Belgian Fairy Tales

by William Elliot Griffis

The worst of the matter was that the Romans, coming into the land, soon found that none of their daughters would be left alive, if that monster kept roaring and rambling about. In addition [[190]]to this terror, no one could sleep at night for the noises that he made. His howling, bellowing, hissing, barking, and rumbling were kept up till sunrise. Yet when he was quiet, it was still more dangerous, for then he was lurking for his prey. No parents could trust their lovely daughters outdoors, by night or day. For any girl, who was plump or pretty, was sure to be gulped down alive, or carried off to the dragon’s lair in the hills. The fact that no other bill of fare, except one that had a live girl as part of his feast, would satisfy the monster, caused constant anxiety to parents.

For this dragon, while always hungry, was very particular in his diet. He would never make a dinner on a man, or a boy, a horse, or a pig, unless he had fasted a long while and was nearly starving. He thought they tasted “too salty.” He was always on the lookout for young and tender maidens, or those well-favored or fat, who might be out picking flowers, or strolling along the road. These, he would seize and then run away swiftly, to his lair. He could easily outstrip any man on foot, even the fleetest runner. If men mounted on horseback to pursue him, he would spread his wide wings, give a flap or two and then rise up into the air, almost darkening the sun, and casting an awful shadow on the earth. It always smelled like burning [[191]]brimstone, where the dragon had been. Disappearing among the hills, he would enjoy a feast at his leisure. Soon, the cavern, in which he slept, was covered with maidens’ bones; and, not far away, was a pit, into which he threw what was left of the few men and boys, or pigs and ponies, he had eaten up.

While the dragon was coming down from the hills, to make his evening meal of a pretty girl, or to swish her off to his cave, he was careful to sniff the air on every side, lest some brave men in hiding should rush out at him, and put his eye out with an arrow, or push a spear down his throat, or throw fire or poison into his mouth. The dragon could easily swallow up a man, but he feared missiles shot or slung at him, whether arrows, sling stones or catapult balls. There were certain parts of his body, such as his eyes, or throat, or the soft places under his front and hind legs, and in the joints between the scales, where a barbed arrow or a sword blow, or spear thrust might penetrate.

The Roman general promised that any man, who would capture or slay this frightful monster, that combined a whole menagerie in himself, should marry his daughter. In addition, he should be owner of all the gold of the scales, which any one could, with hammer and chisel, wrench off from this dragon. But the forehead-jewel, [[192]]after adorning the bride’s coronet, at her wedding, must be handed over to the Roman Emperor, for a crown possession.

Now there was a brave soldier named Rufinus, who was in love with one of the Roman general’s daughters, and had expected to marry her, when May and the flowers should come. He had gone to the great city of Rome, in Italy, to buy a gold ring for his sweetheart, besides jewels and pretty woven stuff for new clothes.

But alas, in the week before he returned, the dragon had seized and carried her off to his lair, to eat her up, on the very day she was to be a bride.

There was mourning in the father’s home. The mother wept all day and the old general was constantly asking, “Who will fight the dragon and rescue my daughter?”

When Rufinus was on his way back home, he was met by a man, a native Belgian, famous for his skill as an archer. He, too, was in grief, because his only daughter had been grabbed by the dragon, when out walking with the general’s daughter, and he knew not whether she were yet alive. This man offered to go with Rufinus and help to slay the dragon, hoping that neither of the maidens had yet entered the monster’s maw. Every night, this poor father’s dreams were of skulls and bones. [[193]]

Without waiting to see any one, not even the general, Rufinus sharpened his sword and spear. He prepared to go out at once, on his swiftest horse to fight the monster. He took with him the Belgian archer, who knew all the paths and hiding places. Then they waited, until the wind was favorable, so that the dragon would not get their scent, and go off in another direction. Then they got to windward of the monster, and hid behind rocks, in a thicket, not far from the roadside.

Toward evening, as the twilight deepened into dusk, Rufinus looked up toward the hilltops. He saw two round spots, like globes of fire, with something also, which was glistening and sending out rays from the centre of his forehead. These were the eyes of the dragon, with the flashing jewel in between. Soon he saw the beams of the rising moon, reflected from the golden scales; as the terrible creature moved slowly down the mountain side. His monstrous nose was bigger than a buffalo’s. He was sniffing the air, to the right and to the left, to catch sight, either of a man in hiding, or a maid walking. His long, thick moustaches, like whip cords, thrashed about at everything within reach.