“Now look here, dragon,” said the Saint, firmly. “Here’s this little fellow waiting to see you home, and you know he ought to have been in bed these two hours, and what his mother’ll say I don’t know, and anybody but a selfish pig would have made him go to bed long ago—”
“And he shall go to bed!” cried the dragon, starting up. “Poor little chap, only fancy his being up at this hour! It’s a shame, that’s what it is, and I don’t think, St. George, you’ve been very considerate—but come along at once, and don’t let us have any more arguing or shilly-shallying. You give me hold of your hand, Boy—thank you, George, an arm up the hill is just what I wanted!”
So they set off up the hill arm-in-arm, the Saint, the Dragon, and the Boy. The lights in the little village began to go out; but there were stars, and a late moon, as they climbed to the Downs together. And, as they turned the last corner and disappeared from view, snatches of an old song were borne back on the night-breeze. I can’t be certain which of them was singing, but I think it was the Dragon!
* * * *
“Here we are at your gate,” said the man, abruptly, laying his hand on it. “Good-night. Cut along in sharp, or you’ll catch it!”
Could it really be our own gate? Yes, there it was, sure enough, with the familiar marks on its bottom bar made by our feet when we swung on it
“Oh, but wait a minute!” cried Charlotte. “I want to know a heap of things. Did the dragon really settle down? And did—”
“There isn’t any more of that story,” said the man, kindly but firmly. “At least, not to-night. Now be off! Good-bye!”
“Wonder if it’s all true?” said Charlotte, as we hurried up the path. “Sounded dreadfully like nonsense, in parts!”
“P’raps its true for all that,” I replied encouragingly.
Charlotte bolted in like a rabbit, out of the cold and the dark; but I lingered a moment in the still, frosty air, for a backward glance at the silent white world without, ere I changed it for the land of firelight and cushions and laughter. It was the day for choir-practice, and carol-time was at hand, and a belated member was passing homewards down the road, singing as he went:—
“Then St. George: ee made rev’rence: in the stable so dim, Oo vanquished the dragon: so fearful and grim. So-o grim: and so-o fierce: that now may we say All peaceful is our wakin’: on Chri-istmas Day!”
The singer receded, the carol died away. But I wondered, with my hand on the door-latch, whether that was the song, or something like it, that the dragon sang as he toddled contentedly up the hill.
JOHN THE TRUE, by Joseph Jacobs
There was once a king who had long been unmarried. Now one day, going through his palace, he came to a room that he had never opened before. So he sent for the key and entered it, and opposite the door was the picture of a most beautiful princess with skin white as snow and cheeks red as blood and hair black as ebony. No sooner had he seen this picture than he fell in love with it and asked who she was.
His chamberlain said, “That is the Princess of the Golden Horde, with which your Majesty’s kingdom has been at war these last twenty years. Only three years ago, when your Majesty’s father was alive, there was some talk of peace and of betrothing you to her, and that was when her portrait was sent here. But now the two kingdoms are at war and it does not seem that peace will ever come.”
But though there was no hope of marrying her the King could not help but think of the Princess of the Golden Horde, and thought and thought till he became quite pale and sick with love for her. Now he had a faithful servant, the son of his own nurse, and thus his foster-brother, and he was so devoted to the King that everybody called him John the True.
When John the True saw his foster-brother pining away he went to him and said:
“What ails thee, Oh sire?” for he alone had the right of calling the King “thou.”
Then said the King to John the True:
“Come and I will show thee, John.” And he took him to the closed chamber and showed him the portrait and told him how he felt towards the Princess of the Golden Horde.
“Be of good cheer,” said John the True; “I will go and fetch her for thee.”
“How can that be?” said the King; “we are at war with the Golden Horde, and they would never give her to be my bride.”
“Leave that to me,” said John the True; “give me only a ship full of merchandise and put in it a complete set of furniture made all of gold, and see if I do not bring the Princess back to thee.”
So the King did all that John the True demanded. And he sailed away with the ship and its merchandise to the country of the Golden Horde. And when he came there to the chief port he did not declare from what country he was but sent up, as tribute to the King of the Golden Horde, a beautiful chair all made of gold.
Now when the King saw this he became curious about this merchant and his wares, and came down with his Queen and the Princess to view the rarities. And when he saw the set of furniture all made of gold he asked John the True what its price was.
But John said it was not for sale, but that he kept it to make gifts of tribute to the kings whose realm he was visiting.
But the Princess had set her heart upon one dressing-table all of gold, with crystal mirrors and lovely fittings, and asked John if he could not sell it to her.
But John said, “No, that is kept for a special purpose, which I am not allowed to tell.”
This aroused the curiosity of the Princess, and later on towards the evening she came down with only one maid to see if she could not persuade John to let her have the dressing-table.
When she came on board John went to the captain and told him to set sail as soon as the Princess went down into the cabin. And when she came there he began telling her a long story, how that his master the King had sent him to visit all the kingdoms of the earth, and that this dressing-table was intended for the most beautiful princess whom he should come across in his travels.
