Page:The red book of animal stories.djvu/53

 men, as we have already seen. De Gozon hurled his spear at the beast, but the shaft shivered into a hundred pieces against the hard scales, so that, thus early, in the fight, he lost the use of one of his best weapons. But the dogs now made a diversion in his favour, for by worrying the monster on this side and on that, they so engaged its attention that the Knight had time to dis-



DE GOZON AND HIS DOGS FIGHT THE DRAGON

mount, and make ready with sword and shield for a combat on foot. Bearing itself up on its hind legs, the dragon endeavoured, as a bear will do, to hug its enemy to death, but it now exposed the under surface of its neck (which was comparatively unprotected by scales) to the attack of De Gozon. In an instant he thrust his sword into its throat; a deluge of blood gushed out; the monster tottered, and fell; but in its fall crushed to the