But still the earth-born monster kept its hold, and was borne
upward, along with the creature of light and air. Bellerophon,
meanwhile, turning about, found himself face to face with the ugly
grimness of the Chimaera's visage, and could only avoid being scorched to
death, or bitten right in twain, by holding up his shield. Over the
upper edge of the shield, he looked sternly into the savage eyes of the
monster.
But the Chimaera was so mad and wild with pain that it did not guard
itself so well as might else have been the case. Perhaps, after all,
the best way to fight a Chimaera is by getting as close to it as you can.
In its efforts to stick its horrible iron claws into its enemy the
creature left its own breast quite exposed; and perceiving this,
Bellerophon thrust his sword up to the hilt into its cruel heart.
Immediately the snaky tail untied its knot. The monster let go its hold
of Pegasus, and fell from that vast height downward; while the fire
within its bosom, instead of being put out, burned fiercer than ever,
and quickly began to consume the dead carcass. Thus it fell out of the
sky, all a-flame, and (it being nightfall before it reached the earth)
was mistaken for a shooting star or a comet. But, at early sunrise, some
cottagers were going to their day's labour, and saw, to their
astonishment, that several acres of ground were strewn with black ashes.
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