Long ago, just before dawn, a band of fairies flew toward the fields to collect the morning dew. Few ever saw the fairies, for they are careful to hide themselves from human beings. This particular morning the fairies were collecting dew in their small cups when they saw the giant dragon.

The dragon was preparing to attack a knight who stood before him. The fairies had no idea that this knight was the courageous St. Leonard.

The battle began. The dragon thrashed his spiked tail this way and that. The fairies silently cheered on the knight who fought with all his strength. They were astonished by his bravery and determination as the battle raged on.

Near dawn the fairies saw that the young knight was gravely wounded. The dragon reared up on his hind legs, ready for one last, deadly plunge.

The knight lifted his sword above his head. The light from the rising sun reflected off the sword, and the flash blinded the dragon for a moment 一 just long enough for St. Leonard to plunge his sword into the dragon's heart.

The fairies gasped aloud, for the dragon tumbled to the ground, dead.

The fairies realized the knight's wounds were grave. He had struck the fatal blow and collapsed, and now he lay still upon the damp earth.

The fairies tiptoed to the knight's side.

"He's breathing!" they said. "We must save him."

"Our cups," one of the fairies whispered. "Gather the cups!"

The fairies collected their tiny ivory cups, sped through the woods to the spring of life, and brought back water from the spring. Each fairy poured her cup into the knight's mouth.

"It worked," one fairy whispered, and the others smiled as they watched the color return to the knight's face, and his breathing return to normal.

"People are coming," one of the fairies suddenly whispered. The fairies flew away, forgetting their cups, which were hanging upon the blades of grass.

The cups turned into little white flowers now called lilies of the valley. Each year, the lilies bloom in memory of the quick-thinking fairies and the courageous knight.