PRINCE PRIGIO. 55

right through the flat body of the Remora, and
to chase him to his cleft in the rock. But the
Remora, hissing terribly, and visibly melting
away in places, yet held his ground; and the
prince could see his cold white folds climbing
slowly up the hoofs of the Firedrake—up and
up, till they reached his knees, and the great
burning beast roared like a hundred bulls with
the pain. Then up the Firedrake leaped, and
hovering on his fiery wings, he lighted in the
midst of the Remora’s back, and dashed into
it with his horns. But the flat, cruel head
writhed backwards, and, slowly bending over
on itself, the wounded Remora slid greedily to
fasten again on the limbs of the Firedrake.

Meanwhile, the prince, safe.on his hill, was
lunching on the loaf and the cold tongue he
had brought with him.

“Go it, Remora! Go it, Firedrake! you’re
gaining. Give it him, Remora!” he shouted
in the wildest excitement.

Nobody had ever seen such a battle; he had
it all to himself, and he never enjoyed anything
more. He hated the Remora so much, that he
almost wished the Firedrake could beat it; for
the Firedrake was the more natural beast of
the pair. Still, he was alarmed when he saw
that the vast flat body of the Remora was now
slowly coiling backwards, backwards, into the
cleft below the hill; while a thick wet mist
showed how cruelly it had suffered. But the