Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/232

220 other in the valley, which mutually opened their mouths and drew in the air. As he looked, a youth on horseback, ignorant of the danger, wished to pass that way: suddenly he fell from his horse and died incontinently. Socrates went without delay to the king, and declared what he had seen. The dragons were afterwards taken by a specially cunning trick, and instantly slain. Thus the path over these mountains became safe and easy both to horsemen and footmen.

My beloved, the mountains are the noble and powerful of the world; the dragons are pride and luxury. The glass is our Saviour Christ, and the edifice a good life. The young man who perished, is a man killed by vanity. Socrates is a good prelate.