the desolate moor that extends to the Coast of
Shadows, and you will take care that no man of the Penguins remains less
than five hundred paces from those rocks so that he may not be poisoned
by the monster's breath. And the dragon will come out of the rocks and I
will put my girdle round his neck and lead him like an obedient dog."

"Ought you not to be accompanied by a courageous and pious man who will
kill the dragon?" asked Mael.

"It will be as thou sayest, venerable father. I shall deliver the
monster to Kraken, who will stay him with his flashing sword. For I tell
thee that the noble Kraken, who was believed to be dead, will return
among the Penguins and he shall slay the dragon. And from the creature's
belly will come forth the little children whom he has devoured."

"What you declare to me, O virgin," cried the apostle, "seems wonderful
and beyond human power."

"It is," answered the virgin Orberosia. "But learn, O Mael, that I have
had a revelation that as a reward for their deliverance, the Penguin
people will pay to the knight Kraken an annual tribute of three hundred
fowls, twelve sheep, two oxen, three pigs, one thousand eight hundred
bushels of corn, and vegetables according to their season; and that,
moreover, the children who will come out of the dragon's belly will be
given and committed to the said Kraken to serve him and obey him in
all things. If the Penguin people fail to keep their engagements a new
dragon will come upon the island more terrible than the first. I have
spoken."

XIII. THE DRAGON OF ALCA (Continuation and End)

The people of the Penguins were assembled by Mael and they spent the
night on the Coast of Shadows within the bounds which the holy man had
prescribed in order that none among the Penguins should be poisoned by
the monster's breath.

The veil of night still covered the earth when, preceded by a hoarse
bellowing, the dragon showed his indistinct and monstrous form upon
the rocky coast. He crawled like a serpent and his writhing body seemed
about fifteen feet long. At his appearance the crowd drew back in
terror. But soon all eyes were turned towards the Virgin Orberosia,
who, in the first light of the dawn, clothed in white, advanced over the
purple heather. With an intrepid though modest gait she walked towards
the beast, who, uttering awful bellowings, opened his flaming throat. An
immense cry of terror and pity arose from the midst of the Penguins. But
the vi