Tradition: German Mythology
Alternative Names: Dragon of Nebra
Category: Dragon
The Myth
A terrible dragon lived in a cave near the spring below Nebra Castle, guarding the source of water that the besieged defenders desperately needed. During a siege, the enemy seized the spring outside the castle walls, leaving the defenders trapped inside without water. The heat and drought became unbearable, and with no rain in sight, the men began to despair.
Knowing that the spring was their only hope, a young noblewoman from the castle secretly slipped out during the night and made her way down to the spring at the foot of the castle hill. As she bent down to collect the precious water, a hideous dragon suddenly burst from a nearby cave and threatened to kill her.
Before the dragon could strike, however, Saint George rode in from the direction of Wendelstein with a company of armed men. The knight charged the enormous beast with his lance. He drove the sharp steel deep into the dragon’s poisonous throat and entrails, causing the creature to rear violently before collapsing dead upon the earth.
Saint George had not only rescued the young woman but also freed the castle’s defenders from their desperate situation. With the dragon dead, the spring was once again accessible, allowing the besieged soldiers to drink their fill and regain their strength.
The memory of the battle lives on in the coat of arms of Nebra, where Saint George is depicted fighting the dragon.
Sources
“St. Georg und der Drache.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus Deutschland (Sachsen-Anhalt). Reproduced by SAGEN.at.
https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/deutschland/sachsen_anhalt/georg_drache.html