They looked him earnestly in the face, waiting for his next order, and evidently desiring no other employment than to follow him from one battlefield to another, all over the wide world.  But Cadmus was wiser than these earth-born creatures, with the dragon’s fierceness in them, and knew better how to use their strength and hardihood.

“Come!” said he.  “You are sturdy fellows.  Make yourselves useful!  Quarry some stones with those great swords of yours, and help me to build a city.”

The five soldiers grumbled a little, and muttered that it was their business to overthrow cities, not to build them up.  But Cadmus looked at them with a stern eye, and spoke to them in, a tone of authority, so that they knew him for their master, and never again thought of disobeying his commands.  They set to work in good earnest, and toiled so diligently, that, in a very short time, a city began to make its appearance.  At first, to be sure, the workmen showed a quarrelsome disposition.  Like savage beasts, they would doubtless have done one another a mischief, if Cadmus had not kept watch over them and quelled the fierce old serpent that lurked in their hearts, when he saw it gleaming out of their wild eyes.  But, in course of time, they got accustomed to honest labour, and had sense enough to feel that there was more true enjoyment in living at peace, and doing good to one’s neighbour, than in striking at him with a two-edged sword.  It may not be too much to hope that the rest of mankind will by and by grow as wise and peaceable as these five earth-begrimed warriors, who sprang from the dragon’s teeth.

And now the city was built, and there was a home in it for each of the workmen.  But the palace of Cadmus was not yet erected, because they had left it till the last, meaning to introduce all the new improvements of architecture, and make it very commodious, as well as stately and beautiful.  After finishing the rest of their labours, they all went to bed betimes, in order to rise in the gray of the morning, and get at least the foundation of the edifice laid before nightfall.  But, when Cadmus arose, and took his way toward the site where the palace was to be built, followed by his five sturdy workmen marching all in a row, what do you think he saw?

What should it be but the most magnificent palace that had ever been seen in the world?  It was built of marble and other beautiful kinds of stone, and rose high into the air, with a splendid dome and a portico along the front, and carved pillars, and everything else that befitted the habitation of a mighty king.  It had grown up out of the earth in almost as short a time as it had taken the armed host to spring from the dragon’s teeth; and what made the matter more strange, no seed of this stately edifice had ever been planted.

When the five workmen beheld the dome, with the morning sunshine making it look golden and glorious, they gave a great shout.