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Page 24
"Well, then, what are you good for?" cried the king, in a fury.
"Don't I look awful? Am I not terrible to gaze on?" inquired the
Dragon, proudly, as it breathed out red and yellow flames and made
them curl in circles around its horns. "I guess there's no need for
me to suggest terror to any one that happens to see me," it added,
winking one of the pie-plate eyes at King Terribus.
The king looked at the monster critically, and it really seemed to him
that it was a frightful thing to behold. So he curbed his anger and
said, in his ordinary sweet voice:
"I have called you here to destroy these two strangers."
"How?" asked the Dragon, looking upon Prince Marvel and Nerle
with interest.
"I am not particular," answered the king. "You may consume them with
your fiery breath, or smash them with your tail, or grind them to
atoms between your teeth, or tear them to pieces with your claws.
Only, do hurry up and get it over with!"
"Hm-m-m!" said the Dragon, thoughtfully, as if it didn't relish the
job; "this one isn't Saint George, is it?"
"No, no!" exclaimed the king, irritably; "it's Prince Marvel. Do get
to work as soon as possible."
"Prince Marvel--Prince Marvel," repeated the Dragon. "Why, there
isn't a prince in the whole world named Marvel! I'm pretty well
posted on the history of royal families, you know. I'm afraid he's
Saint George in disguise."
"Isn't your name Prince Marvel?" inquired the king, turning to the
boyish-looking stranger.
"It is," answered Marvel.
"Well, it's mighty strange I've never heard of you," persisted the
Dragon. "But tell me, please, how would you prefer to be killed?"
"Oh, I'm not going to be killed at all," replied the prince, laughing.
"Do you hear that, Terribus?" asked the Dragon, turning to the king;
"he says he isn't going to be killed."
"But I say he is!" cried Terribus. "I have decreed his death."
"But do you suppose I'm going to kill a man against his will?"
inquired the Dragon, in a reproachful voice; "and such a small man,
too! Do you take me for a common assassin--or a murderer?"
"Do you intend to obey my orders?" roared the king.
"No, I don't; and that's flat!" returned the Dragon, sharply. "It's
time for me to take my cough medicine; so if you've nothing more to
say I'll go back to my cave."
"Go, go, go!" shrieked the king, stamping his foot in passion.
"You've outlived your usefulness! You're a coward! You're a traitor!
You're a--a--a--"
"I'm a dragon and a gentleman!" answered the monster, proudly, as the
king paused for lack of a word; "and I believe I know what's proper
for dragons to do and what isn't. I've learned wisdom from my father,
who got into trouble with Saint George, and if I fought with this
person who calls himself Prince Marvel, I'd deserve to be a victim of
your Fool-Killer. Oh, I know my business, King Terribus; and if you
knew yours, you'd get rid of this pretended prince as soon as possible!"
With this speech he winked at Prince Marvel, turned soberly around and
crawled from the room. One of the keepers got too near and the
Dragon's breath set fire to his robe, the flames being with difficulty
extinguished; and the gold ball on the end of the Dragon's tail struck
a giant upon his shins and made him dance and howl in pain.
But, aside from these slight accidents, the monster managed to leave
the throne-room without undue confusion, and every one, including the
king, seemed glad to be rid of him.
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