[Around the Web] The Dragon-Slayer

Dragon-slaying level: in before Skyrim

I've almost forgotten about this. But thanks to reknowned author and poet Paulo Coelho, for highlighting this famous saint of all time. Join me as we continue the tale after the break.

So who's this guy decked out in bling and trampling some large house lizard? That's Saint George, one of the famous, if not THE famous military saints of all time. Once a former soldier turned Christian, he was martyred because of it. And yeah, being a martyr during the height of pre-Christian Roman Empire equaled torture and death (if you want to know more, read here).

So where does this guy and the dragon fit in? Well, according to a legend (which I am going to summarize as best I can), there was this town that was being terrorized by a dragon. So the villagers decided to appease the dragon by giving sheep for dinner, and when their food supply ran out, they then proceeded to just do a spin-a-bottle as to which kid is going to be sacrificed. Typical adults.

And it went on like that, and when the hand of fate suddenly pointed at the king's daughter to be the next happy meal for the giant lizard, the king went all-out bribing everyone with treasures just as not his daughter be on the chopping block. When none of that happened, it was no choice but to send the hapless girl near the lake where the dragon resided.

I've heard of blind dates, but THIS is ridiculous.

Coincidentally on that day, Saint George was passing by the town and met the girl near the lake. Suddenly the dragon appears, and ol' George did his chivalry thing. Man and beast clashed, until the knight-in-shining-armor got the upper hand, and with his legendary weapon Ascalon (it was either a spear or a sword), slew the giant lizard. The town is saved, the knight gets the girl, and we have a happy-ending story.

Dragon BBQ-on-a-stick: coming at your nearest KFC.

So what other things make Saint George special? Well, he's a military saint, patron saint of England, the source of inspiration of the Knights Templar (the shield design was a dead-obvious giveaway), patron saint of the protagonist in the Gabriel Knight series, and like senor Paulo Coelho said, the patron saint of writers all over the world.

So to you Saint George, belated happy birthday. Cheers!