The Tale of St. George & The Dragon
“Believe ye in God, Jesu Christ, and do ye to be baptised and I shall slay the dragon.”
There was once a town named Silene, which was beset by a foul beast living in the river nearby.
“More fearful, fell and crueller was she,
Than the deadly monster of Lerna was doubtless,
Upon her wings and on her back on high,
Were green rough scales like iron of hardness” [The Lyfe of Saynte George; Alexander Barclay]
The townsfolk, in order to stop the dragon from attacking them, would offer her two sheep a day. When this failed, the king decided that the people should draw lots daily, and the unlucky loser be sacrificed to quell the dragon’s bloodlust. This continued for a while when, one day, the king’s daughter drew the short straw. The king attempted to bargain with the people for her life, but was unsuccessful - she would be given, as their children and their kin had been.
As the princess was being taken out of town to the dragon, Saint George, who was passing by on horseback, stopped and asked of her what was happening. She informed him of the dragon and her impending sacrifice, and beseeched him to leave lest he too be devoured. He replied, “Fair daughter, doubt ye no thing hereof, for I shall help thee in the name of Jesu Christ.” [the Golden Legend]
As he spoke, the dragon rose from the river and came running towards him. George readied his weapon and rode out to meet her, whereupon he smote her neck with his spear and threw her to the ground. He instructed the princess to lead the meek beast into the town so that the people may see it. He spoke to the people thusly: “Believe ye in God, Jesu Christ, and do ye to be baptised and I shall slay the dragon.”
The king was baptised, as were the rest of the townspeople, and so George slew the dragon, restoring the town to peace at last. The king founded a church of “Our Lady and Saint George”; a spring sprang up nearby with “a fountain of living water, which healeth sick people that drink thereof.”
I have fond memories of being told the story of Saint George’s slaying of the dragon as a schoolboy. I wonder if they still tell the story in primary schools, or if that has fallen out of favour in the years since?
Happy Saint George’s Day, everyone.
Eternal England.
It warms my heart to see a proper tribute to Saint George and the old stories that shaped England.
I grew up hearing that same tale and it’s a breath of fresh air to see someone still celebrating it. I love how you bring forth the dragon’s menace and George’s iron resolve—it’s a reminder of the grit and faith that once defined our culture.