When they were introduced into the cloister they filled it with their sobs and groans.

Moved by their lamentations, old Mael left the room in which he devoted himself to the study of astronomy and the meditation of the Scriptures, and went down to them, leaning on his pastoral staff.

At his approach, the Elders, prostrating themselves, held out to him green branches of trees and some of them burnt aromatic herbs.
And the holy man, seating himself beside the cloistral fountain under an ancient fig-tree, uttered these words: "O my sons, offspring of the Penguins, why do you weep and groan?
Why do you hold out those suppliant boughs towards me?
Why do you raise towards heaven the smoke of those herbs?
What calamity do you expect that I can avert from your heads?
Why do you beseech me?
I am ready to give my life for you.

Only tell your father what it is you hope from him." To these questions the chief of the Elders answered: "O Mael, father of the sons of Alca, I will speak for all.

A horrible dragon is laying waste our lands, depopulating our cattle-sheds, and carrying off the flower of our youth.