Dragon (Maplet)

This is the entry for Dragon in Maplet's A Greene Forest

Of the Dragon

The Dragon is the heade and chiefest of all other Serpents, and flieth from his Den or Cave in the earth his hollownesse up to the top of the brode ayre, and of Dragon in Greeke, is englished flight. Plinie sait, that betweene the Dragon and the Elephant there is a naturall warre. Insomuch that the Dragon enrowleth and twineth abouth the Elephant with his taile, and the Elephant againe with his Snoute used as his hande, supplanteth and & beateth downe the Dragon: The Dragon with twining around him holdeth fast, and with his might somewhat bendeth backwarde the head and shoulders of the Elephant, which being so sore grieved with such waight, falleth downe to the ground, and in the fal the Dragon hath the worse, for that he falleth to the ground first, and is therewithall slaine: but that other scapeth not scotfree, for with one anothers holde and rushing to the ground the Elephant also broused, and often withall slaine. Againe they strive togither after this sort. The Elephant espying him sitting on the loft of a tree, runneth as fast as he can with full but to that tree, hoping thereby to shake down that Dragon, and to give him a deadly fall: but in that he doth not after the wysest sort for him selfe. For the Dragon so falling, oftentimes lighteth on his necke or shoulders, and agrieveth him as with bytting at his Nostrelles, and pecking at his eies and sometime he dazeleth him and goeth behind his back and sucketh out his bloud, so that if he shaketh him not off betimes by such wasting of bloud as he will make, thereby he is quickly enfeebled: he falleth downe heavily with Dragon also holding about him, and are killed both with so heavie and burdenous a fall.