Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/197

 SL George and the Dragon. 185

Fool. How far ?

Doctor. From the fireside, cupboard-head, Upstairs, and into bed.

Fool. What diseases canst thou cure ?

Doctor. All sorts : I can cure a dead man.

Fool. What's all sorts }

Doctor. The itch, the pitch, the palsy and the gout, The pains within and the pains without. And the pains that lie all round about. If a man has nineteen devils in his skull, I can cast twenty of them out. I have here in my pocket crutches for lame ducks, spectacles for blind humble-bees, pack-saddles and panniards for grasshoppers, and plasters for broken- backed mice. I cured Sir Harry of a nag-nail almost fifty-five yards long. Surely I can cure this poor iiian. Here, Jack, take a drop out of my bottle, And let it run down thy throttle ; Then, if thou be not quite slain, Rise up. Jack, and fight again.

Slasher [sitting up). Oh, my back !

Doctor. What's amiss with thy back }

Slasher. Oh, my back is wounded. My heart confounded : Oh, to be knocked out of seven senses into seven

score ; The like was never seen in Old England before. (Rising.) Oh hark, St. George, I hear the silver trumpet sound That summons us from off this gory ground. Farewell, St. George, I can no longer stay : [Pointing.) Down yonder is the way.

[Exit Bold Slasher.