deven367/babylm-100M-cbt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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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 Firedrake , too , was in an unhappy way ; for his legs were now cold and black , his horns were black also , though his body , especially near the heart , glowed still like red-hot iron .
`` Go it , Remora ! ''
cried the prince : `` his legs are giving way ; he 's groggy on his pins !
One more effort , and he wo n't be able to move ! ''
Encouraged by this advice , the white , slippery Remora streamed out of his cavern again , more and more of him uncoiling , as if the mountain were quite full of him .
He had lost strength , no doubt : for the steam and mist went up from him in clouds , and the hissing of his angry voice grew fainter ; but so did the roars of the Firedrake .
Presently they sounded more like groans ; and at last the Remora slipped up his legs above the knees , and fastened on his very heart of fire .
Then the Firedrake stood groaning like a black bull , knee-deep in snow ; and still the Remora climbed and climbed .
`` Go it now , Firedrake ! ''
shouted the prince ; for he knew that if the Remora won , it would be too cold for him to draw near the place , and cut off the Firedrake 's head and tail .
`` Go it , Drake !
he 's slackening ! ''
cried the prince again ; and the brave Firedrake made one last furious effort , and rising on his wings , dropped just on the spine of his enemy .
The wounded Remora curled back his head again on himself , and again crawled , steaming terribly , towards his enemy .
But the struggle was too much for the gallant Remora .
The flat , cruel head moved slower ; the steam from his thousand wounds grew fiercer ; and he gently breathed his last just as the Firedrake , too , fell over and lay exhausted .
With one final roar , like the breath of a thousand furnaces , the Firedrake expired .
The prince , watching from the hill-top , could scarcely believe that these two awful scourges of Nature , which had so long devastated his country , were actually dead .
But when he had looked on for half-an-hour , and only a river ran where the Remora had been , while the body of the Firedrake lay stark and cold , he hurried to the spot .
Drawing the sword of sharpness , he hacked off , at two blows , the iron head and the tail of the Firedrake .
They were a weary weight to carry ; but in a few strides of the shoes of swiftness he was at his castle , where he threw down his burden , and nearly fainted with excitement and fatigue .
-LCB- The Prince in front of the Firedrake : p78.jpg -RCB- But the castle clock struck half-past seven ; dinner was at eight , and the poor prince crawled on hands and knees to the garret .
Here he put on the wishing-cap ; wished for a pint of champagne , a hot bath , and his best black velvet and diamond suit .
In a moment these were provided ; he bathed , dressed , drank a glass of wine , packed up the head and tail of the Firedrake , sat down on the flying carpet , and knocked at the door of the English ambassador as the clocks were striking eight in Gluckstein .
Punctuality is the politeness of princes !
and a prince is polite , when he is in love !
The prince was received at the door by a stout porter and led into the hall , where several butlers met him , and he laid the mortal remains of the Firedrake under the cover of the flying carpet .
Then he was led upstairs ; and he made his bow to the pretty lady , who , of course , made him a magnificent courtesy .
She seemed prettier and kinder than ever .
The prince was so happy , that he never noticed how something went wrong about the dinner .
The ambassador looked about , and seemed to miss someone , and spoke in a low voice to one of the servants , who answered also in a low voice , and what he said seemed to displease the ambassador .
But the prince was so busy in talking to his lady , and in eating his dinner too , that he never observed anything unusual .
He had never been at such a pleasant dinner !
CHAPTER XII .
A Terrible Misfortune .
When the ladies left , and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone , the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever .
At last he took the prince into a corner , on pretence of showing him a rare statue .
`` Does your royal highness not know , '' he asked , `` that you are in considerable danger ? ''
`` Still ? ''
said the prince , thinking of the Firedrake .
The ambassador did not know what he meant , for he had never heard of the fight , but he answered gravely : `` Never more than now . ''
Then he showed the prince two proclamations , which had been posted all about the town .
