But the dragon in the swale— ought I to tol- 

 erate him? No. There are moments when I 

 should be glad to kill him, yet I doubt if the 

 swale would be quite so wild and thrilling a 

 spot if I knew there was no dragon to meet me 

 as I crossed. But the redbirds, bluebirds, rab- 

 bits'? I see no shrinking in their numbers be- 

 cause of the snake. A few of them breed as 

 they always have along the swale. There are 

 worse enemies than the dragon, though he is 

 bad enough. 



[159] 



