--- title: The Dragon's Teeth., part 4 — Tanglewood Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Dragon's Teeth., part 4, «Tanglewood Tales» by Nathaniel Hawthorne: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: "Yes, my friends," said he to them, "this is to be our home. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/13/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Tanglewood Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/) / The Dragon's Teeth., part 4 # The Dragon's Teeth., part 4 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/13/) **2** Well, this memorable battle continued to rage until the ground was strewn with helmeted heads that had been cut off.[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") Of all the thousands that began the fight, there were only five left standing.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") These now rushed from different parts of the field, and, meeting in the middle of it, clashed their swords, and struck at each other's hearts as fiercely as ever.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") "Cadmus," said the voice again, "bid those five warriors sheathe their swords.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") They will help you to build the city."[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") Without hesitating an instant, Cadmus stepped forward, with the aspect of a king and a leader, and extending his drawn sword amongst them, spoke to the warriors in a stern and commanding voice.[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") "Sheathe your weapons!" said he.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") And forthwith, feeling themselves bound to obey him, the five remaining sons of the dragon's teeth made him a military salute with their swords, returned them to the scabbards, and stood before Cadmus in a rank, eyeing him as soldiers eye their captain, while awaiting the word of command.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") These five men had probably sprung from the biggest of the dragon's teeth, and were the boldest and strongest of the whole army.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") They were almost giants indeed, and had good need to be so, else they never could have lived through so terrible a fight.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") They still had a very furious look, and, if Cadmus happened to glance aside, would glare at one another, with fire flashing out of their eyes.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") It was strange, too, to observe how the earth, out of which they had so lately grown, was incrusted, here and there, on their bright breastplates, and even, begrimed their faces; just as you may have seen it clinging to beets and carrots, when pulled out of their native soil.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") Cadmus hardly knew whether to consider them as men, or some odd kind of vegetable; although, on the whole, he concluded that there was human nature in them, because they were so fond of trumpets and weapons, and so ready to shed blood.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") They looked him earnestly in the face, waiting for his next order, and evidently desiring no other employment than to follow him from one battlefield to another, all over the wide world.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") But Cadmus was wiser than these earth-born creatures, with the dragon's fierceness in them, and knew better how to use their strength and hardihood.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") "Come!" said he. "[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") You are sturdy fellows.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") Make yourselves useful\![69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") Quarry some stones with those great swords of yours, and help me to build a city."[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") The five soldiers grumbled a little, and muttered that it was their business to overthrow cities, not to build them up.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") But Cadmus looked at them with a stern eye, and spoke to them in a tone of authority, so that they knew him for their master, and never again thought of disobeying his commands.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") They set to work in good earnest, and toiled so diligently, that, in a very short time, a city began to make its appearance.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") At first, to be sure, the workmen showed a quarrelsome disposition.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Like savage beasts, they would doubtless have done one another a mischief, if Cadmus had not kept watch over them, and quelled the fierce old serpent that lurked in their hearts, when he saw it gleaming out of their wild eyes.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") But, in course of time, they got accustomed to honest labor, and had sense enough to feel that there was more true enjoyment in living at peace, and doing good to one's neighbor, than in striking at him with a two-edged sword.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") It may not be too much to hope that the rest of mankind will by and by grow as wise and peaceable as these five earth-begrimed warriors, who sprang from the dragon's teeth.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") And now the city was built, and there was a home in it for each of the workmen.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") But the palace of Cadmus was not yet erected, because they had left it till the last, meaning to introduce all the new improvements of architecture, and make it very commodious, as well as stately and beautiful.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") After finishing the rest of their labors, they all went to bed betimes, in order to rise in the gray of the morning, and get at least the foundation of the edifice laid before nightfall.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") But, when Cadmus arose, and took his way towards the site where the palace was to be built, followed by his five sturdy workmen marching all in a row, what do you think he saw?[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") What should it be but the most magnificent palace that had ever been seen in the world.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") It was built of marble and other beautiful kinds of stone, and rose high into the air, with a splendid dome and a portico along the front, and carved pillars, and everything else that befitted the habitation of a mighty king.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") It had grown up out of the earth in almost as short a time as it had taken the armed host to spring from the dragon's teeth; and what made the matter more strange, no seed of this stately edifice ever had been planted.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") When the five workmen beheld the dome, with the morning sunshine making it look golden and glorious, they gave a great shout.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") "Long live King Cadmus," they cried, "in his beautiful palace."[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") And the new king, with his five faithful followers at his heels, shouldering their pickaxes and marching in a rank (for they still had a soldier-like sort of behavior, as their nature was), ascended the palace steps.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Halting at the entrance, they gazed through a long vista of lofty pillars, that were ranged from end to end of a great hall.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") At the farther extremity of this hall, approaching slowly towards him, Cadmus beheld a female figure, wonderfully beautiful, and adorned with a royal robe, and a crown of diamonds over her golden ringlets, and the richest necklace that ever a queen wore.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") His heart thrilled with delight.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") He fancied it his long-lost sister Europa, now grown to womanhood, coming to make him happy, and to repay him with her sweet sisterly affection, for all those weary wonderings in quest of her since he left King Agenor's palace--for the tears that he had shed, on parting with Phoenix, and Cilix, and Thasus--for the heart-breakings that had made the whole world seem dismal to him over his dear mother's grave.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/13/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/13/) - next →: [The Dragon's Teeth., part 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/14/) - ↑ back to [Tanglewood Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg976/)