-LCB- The ambassador showing the Prince the proclamation : p82.jpg -RCB- Here is the first : TO ALL LOYAL SUBJECTS .
Whereas , Our eldest son , Prince Prigio , hath of late been guilty of several high crimes and misdemeanours .
First : By abandoning the post of danger against the Firedrake , whereby our beloved sons , Prince Alphonso and Prince Enrico , have perished , and been overdone by that monster .
Secondly : By attending an unseemly revel in the town of Gluckstein , where he brawled in the streets .
Thirdly : By trying to seduce away the hearts of our loyal subjects in that city , and to blow up a party against our crown and our peace .
This is to give warning , That whoever consorts with , comforts , aids , or abets the said Prince Prigio , is thereby a partner in his treason ; and That a reward of FIVE THOUSAND PURSES will be given to whomsoever brings the said prince , alive , to our Castle of Falkenstein .
GROGNIO R. And here is the second proclamation : REWARD .
THE FIREDRAKE .
Whereas , Our dominions have lately been devastated by a Firedrake -LRB- the Salamander Furiosus of Buffon -RRB- ; This is to advise all , That whosoever brings the horns and tail of the said Firedrake to our Castle of Falkenstein , shall receive FIVE THOUSAND PURSES , the position of Crown Prince , with the usual perquisites , and the hand of the king 's niece , the Lady Molinda .
GROGNIO R. `` H 'm , '' said the prince ; `` I did not think his majesty wrote so well ; '' and he would have liked to say , `` Do n't you think we might join the ladies . ''
`` But , sir , '' said the ambassador , `` the streets are lined with soldiers ; and I know not how you have escaped them .
Here , under my roof , you are safe for the moment ; but a prolonged stay -- excuse my inhospitality -- could not but strain the harmonious relations which prevail between the Government of Pantouflia and that which I have the honour to represent . ''
`` We do n't want to fight ; and no more , I think , do you , '' said the prince , smiling .
`` Then how does your royal highness mean to treat the proclamations ? ''
`` Why , by winning these ten thousand purses .
I can tell you 1,000,000 pounds is worth having , '' said the prince .
`` I 'll deliver up the said prince , alive , at Falkenstein this very night ; also the horns and tail of the said Firedrake .
But I do n't want to marry my Cousin Molly . ''
`` May I remind your royal highness that Falkenstein is three hundred miles away ?
Moreover , my head butler , Benson , disappeared from the house before dinner , and I fear he went to warn Captain Kopzoffski that you are here ! ''
`` That is nothing , '' said the prince ; `` but , my dear Lord Kelso , may I not have the pleasure of presenting Lady Rosalind with a little gift , a Philippine which I lost to her last night , merely the head and tail of a Firedrake which I stalked this morning ? ''
The ambassador was so astonished that he ran straight upstairs , forgetting his manners , and crying : `` Linda !
Linda !
come down at once ; here 's a surprise for you ! ''
Lady Rosalind came sweeping down , with a smile on her kind face .
She guessed what it was , though the prince had said nothing about it at dinner .
`` Lead the way , your royal highness ! ''
cried the ambassador ; and the prince , offering Lady Rosalind his arm , went out into the hall , where he saw neither his carpet nor the horns and tail of the Firedrake !
He turned quite pale , and said : `` Will you kindly ask the servants where the little Persian prayer-rug and the parcel which I brought with me have been placed ? ''
Lord Kelso rang the bell , and in came all the servants , with William , the under-butler , at their head .
`` William , '' said his lordship , `` where have you put his royal highness 's parcel and his carpet ? ''
`` Please , your lordship , '' said William , `` we think Benson have took them away with him . ''
`` And where is Benson ? ''
`` We do n't know , your lordship .
We think he have been come for ! ''
`` Come for -- by whom ? ''
William stammered , and seemed at a loss for a reply .
`` Quick !
answer !
what do you know about it ? ''
William said at last , rather as if he were making a speech .
`` Your royaliness , and my lords and ladies , it was like this .
His royaliness comed in with a rug over his arm , and summat under it .
And he lays it down on that there seat , and Thomas shows him into the droring - room .
Then Benson says : ` Dinner 'll be ready in five minutes ; how tired I do feel ! '
Then he takes the libbuty of sitting hisself down on his royaliness 's rug , and he says , asking your pardon , ` I 've had about enough of service here .