And then the Princess wanted to know whether he would have to finish his travels before giving the table, and what the King expected from the Princess.
John told her that everything was left to him and that, when he found a princess with skin as white as snow, and cheeks as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, he was to present the table to her.
Then the Princess looked in the mirror and said:
“Have I not skin as white as snow, and cheeks as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony? Then give me the table.”
But just then she began to feel the motion of the ship and knew that it was sailing away, and commenced to shriek and cry. But John told her all that had happened, and how that he had come only for her, and that his foster-brother the King was dying for love of her, and could not come himself because the two countries were at war. So at last the Princess became content, and they sailed on and on towards the country of John the True.
As they were nearing land John was sitting in the prow, and the Princess was reclining on a couch on deck, and three black ravens were flying about the mast of the vessel. Now John, being the son of a huntsman, knew the language of birds; and he listened to what they said, and this was it:
“Caw, caw!” said the first raven. ‘There sits the Princess of the Golden Horde, thinking that she will marry John’s master the King. But I know something which will prevent that/’
“What is that?” asked the second raven.
“Why,” said the first, “when the Princess lands and the King meets her they will bring out to him a bay horse richly caparisoned, with a pillion for the Princess. And if the King takes her with him on the horse he will run away with them and dash them both to pieces. Caw, caw!”
“But is there no remedy for that?” said the third riven.
“Only if some one cuts off the head of the horse, or tells the King; but woe unto him if he does that, for as soon as he has told he will become marble up to his knees. Caw, caw!”
“Even if he escapes that,” said the
second raven, “the King would never marry the Princess, for at the wedding feast wine will be presented to him, in a glass goblet, and at the first drop of it he drinks he will fall down dead. Caw, caw!”
“But is there nothing to remedy that?” asked the first raven.
“Only if some one dashes the glass from his hand, or tells of the danger; but if he tells he will become marble up to his waist. Caw, caw!”
“Caw, caw!” said the third raven. “There is still another danger. On the wedding night a dreadful dragon will creep into the bridal chamber and kill both King and Princess. And there is no remedy against that unless some one drives off the dragon or tells of the danger. But if he tells he will become marble from head to foot. Caw, caw!”
When John the True heard all this he made up his mind he would save his brother the King without telling him of the dangers that threatened him. And when they neared the shore he caused a trumpet to be sounded three times, which was the signal agreed upon between himself and the King, that he had succeeded in bringing back the Princess of the Golden Horde.
So the King came quickly down to the ship in all his glory and received with joy the Princess, and thanked John the True for his faithful service.
When it came time for the King to lead the Princess to his palace, some one brought forth a noble bay horse richly caparisoned and with a pillion at the back of the saddle for the Princess to ride on. And just as the King gave her his hand and was about to mount the horse, John the True drew his sword and cut off the head of the bay horse.
“Treason, treason!” cried the courtiers. “John the True has drawn his sword in the King’s presence.”
But the King said, “What John the True does is done for me. Let a coach be brought and we will return to the palace.”
So the King and the Princess and John the True went to the palace, and preparations were made for a grand wedding. And on the day of the wedding there was a great banquet held, and at the beginning a glass of wine was brought forth and presented to the King, and just as he was lifting it to his lips John the True, who stood behind the King’s throne, rushed forward and dashed the goblet to the ground.
“Treason, treason!” cried the courtiers. “John the True is mad.”
“Nay, nay,” said the King; “what John the True does is for our good. Wherefore did’st thou do that, John?”
“That I must not say,” said John the True.
“Well, well,’! said the King; “doubtless thou hadst thy reasons; let the banquet proceed.”
On the night of the wedding John the True took his place with drawn sword before the bridal chamber, and watched and watched and watched. Towards midnight he heard a rustling in the bridal chamber and, rushing in, saw a winged dragon coming through the window towards the King and Princess. He dashed towards it and wounded it with his sword, so that it flew out of the window, dropping blood on the way.
But the noise that John the True had made awakened the King and Queen, and they saw him before them with sword dripping with blood. And not recognizing him at first, the King called out for his guard, who came in quickly and seized John the True.
When the King saw who it was he asked John if he had any explanation of his conduct, and John said:
That I may not say.”
This is more than I can bear,” said the King. Perhaps love has turned thy brain.”
And turning to the captain of his guard, the King said, “Let him be executed in the morning in our presence!”
When the morning came everything was ready for John’s execution, when he stood forth and said to the King:
“If your Majesty wills, I will explain my conduct.”
“So be it,” said the King; “I trust thou wilt prove that thou art indeed John the True.
And John the True told the King and the Queen and the courtiers all that had occurred and what he had heard from the ravens, and how he had saved the life of the King and the Queen by wounding the dragon on the preceding night. But as he told why he killed the horse his legs became marble up to the knees. And when he explained why he had dashed the poisoned wine-cup from the King’s hand, the marble came up to his waist. And when he explained how he had turned the dragon from the bridal chamber, his whole body became marble from head to foot.
