St. George and the Dragon
A dragon demands tribute and a princess. Saint George arrives, wounds the beast with his lance, and—after the princess’s girdle tames it—slays it, converting the town and becoming a knightly icon.
Story beats
- 1) A dragon poisons a city’s lake; to appease it, people feed sheep, then humans, then the king’s daughter.
- 2) George rides by, makes the sign of the cross, charges. He wounds the dragon with his lance (Ascalon).
- 3) The princess uses her girdle to leash the beast; led into town, it terrifies the populace.
- 4) George offers to kill it if the people convert. They agree; he slays the dragon. Tribute is used for churches and aid.
Context & symbolism
The legend mixes Christian hagiography with old dragon-slayer myths. Dragon = chaos/paganism/drought; George = faith and martial virtue. The girdle-leashing symbolizes humility and control over evil before destruction.
Iconography made George patron of knights and nations; Ascalon’s name endures in weapons lore.
Motifs
- Dragon terror and human tributes
- Lone knight vs monster
- Princess as stake and helper
- Faith empowering the strike
- Conversion-for-salvation bargain
Use it in play
- Rescue a sacrifice, wound a dragon, then decide mercy vs. slaying.
- Bind a beast with a humble token (girdle/rope) after wounding.
- Lance artifact Ascalon grants bonus vs. dragons.
- Religious/political conversion in exchange for monster-slaying aid.
Comparative threads
- Dragon slayers: Perseus/Andromeda parallels; Thor vs. Jörmungandr; Krishna vs. Kaliya.
- Beast taming before killing: Symbolic subjugation then execution.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- Bargain with a town: free them from a dragon in exchange for support or creed.
- Use a girdle/chain to leash a wounded monster for transport.
- A fake saint exploits dragon threats for power; expose them.