger coming towards her.
"Why do you weep, fair maid?" he asked. And she told him of the fearsome monster that was even then on its way. "Fear not, gentle maid" said St George; "for by the help of God I will slay the dragon and free all your people from its power."
Quickly he lifted the princess on to his horse and took her to a place of safety. Then, turning once more towards the marsh, he saw the dragon approaching. It rushed straight towards him, making a noise like thunder and sending out fiery breath. St George charged at it, but his spear glanced off the creature’s back. Again and again he struck, but no wound could he make.
Then he and his horse were felled to the ground, but as the dragon raised itself over him, the knight drove his spear under its wing and wounded it.
The fight was by no means over, however; for hours they struggled, and at last St George thrust his sword into the dragon’s mouth and the creature fell dead at his feet. The King and his people, thinking that the princess had been devoured, mourned her death, when suddenly they heard a great shout and, rushing to their watch-towers, they were amazed to see their own princess alive and safe, and by her side an unknown knight dragging the lifeless body of the dragon.
At first they feared to open the gates, but when St George cried "The dragon is dead." They were almost beside themselves with joy and threw them open to welcome their deliverer and their princess.
So ended the fight of St George and the dragon. Many more adventures he had and many enemies to overcome, yet he was always ready to protect the weak and to be the champion of the helpless.
He suffered many hardships, and for seven years was imprisoned for the sake of the beautiful princess Sabra, but at last he was able to take her with him to England, where they were married and great joy was theirs to the end.