Now it chanced that just then St. George, in his shining armour, came riding by, and, seeing a fair damsel alone and in tears, he sprang from his horse, and hastened to offer her his knightly service.  But she only waved him back, and cried, “Good sir, remount your steed and fly in haste, that you perish not with me!” But to this the Saint responded, “Tell me first why thou art here with such sad mien, and why this crowd of people on the city walls gaze after us so fearfully.”  And the Princess answered him, “Thou hast, I see, a great and noble heart; but make the more haste to be gone therefore.  It is not meet that one so good should die unworthily.”

“I will not go,” returned the knight, “until thou tell me what I seek to know.”

So she told him, weeping, all the woeful tale; and St George made answer with a brave heart, in a voice that all the townfolk on the walls could hear, “Fear not, fair maid; in the name of Christ I will do battle for thee against this dragon.”

Then the Princess loved him, and wrung her hands and cried, “Brave knight, seek not to die with me; enough that I should perish.  There is no man living that can stand against this dragon.  Thou canst neither aid nor deliver me.  Thou canst but share my doom.”

As she spoke the words, the waters of the lake divided, and the monster rose from its depths and espied its prey.  At that the virgin trembled, and cried again, “Fly! fly!  O knight! stay not to see me perish!”

For all answer St George flung himself upon his steed, made the holy sign of the cross, and, commending himself to Christ, lowered his lance and rushed full on the open jaws of the hideous beast.  With such force he directed his aim that the dragon was instantly overthrown, and lay, disabled and powerless, at the feet of the saint.  Then, with the words of a holy spell, St. George cast a great fear upon the monster, so that it was shorn of all its fury, and durst not lift its body from the dust.  Thereupon the blessed knight beckoned to the Princess to approach, and bade her loose her girdle, and, without fear, bind it about the dragon’s neck.  And when this was done, behold, the beast followed the maid, spellbound, and thus they entered the city.

But the people, when they saw the dragon approaching, fled tumultuously on every side, crying out that they would all surely perish.  St. George therefore struck off the monster’s head with his sword, and bade them take heart and fear nothing, because the Lord had given him grace over all evil things to deliver the earth from plagues.

So, when the people saw that the dragon was slain, they thronged about St. George, and kissed his hands and his robe; and the king embraced him joyfully, praising his valour and prowess above the fame of all mortal men.  And when the saint had preached to them the faith of Christ, the whole city was straightway baptised; and the king thereafter built a noble church to the honour of our Lady and of the brave St. George.  And from the foot of the altar flowed forth a marvellous stream, whose waters healed all manner of sickness; so that for many a long year no man died in that city.