CURIOUS CREATURES. 307 



taine inchaunting verses doe tame Dragons, and rydeth 

 upon their neckes, as a man would ride upon a horse, 

 guiding and governing them with a bridle." 



And so widely spread was the belief that these fearful 

 animals could be brought into subjection, that Magnus 

 gives us an account " Of the Fight of King Harald 

 against a tame Dragon," but this one seems hardly as 

 docile as those previously instanced : " Haraldus the 

 most illustrious King of Norway, residing, in his youth, 

 with the King of Constantinople, and being condemned 



for man-slaughter, he was commanded to be cast to a 

 tame Dragon that should rend him in pieces. As he 

 went into the prison, one very faithfull servant he had, 

 offered himself freely to die with his Master. 



" The keeper of the Castle, curiously observing them 

 both, let them down at the mouth of the Den, being 

 unarmed, and well searched ; wherefore, when the ser- 

 vant was naked, he admitted Harald to be covered with 

 his shirt, for modesty's sake, who gave him a braslet 

 privily, and he scattered little fish on the pavement, that 



