The smell as they approached the dragon's den was horrible. George and the princess put George's shield near the sleeping dragon's head to protect themselves from the dragon's fiery snores. They watched the grains of sand fall every second. Suddenly the dragon woke up. Now, Sabra thought, surely the dragon would find them before the sand finished running through the hourglass. The dragon stood up and rubbed his eyes. As soon as the last grain of sand ran through the hourglass, the dragon yawned a great fiery yawn. "Now George!" Sabra shouted. George threw the hourglass up into the dragon's mouth. It shattered on its tongue into a cloud of icy mist. Now our two heroes had made the beast furious. He looked down to see them. Both George and Sabra hid behind the shield. The dragon took a breath to blow fire at them. But, because of the hourglass, only cool ice and soft snow came from the dragon's mouth. It took another deep breath, but the hermit's magic had changed the dragon. His mouth shut tight with ice. He quickly jumped into the warm lake with a huge splash, for his whole body was beginning to freeze. George and Sabra had saved the kingdom. It was Sabra who was the second knight that the old hermit had spoken of. The two returned to the castle to cries of joy and triumph. The grateful people of Silene were no longer prisoners in their own kingdom. The king offered George all he had in thanks, but George didn't want any payment. "I have many more adventures left to face," George told the people. "They are my greatest reward." George shared the story of the dragon of Silene to everyone on his journey. And it is still told today as an example of bravery. That is how George, the brave knight from the land of the fairies, earned his sainthood.
