The Beast The smoky acrid air, The hot slimy walls, The metallic glint, Shining off of many a precious object. The Beast was content, Laying upon a mound of treasure, Taking pleasure in it's hoard, Rumbling in it's sleep, dreaming of past battles. But something disturbed, The giant beast's slumber, A sound, maybe a sixth sense, And the Beast slowly began to rouse it's self. Soon a measured step was heard, Coming from one of the many passages, That emptied into the Beast's lair, With the arches and domed ceiling echoing the clank of steel. The knight, in his shiny armor, Walked cautiously but boldly, Into the Beasts presence, And took a defensive stance, and hailed the Beast. The Beast did not stir, It's lidless eyes did not move, It's breathing did not change, But it was aware of the challenge and was amused. The knight, perhaps emboldened, By the Beasts unresponsiveness, Took several strides nearer, And then hailed the Beast again, watching carefully. The Beast did not stir, Not a single corded muscle flexed, No sound came forth from it's depths, But it was aware and it waited, biding it's time. Finally, the knight, feeling courageous, Strode up to the Beasts scaly head, And, in a giant arcing swing of his sword, Struck the Beast upon the head, driving the point for a kill. But the sword bounced, the scales held, And the knight staggered back, With his hands and arms numbed, And with an incredulous look at the warped and cracked blade. Now the Beast slowly turned it's head, And the eyes focused and narrowed, Upon the hapless knight that, In striving for glory, had disturbed it's slumber. The knight fell to his knees, And begged the Beast for mercy, But the Beast had no such scruples, And in a stretching motion, caught the knight in it's mouth. The Beast then lay back, Shifting it's bulk into, A slightly more comfortable position, And with a last thought of human impudence, slipped into sleep. The only memory of the perished knight, Was the cracked sword laying in the glow, Adding it's own glitter to the pile, That the Beast lay upon, and through the centuries, it was undisturbed.