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 XXXXX the shoes of swiftness he was at his castle , where he threw down his burden , and nearly fainted with excitement and fatigue .
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