3 o8 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



the Dragon might first stay his hunger on them, and that 

 the guilty persons that are shut up in the dark prison, 

 might have a little light by the shining of the Fins 

 and Scales. Then Haraldus picking up the bones of a 

 Carkeis, stopt them into the linen he had, and bound 

 them fast together like a Club. And. when the Dragon 

 was let forth, and rushed greedily on his prey cast to 

 him, he lept quickly on his back, and he thrust a 

 Barber's razor in at his navill, that would only be 

 pierced by iron, which, as luck was, he brought with 

 him, and kept it concealed by him : this cold Serpent 

 that had most hard scales all over, disdained to be entred 

 in any other part of his body. But Haraldus sitting so 

 high above him, could neither be bitten by his mouth, or 

 hurt by his sharp teeth ; or broken with the turnings of 

 his tayle. And his servant using the weapons, or bones 

 put together, beat the Dragon's head till he bled, and died 

 thereof by his many weighty strokes. When the King 

 knew this, he freely changed his revenge, into his service, 

 and pardoned these valiant persons, and furnishing them 

 with a Ship and Monies, he gave them leave to depart." 

 The natural instinct of Dragons was undoubtedly 

 vicious, and they must have been most undesirable 

 neighbours, tcste the following story quoted by Topsell 

 from Stumpsius : " When the Region of Helvetia be- 

 ganne first to be purged from noysome beasts, there was 

 a horrible dragon found neere a Country towne called 

 IVilser, who did destroy all men and beastes, that came 

 within his danger in the time of his hunger, inasmuch 

 that that towne and the fields therto adjoyning, was called 

 Dcdwiler, that is, a Village of the Wildernes, for all the 

 people and inhabitants had forsaken the same, and fledde 

 to other places. 



