the habits of the monster.  Having satisfied himself on certain points, he then returned to his chateau of Gozon in the province of Languedoc.  The point which Gozon had wished to determine was in what portion of its body was the serpent vulnerable; and he had convinced himself that the belly of the creature was unprotected by scales.  He accordingly modelled in wood as exact a representation of the serpent as he could accomplish, colouring it the same as the original; the belly of the model was constructed of leather.  He then trained some large and ferocious hounds, at a certain signal, to dash in under the model and fix their teeth in its leathern underpart.  For months did the ingenious knight persevere with the training of his dogs, himself on horseback in full armour cheering them to the assault.  At last he considered them to be perfect in their parts, and, taking two servants and the hounds with him, returned to Rhodes.  Avoiding everybody, he caused his arms to be carried to a small church in the neighbourhood of Mount St. Etienne by his servants.  The knight went into the church, where he passed some time in prayer, recommending his soul to God in the enterprise which he was about to undertake.

He then donned his armour and mounted his horse, ordering his servants, if he were killed, to return to France but if he succeeded in killing the serpent to come at once to him, or to aid him if he were wounded.  He then rode off in the direction of the marsh accompanied by his hounds.  No sooner did the serpent hear the ring of bit and stirrup-iron, the trampling of the charger and the baying of the hounds, than it issued forth with wide-open slavering jaws and terrible burning eyes to slay and to devour.  Gozon, recommending his soul to his Maker, put spurs to his horse and charged.  But his lance shivered on the hide of the serpent as though it had struck a stone wall.  His horse, mad with terror at the sight and the foul odour of the serpent, plunged so furiously as to unseat him.  He fell to the ground, uttering as he did so his call to the hounds; had it not been for these faithful auxiliaries he would instantly have been slain, but they rushed in and, fastening their teeth in the belly of the serpent, caused it to writhe and twist in its anguish.  Instantly Gozon was upon his feet again, and, watching his opportunity, plunged his sword into the exposed vitals of his enemy.  Mortally wounded, the serpent flung itself high in the air with a convulsive effort, and falling backwards pinned the knight to the ground beneath its enormous bulk.  The servants, who had been the horrified spectators of this terrific conflict, now rushed to the assistance of their master, and succeeded in freeing him from his unpleasant predicament.  Gozon, they thought, was dead, but upon dashing some water in his face he opened his eyes, to behold the pleasing spectacle of his monstrous enemy lying by his side a corpse.