The Seven Dragons | Page 5

mewed more than ever. And on the Saturday morning, when people
were a little timid about going out, because the Dragon had no regular
hour for calling, the Manticora went up and down the streets and drank
all the milk that was left in the cans at the doors for people's teas, and it
ate the cans as well.
And just when it had finished the very last little ha'porth, which was
short measure, because the milkman's nerves were quite upset, the Red
Dragon came down the street looking for the Manticora. It edged off
when it saw him coming, for it was not at all the Dragon-fighting kind;
and, seeing no other door open, the poor, hunted creature took refuge in
the General Post Office, and there the Dragon found it, trying to
conceal itself among the ten o'clock mail. The Dragon fell on the
Manticora at once, and the mail was no defence. The mewings were

heard all over the town. All the pussies and the milk the Manticora had
had seemed to have strengthened its mew wonderfully. Then there was
a sad silence, and presently the people whose windows looked that way
saw the Dragon come walking down the steps of the General Post
Office spitting fire and smoke, together with tufts of Manticora fur, and
the fragments of the registered letters. Things were growing very
serious. However popular the King might become during the week, the
Dragon was sure to do something on Saturday to upset the people's
loyalty.
The Dragon was a perfect nuisance for the whole of Saturday, except
during the hour of noon, and then he had to rest under a tree or he
would have caught fire from the heat of the sun. You see, he was very
hot to begin with.
At last came a Saturday when the Dragon actually walked into the
Royal nursery and carried off the King's own pet Rocking-Horse. Then
the King cried for six days, and on the seventh he was so tired that he
had to stop. Then he heard the Blue Bird singing among the roses and
saw the Butterfly fluttering among the lilies, and he said:-
"Nurse, wipe my face, please. I am not going to cry any more."
Nurse washed his face, and told him not to be a silly little King.
"Crying," said she, "never did anyone any good yet."
"I don't know," said the little King, "I seem to see better, and to hear
better now that I've cried for a week. Now, Nurse, dear, I know I'm
right, so kiss me in case I never come back. I must try if I can't save the
people."
"Well, if you must, you must," said Nurse; "but don't tear your clothes
or get your feet wet."
So off he went.
The Blue Bird sang more sweetly than ever, and the Butterfly shone
more brightly, as Lionel once more carried the Book of Beasts out into

the rose-garden, and opened it very quickly, so that he might not be
afraid and change his mind. The book fell open wide, almost in the
middle, and there was written at the bottom of the page, "The
Hippogriff', and before Lionel had time to see what the picture was,
there was a fluttering of great wings and a stamping of hoofs, and a
sweet, soft, friendly neighing; and there came out of the book a
beautiful white horse with a long, long, white mane and a long, long,
white tail, and he had great wings like swan's wings, and the softest,
kindest eyes in the world, and he stood there among the roses.
The Hippogriff rubbed its silky-soft, milky-white nose against the little
King's shoulder, and the little King thought: "But for the wings you are
very like my poor, dear, lost Rocking-Horse." And the Blue Bird's song
was very loud and sweet.
Then suddenly the King saw coming through the sky the great
straggling, sprawling, wicked shape of the Red Dragon. And he knew
at once what he must do. He caught up the Book of Beasts and jumped
on the back of the gentle, beautiful Hippogriff, and leaning down he
whispered in the sharp white ear:
"Fly, dear Hippogriff, fly your very fastest to the Pebbly Waste."
And when the Dragon saw them start, he turned and flew after them,
with his great wings flapping like clouds at sunset, and the Hippogriff's
wide wings were snowy as clouds at the moon-rising.
When the people in the town saw the Dragon fly off after the
Hippogriff and the King they all came out of their houses to look, and
when they saw the two disappear they made up their minds to the worst,
and began to think what would be worn for Court mourning.
But the