The shade did what the reality was unable to accomplish, and Samuel yielded.

When he awoke be moistened his couch with his tears, but alas! repentance did not give him back his innocence." As he listened to this story Samuel asked himself how his secret could be known, for he was ignorant that the Devil had borrowed the appearance of Brother Regimental, so as to trouble the hearts of the monks of Alca.
And old Mael remained deep in thought and kept asking himself in grief: "Who will deliver us from the dragon's tooth?
Who will preserve us from his breath?
Who will save us from his look ?" However, the inhabitants of Alca began to take courage.

The labourers of Dombes and the neatherds of Belmont swore that they themselves would be of more avail than a girl against the ferocious beast, and they exclaimed as they stroked the muscles on their arms, "Let the dragon come!" Many men and women had seen him.

They did not agree about his form and his figure, but all now united in saying that he was not as big as they had thought, and that his height was not much greater than a man's.

The defence was organised; towards nightfall watches were stationed at the entrances of the villages ready to give the alarm; and during the night companies armed with pitchforks and scythes protected the paddocks in which the animals were shut up.