“It is an invariable fact that dragons are extremely vigilant.  They never sleep, and for this reason we often find them employed in guarding treasures.  A dragon guarded at Colchis the golden fleece that Jason conquered from him.  A dragon watched over the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides.  He was killed by Hercules and transformed into a star by Juno.  This fact is related in some books, and if it be true, it was done by magic, for the gods of the pagans are in reality demons.  A dragon prevented barbarous and ignorant men from drinking at the fountain of Castalia.  We must also remember the dragon of Andromeda, which was slain by Perseus.  But let us turn from these pagan fables, in which error is always mixed with truth.  We meet dragons in the histories of the glorious archangel Michael, of St. George, St. Philip, St. James the Great, St. Patrick, St. Martha, and St. Margaret.  And it is in such writings, since they are worthy of full credence, that we ought to look for comfort and counsel.

“The story of the dragon of Silena affords us particularly precious examples.  You must know, my son, that on the banks of a vast pool close to that town there dwelt a dragon who sometimes approached the walls and poisoned with his breath all who dwelt in the suburbs.  And that they might not be devoured by the monster, the inhabitants of Silena delivered up to him one of their number expressed his thought every morning.  The victim was chosen by lot, and after a hundred others, the lot fell upon the king’s daughter.

“Now St. George, who was a military tribune, as he passed through the town of Silena, learned that the king’s daughter had just been given to the fierce beast.  He immediately mounted his horse, and, armed with his lance, rushed to encounter the dragon, whom he reached just as the monster was about to devour the royal virgin.  And when St. George had overthrown the dragon, the king’s daughter fastened her girdle round the beast’s neck and he followed her like a dog led on a leash.

“That is an example for us of the power of virgins over dragons.  The history of St. Martha furnishes us with a still more certain proof.  Do you know the story, Samuel, my son?”

“Yes, father,” answered Samuel.

And the blessed Mael went on: 

“There was in a forest on the banks of the Rhone, between Arles and Avignon, a dragon half quadruped and half fish, larger than an ox, with sharp teeth like horns and huge-wings at his shoulders.  He sank the boats and devoured their passengers.  Now St. Martha, at the entreaty of the people, approached this dragon, whom she found devouring a man.  She put her girdle round his neck and led him easily into the town.

“These two examples lead me to think that we should have recourse to the power of some virgin so as to conquer the dragon who scatters terror and death through the island of Alca.

“For this reason, Samuel thy son, gird up thy loins and go, I pray thee, with two of thy companions, into all the villages of this island, and proclaim everywhere that a virgin alone shall be able to deliver the island from the monster that devastates it.