Saint George and Ella

We read Saint George and the Dragon before the girls' nap today. Certain that the story would arouse fear in both Ella and Virginia, I suggested other, more soothing bedtime stories.  But Ella insisted that the story would not scare them, that she had to hear it before she could fall asleep.  And so we read.  This was not our first time to read about this valiant and daring knight, and I assumed that at last the girls had come to admire his courage.  Even if they'd only wanted to hear again about the beautiful princess whose kingdom he saves, I would have considered that progress.  Midway through the story, however, I sensed a kinship between Ella and the dragon and began to fear that it was he after whom she modeled her behavior.  

. . . the dragon reared up like a hundred raging lions.  His long, stinging tail threw down high trees and tore rocks to pieces . . . Heart cannot think what outrage and what cries, with black smoke and flashing fire, the beast threw forth, turning the whole world to darkness.  Gathering himself up, wild for revenge, he fiercely fell upon the sunbright shield and gripped it fast with his paws.

Perhaps I read too much into the sinister smile on Ella's face.  Perhaps the "hundred raging lions" were my own hormones, which I've projected onto her.  Nonetheless, Ella has again let loose her beast, and I can hear her overhead, stomping about, daring me to again discipline her.   She just woke up Jude, again.  God, please give me strength.