> Tales of Old: Dragon Slayer
>  by Prince_Staghorn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Dragon Slayer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




This is meant in no way to criticize St. George or make fun of him! It is merely a pony-based telling/re-hashing of the legend.




She was the oldest member of the group, and had lost most of her teeth. However, she was still respected by all in her tribe.

"Gather around, children, and I will tell you a story," the elder said. "A story of two individuals, one who only wished the best for everyone, and one who was ruled by greed. This is the story of a princess, a her rescuer, and a monster. This is the story of a pony and a dragon..."


~~~


It had been one year since the new world had been discovered by Queen Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Level Head, and immigrants were still leaving with hopes of staking their claim on new soil.^ 

It was because of this that the country of Taurus was losing its equine population, already small enough in the bovine-dominated country, though the alchemists and minor royalties were choosing to stay, as were a few others.

Among these equine squatters were those in a minor kingdom called Hippadocia, which rested along a massive marsh, and in this marsh, there lived a Swamp Dragon^^ by the name of Bindle Featherstone, though he preferred to be called Errol by his close friends.

Errol was unusual for his kind. Despite his powerful build and gleaming green scales, Errol was unobtrusive, preferring to be left alone in his den. Far from being aggressive, like other swamp dragons, Errol was also a kind and gentle soul, helping small birds back into their nests if they fell out, leading travelers through the swamp so they would not become lost (and also eating will o' wisps for the same purpose), and even herding fish into the lake near the town so the ponies would never run out of food. He lived in an uneasy peace with the equines, who thought it best to leave him alone.

Now it happened that in that year, a plague devastated the crops and citizens of the kingdom, caused by plague-bearing parasprites from the swamp where Errol happened to dwell.

Nevertheless, the ponies of Hippadocia feared the dragon was the cause, fearing he had suddenly become angry, and sought to appease his nonexistent wrath by offering him two ovine slaves per day, as well as several chickens. The chickens were devoured, but Errol led the "doomed" sheep through the swamp, away from their equine masters who had simply decided they were disposable. These were the ancestors of the various sheep tribes that now roam the hills of Taurus, who still respect the swamp dragons of Taurus' marshes.

When the plague did not alleviate, the ponies decided to offer their foals, chosen by lottery, to the dragon. And it so happened that the first chosen was the King's daughter, a mare who was beautiful to look upon, but was vile and cruel at her core, having been spoiled her entire life by her doting parents.

The king offered all his bronze, his gold, and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared, but the ponies, loving their own children, refused.

The princess was a complete shrew anyway.

And so, after one week had passed, she was brought to the edge of the swamp where Errol lived, screaming and flailing, the string of curses towards the "inferior peasants" causing some of the nearby plant life to wilt and shrivel.

There she was tied to a stake and left to die.

And there was much rejoicing by the townsfolk.


***


Now, it so happened that a former member of Queen Platinum's court, an earth pony named Stout Lance, had chosen to not follow his leader, defecting from the Crown and setting out as a lance for hire. 

He had heard of the plague-bearing dragon of Hippadacia, and he sought to slay it in order to get the reward. His greed only increased when he heard the full extent of the reward had become greater- the king's bronze, gold, and half the kingdom.

He had heard other knights had taken the quest too, and so Lance allied with them... before running them through as they slept, in order to ensure only he would get the reward. He left the bodies where they lay, to be eaten by scavengers.

And so it came that he eventually found the princess tied to a stake, screaming at the dragon in front of her, who was attempting to untie the knots in the rope. Her screaming was scaring the fishes away, and Errol wanted her gone.

Seeing an opportunity to ambush the reptile, Lance charged the dragon, running him through the back, rather than face him in a fair fight, spattering the ground red with blood and viscera. Errol fell to the ground, mouth and eyes wide in shock.


~~~


"...And so Errol died, and Lance was hailed as a hero," the old dragon continued. "He was given the reward, as well as the princess. However, this only brought him misery, as his newfound wife had learned nothing after being so willingly given up by her subjects, and soon they all left, leaving the king, the princess, and Lance ruling nothing beyond a deserted kingdom."

"Of course, this did not last long, for news spread quickly of the pony who had killed a dragon, and retribution was taken. The kingdom of Hippodacia had taken months to build, but only one night to burn to ashes."

"Listen well, piplings," she cautioned. "Ponies claim us to be greedy, but we only collect hoards because we need them. Our fire and flight depend on them. Ponies collect them for no reason other than wealth. You must never immediately trust them."

The crèche of swamp dragon piplings nodded, then scampered off. The elder sighed. Such lessons would need to be ingrained in their minds many times over as they grew, but she was done for the night. Curling up between the spacious roots of a tree, she slept