Then the King knew what a faithful servant he had in John the True; and he bade his men to place the marble body on a golden stand on which was written, “This is John the True who gave his life for his King.” And whenever the soldiers and the courtiers passed it they gave it a salute.
Now after a time there came to the Queen two little twin boys, whom she loved better than all the world. And they grew and they grew, till they learned to speak. And every time they passed the statue of John the True they would raise their little hands and give it a salute, for the Queen, their mother, had told them what John the True had done for their father and her.
But one night the Queen dreamed that a voice from Heaven said to her, “John the True can live again if the two Princes be slain for his sake and his body smeared with their blood.”
The Queen told this dream to the King, and they were terrified at it, but thought it only a dream. But twice again the same dream came to the Queen on the following two nights; and then she said to her husband the King,
“John the True gave his life for us; I feel we ought to give our children for him.”
The King at last agreed to the terrible sacrifice, and the heads of the two Princes were cut off, and the statue of John smeared with their blood, when it came to life and John the True lived again.
But when he learned how he had been brought to life again, he asked to have the bodies of the Princes brought to his chamber, and, going to the bridal chamber, scraped from the floor some of the dragon’s blood that had fallen there, and went back into his chamber and closed the door.
Shortly after, the King and the Queen heard the voices of their sons calling out for them; and when the door was opened there they were alive again.
So the King and the Queen and the Princes lived together in all joy, with their faithful servant John the True.
VERNAN’S DRAGON, by John Gregory Betancourt
This is a fairy tale they tell in Zelloque, that most wondrous of cities. It helps explain why they hate and fear all magic.
* * * *
Once, long ago, lived a girl named Sia. This was in the age of magic, when all things knew their true names and the twelve gods still walked the Earth.
Now it came to pass that on her twelfth birthday, Sia felt herself drawn to a quiet part of the river by her home. There, on that morning, magic shimmered over the water like millions of tiny rainbows. Sia knelt on the bank and sang an ancient song of love to her reflection. Legends told how girls might glimpse the face of their future love in these waters, and Sia longed to see hers today.
The water rippled with the falling of a leaf, and when the pool grew still again, Sia found herself gazing at a man. It was he who would be her husband. Staring at his handsome face, with deep blue eyes and golden-blond hair, Sia sank to her knees and continued to sing. The waters began to change, clearing to show a beautiful city bedecked with flowers and dazzling silk ribbons.
Sia recognized it at once, for surely there could be only one such city in all the land—Thelir, that place of wonders beyond all compare, where dwelt the immortal king Vernan. Sia knew she would find her husband there.
Weeping silently for joy, Sia looked up to see the golden sun break over the distant mountains. A redbird flitted overhead, piercing the springtime silence with bright song. The pool returned to normal; the magic ended.
* * * *
King Vernan was a powerful wizard as well as the ruler of Thelir, and he worked the many spells and incantations needed to keep his people happy and prosperous. That did not leave him much time for his own pleasures, but he managed an hour or two of reading every week.
With the coming of spring, he took his leisure on a private balcony. As he sat ther
e, studying one of his many books of ancient spells, the air suddenly filled with steam. He slapped the book shut to keep the pages from being ruined.
The dragons were playing in the moat again. This was not permitted, and he knew he should tell them to stop. He didn’t, though. He moved inside and let them continue. It was, after all, almost Festival. They could play in the moat just this once.
* * * *
Sia returned home from the pool, bade her mother, father, and sisters good-bye, climbed onto her donkey, and set off for Thelir to fine her future husband. He would be there. Magic never made a mistake.
When, after a long journey, she arrived at that great city, she found a wild Festival in progress. Her donkey slowly picked its way through the groups of dancers, jugglers, singers, and other Festival-goers.
“What is happening here?” she asked a woman selling sausages from a small cart.
The woman looked up in surprise. “Don’t you know? Tonight is the night King Vernan will take a bride.”
Everyone had heard of King Vernan, even as far away as Sia and her family lived. He was immortal, it was whispered, and he took a wife every hundred years. Suddenly Sia knew that she would be his next bride.
A hush grew over the townspeople, and all strained their necks toward the sky. A dull vibration, like the thunder of distant hooves, grew steadily. From all mouths there came a gasp, for there, up in the sky, flew a chariot pulled by mighty winged horses, and in that chariot stood King Vernan.
The horses descended slowly, landing in a narrow place the men and women had cleared near Sia. Vernan smiled softly at her and held out his hand.
“Come be my wife,” he whispered, but his voice was like thunder.
Sia said nothing, but walked forward, took his outstretched hand, and stepped into the chariot beside him. Vernan clicked to the horses, who spread their wings and bore them swiftly upward over the cheering crowds.
* * * *
Later that evening, after the wedding and the Festival had died down, Vernan led his new wife into the castle garden. Distantly he could still hear the dragons playing in the moat.
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