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 Firedrake , too , was in an unhappy way ; for his legs were now cold and black , his horns were black also , though his body , especially near the heart , glowed still like red-hot iron .

`` Go it , Remora ! ''

cried the prince : `` his legs are giving way ; he 's groggy on his pins !

One more effort , and he wo n't be able to move ! ''

Encouraged by this advice , the white , slippery Remora streamed out of his cavern again , more and more of him uncoiling , as if the mountain were quite full of him .

He had lost strength , no doubt : for the steam and mist went up from him in clouds , and the hissing of his angry voice grew fainter ; but so did the roars of the Firedrake .

Presently they sounded more like groans ; and at last the Remora slipped up his legs above the knees , and fastened on his very heart of fire .

Then the Firedrake stood groaning like a black bull , knee-deep in snow ; and still the Remora climbed and climbed .

`` Go it now , Firedrake ! ''

shouted the prince ; for he knew that if the Remora won , it would be too cold for him to draw near the place , and cut off the Firedrake 's head and tail .

`` Go it , Drake !

he 's slackening ! ''

cried the prince again ; and the brave Firedrake made one last furious effort , and rising on his wings , dropped just on the spine of his enemy .

The wounded Remora curled back his head again on himself , and again crawled , steaming terribly , towards his enemy .

But the struggle was too much for the gallant Remora .

The flat , cruel head moved slower ; the steam from his thousand wounds grew fiercer ; and he gently breathed his last just as the Firedrake , too , fell over and lay exhausted .

With one final roar , like the breath of a thousand furnaces , the Firedrake expired .

The prince , watching from the hill-top , could scarcely believe that these two awful scourges of Nature , which had so long devastated his country , were actually dead .

But when he had looked on for half-an-hour , and only a river ran where the Remora had been , while the body of the Firedrake lay stark and cold , he hurried to the spot .

Drawing the sword of sharpness , he hacked off , at two blows , the iron head and the tail of the Firedrake .

They were a weary weight to carry ; but in a few strides of the shoes of swiftness he was at his castle , where he threw down his burden , and nearly fainted with excitement and fatigue .

-LCB- The Prince in front of the Firedrake : p78.jpg -RCB- But the castle clock struck half-past seven ; dinner was at eight , and the poor prince crawled on hands and knees to the garret .

Here he put on the wishing-cap ; wished for a pint of champagne , a hot bath , and his best black velvet and diamond suit .

In a moment these were provided ; he bathed , dressed , drank a glass of wine , packed up the head and tail of the Firedrake , sat down on the flying carpet , and knocked at the door of the English ambassador as the clocks were striking eight in Gluckstein .

Punctuality is the politeness of princes !

and a prince is polite , when he is in love !

The prince was received at the door by a stout porter and led into the hall , where several butlers met him , and he laid the mortal remains of the Firedrake under the cover of the flying carpet .

Then he was led upstairs ; and he made his bow to the pretty lady , who , of course , made him a magnificent courtesy .

She seemed prettier and kinder than ever .

The prince was so happy , that he never noticed how something went wrong about the dinner .

The ambassador looked about , and seemed to miss someone , and spoke in a low voice to one of the servants , who answered also in a low voice , and what he said seemed to displease the ambassador .

But the prince was so busy in talking to his lady , and in eating his dinner too , that he never observed anything unusual .

He had never been at such a pleasant dinner !

CHAPTER XII .

A Terrible Misfortune .

When the ladies left , and the prince and the other gentlemen were alone , the ambassador appeared more gloomy than ever .

At last he took the prince into a corner , on pretence of showing him a rare statue .

`` Does your royal highness not know , '' he asked , `` that you are in considerable danger ? ''

`` Still ? ''

said the prince , thinking of the Firedrake .

The ambassador did not know what he meant , for he had never heard of the fight , but he answered gravely : `` Never more than now . ''

Then he showed the prince two proclamations , which had been posted all about the town .

-LCB- The ambassador showing the Prince the proclamation : p82.jpg -RCB- Here is the first : TO ALL LOYAL SUBJECTS .

Whereas , Our eldest son , Prince Prigio , hath of late been guilty of several high crimes and misdemeanours .

