A Dragon Tale

There once lived a wise and just king who ruled over a vast and prosperous land. One summer day a malady befell the land - a dragon of enormous size. Upon learning of the terror, the king summoned his advisors and councilors.

They debated and deliberated for a day and a night before recommending a martial solution. The king's oldest and bravest son was to take an army a thousand strong to defeat the beats. Agreeing with the assembly, he ordered it so.

H. Wise 9-9-15

A dragon, however, is not so easily beaten. The army was shattered and the king's eldest son gravely injured. Advisers and councilors were once again called to session.

After three days and nights of debate, a mechanical solution was proposed. The king's second son, a tinkerer and curious boy, was to oversee the construction of a great trap for the beast. Seeing the logic in this, the king ordered it so.

A dragon, however, is not so easily trapped. The device lay in ruin and the second son lay in bed a nervous wreck. Once more the king called for his advisers.

Seven days and seven nights passed with no solution in sight. Without consulting the assembly, the king's youngest and cleverest son asked his father's permission to attempt to save the kingdom. With no other options, the king relented to his son's entreats.

The young man traveled to the dragon's lair an secretly observed the beast for a full week. Finally, he approached the dragon.

"Oh great one, oh destroyer of all, oh devourer of flocks, might I ask you one question?" he asked as he approached, head bowed and hands out. The dragon, intrigues, assented.

"Why, oh great one, do you sit upon your great hoard of gold and gems when consuming it would bring you much greater satisfaction?"

The dragon, unable to form a satisfactory answer, began to nibble. First a coin, then a chalice, and soon great scoops of plunder disappeared in its maw. Unable to stop its greed from turning to gluttony, the dragon ate beyond its capacity. With a great moan and a thunderous crack, its stomach ripped asunder. Bleeding and pinned by the great weight in its bowels, the beast died.

The kingdom rejoiced upon news of the dragon's defeat and the king's cleverest son went on to live a great and adventurous life.

But those are stories for another time.