Sir George goes home part 3

George told her his story, how he had accidentally come through a disused gate from the other world just as Abigail closed it for ever and as a result had found himself in Spain. Then his meeting with the circus and the long journey North, playing his dragon-killing role at every large town on the way until, at last, he had crossed the channel to Dover.

"Now that I have found you, can you truly show me the way to return to my home world?"

"I hope so," said Jennifer Jane, "I think I'll have to meet you in the wood near my home and use a wish to get you back."

She gave him the name of the village where she lived and as best as she could, directions on finding both the wood and the clearing in it where wishes could be heard.

"I will leave after tonight's performance," said Sir George, "my noble steed and I will be eternally grateful to be returned to our proper home."

"Half of us won't," grumbled the horse, but as always George couldn't understand and just patted him on the muzzle.

Just then her father came over.

"Are you the Father of the young ... er Jennifer Jane?" asked George.

Dave nodded.

"May I present you with these free tickets for tonight's show, which I think you will find of greater interest than this afternoon's display. It has been a great pleasure and privilege Sir to make the acquaintance of your fine young daughter."

George turned and started to groom his horse. Jennifer Jane and her Dad walked back to the car park where Mary was waiting.

"We've just met the knight," said Dave. "Strange fellow, seems to be ever so pleased to have met young Jennifer Jane and gave us some free tickets for some sort of special act he's going to do tonight."

That evening the audience was much larger than it had been in the afternoon, but the acts themselves weren't any better. There was quite a lot of noise from the crowd.

"Call him a clown? I've seen better on children’s T.V."

"And now, Alfredo's Amazing Circus are proud to present the ferocious, flame throwing, monster dragon in a fight to the death with the mighty knight Sir George, defender of the weak and destroyer of evil."

The pantomime dragon trotted on and chased the clowns round the ring.

"That dragon looks more like Claribelle the cow," shouted one of the audience and every one roared with laughter.

Abruptly all the noise stopped as if at a given signal. The only sound came from the dragon who was still running miserably after the clowns. Then as dragon and clowns turned towards the ring entrance, they too stood still in amazement. Even the Great Alfredo couldn't find anything to say!

Framed in the tent doorway was the massive figure of a knight on horseback in full armour. The plume in his helmet nodding slightly in the breeze from outside the tent. The red cross on his shield was gleaming under the ring lights.

"Death to all dragons!" cried Sir George and raising his hand, he snapped shut the visor of his helmet with a clang that rang loudly in the silence. The ring of tempered steel as he drew his sword brought a gasp from the audience. This was no fake woollen chain mail and slapstick wooden sword, but the real thing and everyone in the tent knew it. He trotted forward and began the ritual chase of the dragon.

For once the horse wasn't bemoaning his fate.

"This may be daft, but if we're leaving, we're certainly leaving in style," he neighed proudly.

The dragon ran round the ring far more quickly than usual. "Come off it George, what's got into you? That thing looks dangerous."

"Die foul beast!" shouted Sir George, his voice slightly muffled inside his helmet, and raising his sword struck the dragon's head from the body with one blow.

The dragon screamed in fright, and the two men inside ran off in different directions. The clowns had already run away and the Great Alfredo was left in the middle of the ring with a tent full of screaming people scrambling over the bench seats, fighting each other to get out as quickly as they could.

Sir George continued to trot round the ring, the panic-stricken crowd parting to avoid him as he approached. He came to a stop just in front of Jennifer Jane and raised his visor.

"That was a bit more like it," he grinned and raising his sword in salute he turned and trotted out of the tent into the night.

"Well, that was certainly something special, just as he promised," said Mary, "but it's strange how he seems to know young Jennifer.

Jennifer Jane's parents looked at her questioningly.

"Perhaps the ring master told him about Dad's knowledge of dragons," suggested Jennifer Jane.

"I suppose that could be it," said Dave rather pleased with himself. "Oh well, I don't suppose we'll ever see him again."

But he was wrong!