First : By abandoning the post of danger against the Firedrake , whereby our beloved sons , Prince Alphonso and Prince Enrico , have perished , and been overdone by that monster .

Secondly : By attending an unseemly revel in the town of Gluckstein , where he brawled in the streets .

Thirdly : By trying to seduce away the hearts of our loyal subjects in that city , and to blow up a party against our crown and our peace .

This is to give warning , That whoever consorts with , comforts , aids , or abets the said Prince Prigio , is thereby a partner in his treason ; and That a reward of FIVE THOUSAND PURSES will be given to whomsoever brings the said prince , alive , to our Castle of Falkenstein .

GROGNIO R. And here is the second proclamation : REWARD .

THE FIREDRAKE .

Whereas , Our dominions have lately been devastated by a Firedrake -LRB- the Salamander Furiosus of Buffon -RRB- ; This is to advise all , That whosoever brings the horns and tail of the said Firedrake to our Castle of Falkenstein , shall receive FIVE THOUSAND PURSES , the position of Crown Prince , with the usual perquisites , and the hand of the king 's niece , the Lady Molinda .

GROGNIO R. `` H 'm , '' said the prince ; `` I did not think his majesty wrote so well ; '' and he would have liked to say , `` Do n't you think we might join the ladies . ''

`` But , sir , '' said the ambassador , `` the streets are lined with soldiers ; and I know not how you have escaped them .

Here , under my roof , you are safe for the moment ; but a prolonged stay -- excuse my inhospitality -- could not but strain the harmonious relations which prevail between the Government of Pantouflia and that which I have the honour to represent . ''

`` We do n't want to fight ; and no more , I think , do you , '' said the prince , smiling .

`` Then how does your royal highness mean to treat the proclamations ? ''

`` Why , by winning these ten thousand purses .

I can tell you 1,000,000 pounds is worth having , '' said the prince .

`` I 'll deliver up the said prince , alive , at Falkenstein this very night ; also the horns and tail of the said Firedrake .

But I do n't want to marry my Cousin Molly . ''

`` May I remind your royal highness that Falkenstein is three hundred miles away ?

Moreover , my head butler , Benson , disappeared from the house before dinner , and I fear he went to warn Captain Kopzoffski that you are here ! ''

`` That is nothing , '' said the prince ; `` but , my dear Lord Kelso , may I not have the pleasure of presenting Lady Rosalind with a little gift , a Philippine which I lost to her last night , merely the head and tail of a Firedrake which I stalked this morning ? ''

The ambassador was so astonished that he ran straight upstairs , forgetting his manners , and crying : `` Linda !

Linda !

come down at once ; here 's a surprise for you ! ''

Lady Rosalind came sweeping down , with a smile on her kind face .

She guessed what it was , though the prince had said nothing about it at dinner .

`` Lead the way , your royal highness ! ''

cried the ambassador ; and the prince , offering Lady Rosalind his arm , went out into the hall , where he saw neither his carpet nor the horns and tail of the Firedrake !

He turned quite pale , and said : `` Will you kindly ask the servants where the little Persian prayer-rug and the parcel which I brought with me have been placed ? ''

Lord Kelso rang the bell , and in came all the servants , with William , the under-butler , at their head .

`` William , '' said his lordship , `` where have you put his royal highness 's parcel and his carpet ? ''

`` Please , your lordship , '' said William , `` we think Benson have took them away with him . ''

`` And where is Benson ? ''

`` We do n't know , your lordship .

We think he have been come for ! ''

`` Come for -- by whom ? ''

William stammered , and seemed at a loss for a reply .

`` Quick !

answer !

what do you know about it ? ''

William said at last , rather as if he were making a speech .

`` Your royaliness , and my lords and ladies , it was like this .

His royaliness comed in with a rug over his arm , and summat under it .

And he lays it down on that there seat , and Thomas shows him into the droring - room .

Then Benson says : ` Dinner 'll be ready in five minutes ; how tired I do feel ! '

Then he takes the libbuty of sitting hisself down on his royaliness 's rug , and he says , asking your pardon , ` I 've had about enough of service here .