THE DRAGON OF LOSHY HILL

(A folklore retold by BoSt)

The Dragon of Loshy Hill or Nunnington dragon is a legendary beast from the folklore of Yorkshire, England.

This dragon had a terrible temper and a voracious(rapacious) appetite for meat; resultantly, wherever he went, he waylaid death and devastation in his path. Unfortunately, non of the numerous brave warriors and knights in the kingdom that had set out to destroy this bane (curse), had ever succeeded or returned alive. For this terrible dragon was known for having a deadly tongue with a poisonous lethal outcome and teeth that were reputed to be equal to the size of pitchfork prongs.

Peter Loschy was a handsome young warrior with long blond hair, blue-grey eyes, and a stunning (splendid, striking) physique (build, form, body). On his eighteenth birthday, this adventurous, heroic warrior, breaking many (girl’s) damsel’s hearts, set out on a quest to rid the kingdom, once and for all, of this terrible scourge. 

At the time of his departure, Peter’s reverent grandfather, quietly pulled him aside and presented him with a rare, an heirloom gift, one his grandfather had inherited long time ago but had never used, as he was an intellectual, a scholarly sort. These legendary blades plus the heirloom sword held a special significance, as they had had both been secretly fashioned (crafted) by capable silversmiths, from the metal meteorite that had long ago fallen to Earth.

Peter Loschy was ecstatic and remained speechless, understanding the true value of this gesture.

Short time later, armed with this advantage (wearing the suit of armour that was studded with sharp blades (vanes, fins) and brandishing his sword, the very picture of a legendary hero, he bid his farewells to his kinfolk and galloped his horse into the distance.

Peter stanchly (resolutely) sought and valiantly confronted the dreaded dragon; after a deadly bout (turn), the dragon getting the upper hand, at one point coiled around Peter, intending to finish him off. The mighty dragon unfortunately, instead, was cut to pieces by the especially durable blades; these serious lacerations (tears, gashes) caused the dragon intense pain.

Despite the foe dragon’s rising ire and consequential powerful strikes, Peter with agility, moreover, dealt the dragon two strategic stabs (thrust), the Loschy’s sword blade penetrating that hard outer shell of the dragon, to reach major organs. But the Nunnington dragon had the power of regeneration; and so, he kept repairing and reconnecting the severed parts, to become whole again.

Varying his strategy, Peter this time hacked away at dragon’s tongue, until it was mostly gone, and the dragon had finally expired. Each instance (whilst) Peter’s faithful hound had carried the pieces of the tongue to a hill about a mile away, this prevented any chance of its (tongue’s) regeneration.

It is said that the hound was so happy to serve his master that after completing the task he licked his master's face. Alas this served as an ill-omen for both of them, with the poison taking hold.

Both (Peter and his hound) are said to be buried in Nunnington Church.

Fin