World's Oldest Living Dragon by Kate McMullan Page B

shone their torches—wouldn’t you?
But found the cave quite bare.
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    â€œAlas! Alas!” cried Galahood.
“Alack-a-day!” cried West.
“Oh, piffle!” cried Sir Gob the Good,
“We’ve failed in our quest!”
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    And there and then, from deep inside
The cave, a voice did shout:
“You knights had better run and hide,
Before I sniff you out!”
    They turned as one to flee that cave,
But in its mouth they stuck.
Sir Percy spake: “We must be brave,
For we are out of luck.”
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    They felt the dragon’s steamy breath
Upon their armored backs.
Sir Gob, he spake: “Prepare for death!
And say your last ‘alacks’!”
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    Then small Sir Mikey wiggled free,
He turned to Grizzlegore.
He spake: “Vile dragon, hear our plea!
Or we shall be no more.”
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    The dragon turned his yellow eyes
Upon the helpless men.
“All right, I’ll close my eyes, you guys,
And count from one to ten.”
    Sir Percy and Sir Galahood,
Sirs West and Tristam, too,
Sir Dinadan, Sir Gob the Good,
They spake: “Oh, Grizzlegore, thank you!”
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    The dragon shut his yellow eyes.
The knights, they wriggled free.
“One! Two! Three!” the dragon cried.
The knights, how they did flee.
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    Sir Mikey spake: “So kind and bold
This dragon was this day.
Perhaps his heart is not so cold.
He let us get away!”
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    From deep inside his Gwaily cave,
The dragon smiled and flamed.
“Oh, come back soon, you armored knaves,
So we can play our games.”