St. George shouted and, waving his sword above his head, rode at the dragon. Quick and hard came the blows from St. George's sword. It was a terrible battle.
At last the dragon was wounded. He roared with pain and plunged at St. George, opening his great mouth close to the brave Knight's head.
St. George looked carefully, then struck with all his strength straight down through the dragon's throat, and he fell at the horse's feet—dead.
Then St. George shouted for joy at his victory. He called to the Princess. She came and stood beside him.
"Give me the girdle from about your waist, O Princess," said St. George.
The Princess gave him her girdle and St. George bound it around the dragon's neck, and they pulled the dragon after them by that little silken ribbon back to the city so that all of the people could see that the dragon could never harm them again.
When they saw St. George bringing the Princess back in safety and knew that the dragon was slain, they threw open the gates of the city and sent up great shouts of joy. The King heard them and came out from his palace to see why the people were shouting. When he saw his daughter safe he was the happiest of them all. "O brave Knight," he said, "I am old and weak. Stay here and help me guard my people from harm."
"I'll stay as long as ever you have need of me," St. George answered. So he lived in the palace and helped the old King take care of his people, and when the old King died, St. George was made King in his stead. The people felt happy and safe so long as they had such a brave and good man for their King.
—From "Stories for Children and How to Tell Them".
—Courtesy of J. Berg Esenwein.
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