Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/195

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St. George and the Dragon.
183

PART I.

St. George. I am St. George, who from Old England sprung,
My famous name throughout the world hath rung:
Many gory deeds and wonders have I made known,
And made the giants tremble on their throne.
I followed a fair lady to a castle gate,
Confined in dungeons deep, there to meet her fate,
When I resolved with true knight-errantry
To burst the door, and set the prisoner free;
When a giant almost struck me dead,
But with my sword by valour I cut off his head.
I've searched the whole world round and round,
But a man to equal me has not been found.

(Enter Slasher.)

Slasher. I'm the man to equal thee.

St. George. Who art thou?

Slasher. I am a valiant soldier, and Slasher is my name:
With sword and buckler by my side, I hope to win the game.
And for to fight with me I see thou art not able.
So with my trusty broadsword I soon will thee disable.
St. George. Disable, disable, it lies not in thy power,
For with my glittering sword and spear I soon will thee devour;
Stand off, Slasher, and let no more be said.
For if I draw my sword I'm sure to break thy head.
Slasher. How canst thou break my head?
Since my head is made of iron,
My body made of steel,
My legs and arms are made of brass,
No man can make me feel.

(Then they sham fight with their swords. Slasher is slain.)