St. George's Dragon - Informative Dragon Articles written by Fantopia.net

St. George's Dragon

Silene, a city located in the province of Libya, had a dragon who dwelled in a large body of water. The dragon breathed fire and terrorized the people who lived in the countryside. To appease the dragon and keep him from destroying their homes, they offered him up 2 sheep every day. When the livestock ran out, the people agreed to take all the children's names in the city and cast lots as to which child would be given to the dragon. They would give child after child to keep the dragon satisfied, just as they had done with their livestock. When the king's daughter's name was chosen one day, the king tried to sway the people from including his daughter in the casting of lots by offering all his gold and possessions, but they were angered and demanded that he sacrifice his child as they had. He pleaded with the people saying that she, being a princess, had never married or even been betrothed. He asked for a week to be with his daughter before offering up herself as a living sacrafice. Eight days later, just as the king had promised, the princess was adorned in rich and costly wedding garments and taken to the edge of the water to await the arrival of the dragon. St. George, from the city of Cappadocia, passed by on horseback and went to the princess to ask why she was weeping in her wedding finery. She told him of their pact for peace with the dragon and that it was her turn to make a sacrifice for her people. She tried to persuade him to leave her as he would die along with her if he did not. He refused to leave her and when the dragon came forth for his human offering, St. George drew his sword, struck the beast and seriously wounded him. He took the princess's girdle from around her waist and placed it around the dragon's neck as a leash and led him to the town's people. St. George slew the dragon there and upon that place, a church was built, in honor of the knight and princess. The ground on which the dragon bled and died, a spring of water came forth that held the power to heal sickness for all who drank from it.