Now it chanced that the King of the city had one daughter, an exceeding fair girl both in mind and body, and after many days of the choosing of lots for the sacrifice, and after many a blooming girl and boy had met an unhappy death, the lot fell to this maiden, Cleodolinda.  When her father, the King, heard his misfortune, in his despair he offered all the gold in the state treasury and even half his kingdom, to redeem the maiden.  But at this many fathers and mothers who had lost their children murmured greatly and said, “O King, art thou just?  By thy edict thou hast made us desolate.  And now behold thou wouldst withhold thine own child!”

Thus the people spake, and speaking they waxed wroth greatly, and so joining together they marched threatening to burn the King in his palace unless he delivered the maiden to fulfil her lot.  To such demands the King perforce submitted, and at last he asked only a delay of eight days which he might spend with the lovely girl and bewail her fate.  This the people granted.

At the end of the time agreed to the fair victim was led forth.  She fell at her father’s feet asking his blessing and protesting she was ready to die for her people.  Then amid tears and lamentations she was led to the walls and put without.  The gates were shut and barred against her.

She walked towards the dwelling of the dragon, slowly and painfully, for the road was strewn with the bones of her playmates, and she wept as she went on her way.

It was this very morning that George, courageously seeking to help the weak, and strong to serve the truth, was passing by in his knightly journeying.  He saw stretched before him the noisome path, and, moved to see so beautiful a maiden in tears, he checked his charger and asked her why she wept.  The whole pitiful story she recounted, to which the valiant one answered, “Fear not; I will deliver you.”

“Oh noble youth,” cried the fair victim, “tarry not here lest you perish with me.  Fly, I beseech you.”

“God forbid that I should fly,” said George in answer; “I will lift my hand against this loathly thing, and I will deliver you through the power that lives in all true followers of Christ.”

At that moment the dragon was seen coming forth from his lair half flying and half crawling towards them.  “Fly, I beseech you, brave knight,” cried the fair girl trembling, “Leave me here to die.”

But George answered not.  Rather he put spurs to his horse and, calling upon his Lord, rushed towards the monster, and, after a terrible and prolonged combat, pinned the mighty hulk to the earth with his lance.  Then he called to the maiden to bring him her girdle.  With this he bound the dragon fast, and gave the end of the girdle into her hand, and the subdued monster crawled after them like a dog.

Walking in this way they approached the city.  All the onlooking people were stricken with terror, but George called out to them saying, “Fear nothing.  Only believe in Christ, through whose help I have conquered this adversary, and live in accord with His teachings, and I will destroy him before your eyes.”