Nobody could peep out of the Gates without
great Danger of being snapped up: nay,
sometimes this strange Beast would move
great Rocks to one side of the Wall, and so,
raising of himself upon them, could push his
Neck such a long way through the Breaches
he had found means to make, that he was
sure to lay Hold of some poor Passenger—
Forasmuch as his Tongue did push out and
draw in again like a kind of zig-zag, and at
the end of it, darting things, like Fish-hooks:
so that when he had occasion to launch it at
a company of Peasants in the Market Place,
he could thread you Fifteen or Twenty of
them at once, and whip them away with
such a fine dexterity, that they were no
sooner spitted than they were in his Maw.
Well, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the
City found it necessary to assemble all the
People, in order to consult, as to what was to
be done.

The Assembly being met— it was on the
12th of February, 299 (Under the Emperor
Dioclesian): it was resolved to consult the
Oracle Gribouligri, which was in sooth the
Famousest in all Lybia. Now this Devil of
an oracle, in all likelyhood was in League
with the Monster of the Lake, and made
answer with tiny Bellowings like twenty
Oxen, that 'twas in vain to hope to be
ever absolutely delivered from the Dragon;
but he thought they might perhaps obtain
free Egress and Regress, if for his Subsistance,
they would allow him every Day, a
certain number of Animals not smaller than
Sheep—either Sheep or Pigs, Women or
Maids.

The Deputies having given an account of
their Commission, great Groanings arose
thereupon. However it was thought, 'twould
be the wisest to submit. For two and thirty
Days, did they satisfy the decree of this
scurvy Oracle without being as yet obliged to
expose any human Creature to the monster's
wem [stomach], Because with much ado, they
had made a shift to get hitherto a sufficient
number of Camels and other Animals, but
the Thirty-Third Day, they could not for the
Blood of 'em, find enow, so that instead of
Forty, they did give him, two Less than his
Number. Now the Beast finding in the end,
that he did want two dishes to make
up his Repast, fell on a sudden to Roaring
withal at them, so horribly that indeed he
did throw down most of the Chimneys in the
City. To express the Fright of the Inhabitants
would be impossible, and much less the
Bitterness and Sorrow, that now oppressed
them. But indeed they were forced to cast
Lots immediately, and rather suffer the loss
of two of Themselves, than see their whole
City bellowed about their Ears. Well, the
Lot fell upon the Son of one of the Richest
Citizens, and the Daughter of the First Syndic,
whose name was Rougulphus—Truly a
most Lamentable Thing, seeing the Youth,
the Beauty, and other qualities of the Lovely
pair—Yet, notwithstanding the Tears of all,
the Decree was just about to be executed,
when a wise old Gentleman bethought him
of a way to save them, which was to expose
two Criminals instead. I shall not here
describe the Joy, or the Happy Destiny, which
united those two Happy Souls for ever in
Marriage— No! this would carry me too far
from my subject—But, yet it is to be noted,
that these young Folks had been in Love
with each other, as it would seem for a
weary while, and that the Father of the
Maid, being a most Covetuous Man, had
always hitherto Opposed the Match. Well
after this Scurvy Dragon had chopped up
the two Criminals, he grew more quiet, and
anon retired to the gulphs of his Lake, his
usual Abode.

Alas! the next Day, Thirteen Beasts, or
Men, were wanting to the Dragon's Number.
Here be New Afflictions! What shall they
do!—They once more cast Lots, and the
thirteen black Billets fall on as many Virgins
most gracious and well Favoured (These be
the true words of the old translation of the
Annals of Lybia) among which was the King's
(Comoriko, third of that name) only daughter.
The Devil of a Surety had a hand in all this
—not that his Friend the Dragon cared one
jot more for the Flesh of a tender dainty fine
Virgin, than for the tough Hide of an old
Buffalo, for withal, he was such a cursed
Dragon, that he swallowed all without chewing;
Be it as it will, notwithstanding the
offers the King made, to take off the Taxes,
to give all the Gold in the Treasury—Nay
Forsooth the half of his Kingdom, and his
fine golden Crown even from his Head,
for the Redemption of his Daughter—but
No Boddy would hearken to him, and the
rather, perhaps, that the Misfortune of the
delicate fair young Princess, was a great
Consolation to the other twelve Girls. Therefore
did he submit to the hard Law of the
Oracle Gribouligri without Exception of
Persons.

So the twelve Virgins, were all arrayed in
Mourning (as is the Fashion of Lybia) in
white Robes spotted with red. But the
Princess was decked with Magnificent and
Royal Habits. Well, the Hour being come,
when the Monster issued from his slimy
Lake, the Thirteen Victims after all their
Mournful Farewells, were led out of the
Gates and sent upon their sad fate. Now
the Courage of these Charming dainty young
Maids, was incomparable. And in Good
Sooth, I cannot help observing thus much by
the way:—in those days, to die for one's
Country, was the highest and Goodliest
pitch of Glory: but, as young Women folkes
do very seldom have a Taste for such
refined Pleasures, I will here maintain, that
there is Reason to admire the firmness
of Mind of these young Gentlewomen of
Lybia.

As they were walking upon the side of that