The Knight and Dragon

Across the sea was a kingdom. A kind King ruled it in peace, and kept 12 knights as part of his elite defenders of truth and goodness. The smallest of these knights was Archibald. He was not the strongest or the biggest or the flashiest, but he had a heart of gold.

One day the King came to his Knights and told them a dragon was attacking a village. Who would rush to the aid of these people?

Sir Bruno, the largest knight said, “I’m far too busy today working out, sorry,” as he lifted weights over his head.

"Today is not a good day to slay a dragon,” said Sir Ferdinand the Beautiful. “And anyway, I am receiving a special award from the Women’s Relief Assembly.” He flashed his winning smile threw his head backwards, swooshing his golden locks behind his head.

One by one each of the Knights had a different excuse for why they could not help, except for Archibald who simply said, “I will do it.”

From the armory he grabbed his sword (which was as short and light, and more of a knife than a sword) and jumped on his faithful steed Bill (who was no more than a pony) and was off to the village.

When he arrived, he saw the burning huts and screaming villagers. “Help us, help us” they all said. “I will,” he replied.

He followed the burned out homes and singed trees until he arrived at a dark cave with billowing smoke pouring from inside. “Come closer so I can burn you, little knight” called the dragon, her red eyes glowing from within the blackness of the cave.

“I’d prefer not, if you please. My name is Archibald, and I’m here to ask you why you are attacking the village.” He continued, “I assure you, I do not want to fight you; I’d much rather help you so we can both live peacefully together.”

The dragon whispered sadly, “No peace between you and me...not until IT is returned.”

"Until what is returned?” Archibald asked.

“My egg...my precious little child. It was stolen in the night by one of those villagers. If it is not returned to my nest by tomorrow morning, it will be too late and my baby will be lost to me. And if that happens, I will destroy their village and anyone who tries to stop me.”

Archibald understood what she meant. Dragon eggs were very valuable to collectors, and though dragons themselves were powerful, the eggs were delicate. If an egg went more than a day without the warmth of its mother, it would grow hard as a rock and the dragon baby would enter a deep sleep for a hundred years.

Where other knights would draw their swords and charge the dragon given what she said, Archibald used his brain and his heart. “I will not let that happen. I will work tirelessly until I find your egg and return it to you. There is no way I will let you lose your baby. But when I find it and return it to you, do you promise to not attack the village?”

“Yes”, and hope filled her heart for a moment.

Without delay he charged down the hill. He looked in every home, under every bed, and around every corner. He asked, begged, and pleaded with the villagers for help. Each of them looked and looked and looked, knowing their village was at stake. All day and throughout the night they turned over every stone, and still no egg. No one knew where the egg had disappeared to. Fear and dread approached as the sun began to rise over the mountains in the East. It was too late.

Archibald was exhausted. He hung his head and marched up the mountain towards the cave, wondering what he would say to the Mother, and what would happen next.

As he stood there, facing the cave he could hear the breathing from within. He walked closer, standing right at the edge between the light and the dark. She was there too, the heat and smell right in front of him. “I failed...and I’m so sorry”.

She breathed, and he closed his eyes.

But instead of fire, he heard a muffled cry and then a voice, “Thank you for trying, dear little knight.” She stepped out of the cave, but instead of a fierce creature he saw a sad, lowly mother. He hugged her scaly body as she cried over her loss.

As the dragon turned and headed for the cliff, preparing to fly to the Red Mountains, she said, “While I will never see my unborn baby or be his mother, there is still hope. Legend says that if a mother with a pure heart finds and nurtures my egg in love, he may yet be born.”

“I hope that happens,” said Archibald hopefully.

With a great beating of her wings, she was off. But that was not the last time he would see her. They would remain friends for years. The dragon (who he named Ruby, for her beautiful eyes) would help him deal with Ooze the Wizard and many other adventures. She would see the rise of King Archibald and his beautiful Queen Mary, and he would wave good bye as she flew to Dragon Island (where dragons go to live forever).

As for the egg. The thief had become so scared of getting caught that he ran and hid it miles away in the crook of an old tree. He went back later but could never find it again. There it lay for hundreds of years, only to be found by two little mothers who too had hearts of gold. Her baby would hatch and create new adventures for two sisters in a far off time. But we’ll save those adventures for another day.