The Boy and the Dragon

There weren’t always dragons in the valley.

But in a cave at the foot of a mountain near the town, that changed.

For years, people would venture to the cave to stir the dragon. Many knights, and warriors would test their mettle against the great fiery beast.

And each time they would fail. No one would ever hear from the brave men again.

One day a small boy wandered into the dragon’s lair.

“Who goes there?” the large dragon stirred. His great green body hidden in the darkness of the cave. Only his glowing yellow eyes were visible.

“It’s me,” the little boy said.

“Don’t you know where you are?”

“I’m in the cave at the mountain.”

“Don’t you know what happens in the cave at the bottom of the mountain?”

“People disappear?”

“Yes.”

“What happens to them?”

“Take a guess,” the dragon snorted, the flames shooting from his nostrils lit the cave. The small boy could see the hundreds of suits of armor shining in the firelight.

“Why would you come up here?” the dragon asked.

“The bravest men in my village come here.”

“I know.”

“I wanted to show them I was brave.”

“Who?”

“The other kids.”

“Why?”

“So they’d stop picking on me. If I came back then they’d stop.”

The dragon leaned forward, his head as big as a horse.

“So you figured being eaten would be better than dealing with them?”

“You’re not going to eat me.”

“I’m not?”

“No. Who would you talk to then? It’s got to be lonely in this cave.”

The dragon didn’t know what to do. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. Usually they appeared at the cave screaming, swords drawn, and charged right to their quick demise.

His eyes narrowed.

“You may have a point. So you will come back?”

“Yes,” the small boy said.

The dragon receded back into the cave, “then you may leave.”

And so the little boy left.

The village didn’t believe it when he wandered back into town. They cheered, and celebrated. He was the first one to ever come back from the dragon’s cave. For nearly 200 years, men disappeared in the dragon’s lair, and now here the boy was.

He was heralded for his bravery. None of the other children messed with him.

He was the talk of the town.

He then scared everyone again when he returned to the cave, true to his word. He went back to talk to the dragon a couple times a week.

The village was stunned.

His mother no longer needed to buy food. People brought gifts to his home.

The governor of the town moved his mother and siblings to the manor house to better fit their new status.

Things were going well.

And the boy continued going back to the cave.

One day the little boy looked sad.

“What’s wrong?” the dragon asked.

“One of the boys thinks you don’t exist. They say there’s no dragon. They think that’s why I can come up here.”

The dragon was silent for a moment, “Tell them to come check for themselves. I will show them.”

The boy nodded.

Later, back in town, the same group of kids approached him.

“How was the dragon?” one of the larger boys sneered.

“Fine. A little bored.”

“Oh yeah? You know no one thinks there’s anything there. You’ve been lying this whole time.”

“Why don’t you go look then? Unless you’re too scared,” the little boy said.

The big one got mad and attacked the little boy. The group held the small boy down while the largest one kicked him.

But the group of boys made a mistake. They did not know what good hearing dragons have. The large beast heard his little friend’s cries.

The boys all stopped when they saw the shadow.

The dragon lowered his massive head to the bullies, “Let him go.”

They did as they were told.

The little boy had to cover his face as the flames were so hot. The little boy waved as the dragon flew back to his lair.

The little boy spent the next few days rather happily without the bullies.

Though one day there was a great commotion. The little boy went with the rest of the town to see a great army of shining knights.

One rode forth, his crowned helmet and pure white stallion marked him as the king.

The little boy grew anxious.

The king opened his visor, “We’re here for the dragon,” he said.

And the little boy snuck away to warn his friend.