The film""s screenplay was adapted by Frank S.Nugent (director Ford""s son-in-law) from Alan Le May""s 1954 novel of the same name, that was first serialized as a short story in late fall 1954 issues of theSaturday Evening Post, and first titledThe Avenging Texans.When he slipped and fell, they tied him upGulliver""s Travels-style.After swallowing one of his own pixie shard-piece reflections when it dove down his throat, he drank hot kettle water to rid his stomach of the irritant, but found that it was sprouting a head from his own shoulder - and emerging as a full-sized doppelganger clone.In the film""s poignant closing with Nellie, Eva honestly expressed her loneliness, her slight fear and emptiness, and her loss of love.Flames swept through the houses, destroying rows of structures and killing hundreds.Meanwhile, Bard broke out of his prison cell""s bars (pulled off by the Master""s passing barge), and hastily proceeded to a bell tower with a bow and quiver of arrows, to combat the dragon.Why I, I can""t understand why..." He is interrupted by an announcement that the sun is setting, and the innkeeper insists: "Come, we must go indoors.