This thing by art the wise-men found,
Which truly must observed be;
Wherefore, throughout the city round,
A virgin pure of good degree
Was, by the king's commission, still
Taken up to serve the dragon's will.
Thus did the dragon every day

Untimely crop some virgin flower,
Till all the maids were worn away,

And none were left him to devour;
Saving the king's fair daughter bright,
Her father's only heart's delight.

Then came the officers to the king,
That heavy message to declare,
Which did his heart with sorrow sting;

"She is," quoth he, "my kingdom's heir:

O let us all be poisoned here,

Ere she should die, that is my dear."

Then rose the people presently,

And to the king in rage they went; They said his daughter dear should die,

The dragon's fury to prevent:

"Our daughters all are dead," quoth they,

"And have been made the dragon's prey;

And by their blood we rescued were,
And thou hast saved thy life thereby ;

And now in sooth it is but fair,

For us thy daughter so should die.'
"O save my daughter," said the king,
"And let ME feel the dragon's sting."

Then fell fair Sabra on her knee,

And to her father dear did say,

"O father, strive not thus for me,

66

It

But let me be the dragon's prey; may be, for my sake alone

This plague upon the land was thrown."

'Tis better I should die," she said,

"Than all your subjects perish quite; Perhaps the dragon here was laid,

For offence to work his spite,

my

And after he hath sucked my gore,
Your land shall feel the grief no more."

"What hast thou done, my daughter dear,
For to deserve this heavy scourge?

It is my fault, as may appear,

Which makes the gods our state to purge ; Then ought I die, to stint the strife, And to preserve thy happy life'

Like mad-men, all the people cried, "Thy death to us can do no good; Our safety only doth abide

In making her the dragon's food." "Lo! here I am, I come," quoth she, "Therefore do what you will with me.'

"Nay stay, dear daughter," quoth the "And as thou art a virgin bright, That hast for virtue famous been,

queen,

So let me clothe thee all in white; And crown thy head with flowers sweet, An ornament for virgins meet."

And when she was attired so,

According to her mother's mind,

Unto the stake then did she go,

To which her tender limbs they bind; And being bound to stake a thrall, She bade farewell unto them all.

"Farewell, my father dear," quoth she,

"And my sweet mother meek and mild; Take you no thought nor weep for me, For you may have another child; Since for my country's good I die, Death I receive most willingly."

The king and queen and all their train

With weeping eyes went then their way,

And let their daughter there remain,

To be the hungry dragon's prey:

But as she did there weeping lie,
Behold St. George came riding by.