The Littlest Dragon
                                             a children's story
                                                  by Rian

          Leaning back precariously, sliding down low with her head resting on the back of her desk,  long skinny legs dangling far out in front, Zoe sulked and thought.  Why can't I be the dragon-slayer?   Why must it always be a boy?

          "Zoe Claire McGilacutty!  Sit up straight!  This is not a lounge for you to sleep in.  It's a punish hall for children who can't stay out of trouble.  You need to pick up that pencil and write one hundred times, I will not fight with the boys."

          But these words fell on deaf ears, as Zoe was deep in thought.  I can fight - and can do it as well as Tommy.  What's the big deal?  What I need, thought Zoe, absently picking up her pencil, is someone to champion my cause. 
 
          Just then, a tiny voice cried out, "I'll be your Champion!"

          Mystified, Zoe warily searched the room for the origin of the strange voice.  As far as she could tell, there was no one there but Sister Mary Thomas, and she was engrossed in her work.

          "Here!...I'm here!", squealed the disembodied voice again.

           Looking downward at her hand, Zoe's could hardly believe her eyes. There, sitting on the very tip of her pencil, small enough to hook it's claws into the eraser head, was a tiny green dragon.

          Once over her astonishment,  Zoe scrupulously began to study this marvelously absurd creature;  brilliant green glistening body, diminutive but quite magnificent wings and tail, tiny yellow eyes that glowed with determination, - and less than an inch tall!

           "You want to be my Champion?  Why! -  you're no bigger than a -  a -  bug.  How could you help me?   And besides that, you're a dragon.  You want to help me become a dragon-slayer?"

          The tiny dragon slid down the length of Zoe's pencil, and alighted on her hand.

           "Please! - just listen to me.  I have a story to tell you. My name is Dracor, and I wasn't always a dragon   Once, a long time ago, I was a great Prince.   An evil woman Sorcerer got angry with me for not choosing her as Chief Sorceress of my Kingdom.           Since I had once been a mighty Dragon-Slayer, she thought it humorous to change me into this tiny dragon.  But if I can somehow use this new form to ' right another female wronged', then she has promised to restore me back to my former self." 

          "So, let me get this straight, - if you help me, you get to be a Prince again,  - and if I help you, I get to slay a dragon, - and save a Prince - right?"        

          "Yes, yes, - that's the idea.  What do you say?"

          Curious, Zoe asked, "What's your plan?"

          "We leave here and find this Tommy.  I imagine he's also doing time somewhere.  We show him that you can slay a dragon - and that's all there is to it."

          Zoe looked incredulously at the tiny green reptile who was now pacing back and forth between her thumb and forefinger, making very small indentures with his needle-like claws. 

          "That's your plan?", Zoe shrieked, almost knocking Dracor off balance. "And am I to slay you ? Not only is that sick - but you're barely an inch tall!   I could squash you like a mosquito. Tommy would laugh in my face."

          Solemnly Dracor said, "Trust me, - he won't."

          And jumping down, he headed for the door.

          This is nuts,  Zoe thought, but with only a sideways glance at Sister, followed the tiny beast out the door..

          "Which direction, girl?"

          "They may have let him go early.   He usually  has football practice after school."

          "Even better!  We'll catch him on the field of battle."

          Shaking her head at the absurdity of Dracor's plan, Zoe followed him to the football field behind the school.

          Once there,  Zoe could see Tommy over by the far end.  He was alone, and warming up for practice. 

          "Hi Zoe!" , Tommy said hesitantly,   "Did they finally let you out of punish hall?"

           Zoe felt the heat of anger slowly rise inside her. Her face flushed red. 

          Tommy stammered, - "I'm sorry, Zoe.  Are you still mad at me?"

          "Tommy Lee Campbell!  You treated me like dirt!  You acted like my wanting to be the dragon-slayer in our game was hilarious.  You made me feel so - so small and insignificant."

          As she said these words, Zoe realized for the first time the wisdom the Sorceress had  exercised in the punishment she had chosen for the Prince. She had certainly made him small and insignificant. She glanced at her shoulder for Dracor.

           But - her tiny dragon was gone!  Her heart raced wildly.  Where did he go?  Had he left her?  She knew this was a stupid plan.

          Suddenly there was an earth-shuddering ROAR!  The ground trembled and the bleachers shook.  Zoe and Tommy looked out onto the field. 

          There - standing smack dab in the middle of the football field was Dracor  - and he was HUGE!  His bright green scales glistened in the afternoon sun.  His yellow eyes flashed, and his mighty tail swished back and forth in anger.

          Around him the field was covered in a strange fog - not unlike something Zoe had read about in a book of Merlin, the Magician.  He had called it 'the dragon's breath' - and what breath he had!  His second roar was accompanied by a huge burst of flames that soared out of his mouth and into the sky.  Zoe stared.  He was magnificent!

          "What's going on?", stammered Tommy, frozen to the spot.
            
          At that moment, Zoe realized what Dracor was about.  Apparently he had more powers than he had let on. 

          "I'm going to slay a dragon",  Zoe stated calmly.            

          "What? ...  Zoe, ... you can't ..."

          With an instant flash of angry green eyes, she silenced him, and strode out onto the field.

          Dracor roared again, fire and smoke billowing out all around him.   When she was within a few feet of the mighty dragon, she stopped.  Looking back at Tommy, she smiled.  He seemed transfixed at the extraordinary scene of her standing there fearlessly in front of the monstrous beast. Maybe this wasn't such a stupid plan...

          "What now, Dracor? How - ", she began.  But before she could finish, the mighty dragon flapped his enormous wings, swung his tail, and roared again.  The dragon's breath swirled and rose until the whole field was covered with a misty haze. 

          "Come closer, Zoe," whispered Dracor. 

          Swallowed up by the mist and confusion, Zoe was sure that Tommy could no longer see her.  But she was certain he could hear the furor created by Dracor.

          All at once there was a tremendous bellow - a heart-wrenching, ear-piercing, inhuman howl.  And then - a thud so loud that the earth shook under their feet - then - silence.

          Then...

          "Zoe! It's almost time to go.  Have you written your sentences?"

          "What? Who?...  uh, no", Zoe sputtered, looking around and finding herself back in punish hall.

          "Well, you'd better get to it.  I'm almost done here," stated Sister Mary Thomas, shaking her head disapprovingly.  "What have you been doing all this time?"

          Zoe glanced at her pencil, shrugged, and said quietly, under her breath,
          "... slaying a dragon and saving a prince?"          

          As she left the school, walking out the back door onto the field where she had last seen Dracor, she paused. Was it all a day-dream?  He was so fabulous.  Suddenly, she bumped into someone.  It was Tommy and he was still in his practice jersey.  He too seemed to be walking in a daze.  Seeing Zoe, he looked unnerved. Then he grinned.

          "Zoe? Hi!... are you OK?"

          "Sure, uh...why wouldn't I be?"

          "No reason"...just asking. Hey , I'm really sorry about our fight.  Next time you can definitely be the dragon-slayer - OK?"

          Zoe smiled to herself, picturing her tiny champion, her mighty Dracor,

                                   NOW ONCE AGAIN A PRINCE! 

          "Sure," she beamed, " - I could do that."


                                                                     THE END!













copyright 1997
This is one of many stories written for my grand-children.  Until recently I didn't realize that this one was my grand-daughter's favorite.  So I've decided to post it for her 8-14-01.