Dragon Breath

Once upon a time in a lush mountain setting there lived a dragon. He was a very lonely and unhappy dragon. He vaguely remembered his old home having left it when he was young. Dragon arrived in this world after being blown off course during a tai-fung. He had never flown so high and for so long  He could not find his way back home. He was a lost young dragon.

He lived in a world, where as beautiful as it appeared to be, he was a dragon. Humans despised dragons. Dragons were considered evil and, it was believed their kind would do much harm. Dragons were supposed to wreck the countryside, hide treasures and capture young maidens. As such, dragons were always being hunted.

Having numerous nasty experiences with humans, the dragon withdrew to a far distant mountain land.  He felt no one would ever find him. The little dragon hid in the great mountain forest that surrounded a forgotten city. This place was far away from those who would do him harm. Dragon was safe. He knew deep in his heart that he missed the good people and animals of his home world. Yet, the memories of home were fading as time went on, and dragons live for a very long time. Sad and alone he said to himself over again, “I’m secure here. I have the animals. I am safe but the only dragon here.”
 
***

In this world of men and women, wars are a common occurrence. A great number of people from one village had to flee their homeland because of one. They took refuge in the Dragon’s wooded and mountainous home. It was far distant from the turmoil. It was so far away that no one ever bothered to venture there. Once a great peoples had lived there. They disappeared leaving only a vacant city. For some unexplained reason the area seemed to be there and not there. It was almost as if the land was invisible and forgotten. It was not located on any maps. And, anyone who ventured near, passed through the area as if in a dream, forgetting about it as soon as they were out of eyesight. Children were less affected but no one listens to children’s wild tales.

The refugees entering the forest had very little food and no shelter. The pre-winter winds were blowing out of the northeast. The leaf colors were changing. The geese flew in large flocks almost blackening the sky and the little animals were disappearing as they began their winter hibernations. The people were tired and frightened. The Dragon saw them approach his home with dread.

Dragons have keen eyesight and incredible hearing. Dragons also have the gift of tongues. They have no trouble understanding different languages. Some where back in the early days of their existence the Dragon Clans were given the gift of understanding. A wizard from a distant world bestowed this gift. The wizard thought the earth would be a better place if the most intelligent beings would be able to understand each other. The dragon saw the refugees arrive and overheard their conversations long before they got close and set up camp. He knew what he had to do.

***

By the time the people reached the base of the mountain forest they discovered food, lumber for shelter and other items as they might require. They all asked at one time or another:

“How did this happen?”

“Who could have done this?”

“Is it for us?”

Of course Dragon was not so foolish as to come out of hiding and say, “It was ME!” They looked around and found no notes, letters or tracks for that matter. It’s as if the all this bounty appeared out of the air.

Day after day, fall and winter stretched on into spring. Dragon managed to assist the people as they grew stronger and more settled. Dragon was never spotted. Dragons have the cloak of invisibility! Dragons are born with the ability. They can turn it on or off at will. He was careful not to reveal himself.

Little did Dragon know his cloaking had an unintended effect on most humans that ventured near. As was mentioned, for some unexplained reason up until now, the area seemed to be there, but not there. The cloaking made the area seem to be not there especially to the conscious adult mind.

And, day after day they attempted to discover their great benefactor, to no avail. The Dragon cared for them as his own, yet he was cautious. He was not looking for benefit or power. That was Dragon’s nature. It mattered little if the humans knew it was their “local dragon” who out of the kindness of his heart kept them alive in the first rough year. It would have been nicer if he could have let them know.

One day, as it is wont to happen, Dragon, tired after his exertions, let his cloak fall as he rested under a great cedar tree. It was the biggest tree in the whole forest. There was nothing like it. It was Dragon’s favorite tree. He seemed to feel he derived some nourishment from its perfume. Around the same time Dragon was dozing two children came upon him. They had been wandering through the woods and were attracted to that very spot by the size of the cedar tree. They looked at each other, and back at the dragon, and then to each other again.

“Shall we?” asked one.

“Let’s,” said the other.

They picked up some tree limbs and acting like the soldiers they had witnessed in the recent past, began to attack the dragon. The two were really too young to know better but old enough to know this was a “good and proper” action for the given situation. They were not afraid.

They poked, prodded, banged and yelled all sorts of things. They did a dance around the sleeping dragon. Dragon became aroused as one would by a fly buzzing around while one slept. He opened one eye to see just where this bothersome noise was coming from. He spied the two and let them continue their attacks for a while. Then he realized, What’s all this! They can see me! How can they see me? He realized he had dropped his cloak before he dozed off. He awoke fully, quickly and alert!

His head turned around to face his two attackers who were yelling and laughing until the two big dragon eyes bore down on them. The two children stopped immediately. Dragon inquired gently, “Children, just what are the two of you attempting to accomplish here? And more importantly, why?”

“You Are A Dragon,” the smaller of the two replied quickly.

“Yes, and we are soldiers and we are supposed to slay you” said the other.

Both were nodding in agreement.

Dragon breathed in a deep breath and sighed asking. “Why must you slay me? Have I done anything to harm you?”

“NO, you’re a Dragon. It’s the rules,” one of them shouted. They renewed their attack.

Brave little ones, he thought.

“And who made those rules?” he asked over the clatter of their wooden tree branch weapons banging off Dragon’s armored body.

The children never had contact with a real Dragon before. They had only heard stories about dragons. They stopped their attack. The two children looked at each other and back at Dragon and each other. They shrugged their shoulders.

“Just because,” said one.

“Yes, just because,” said the other.

“Just Because is not a real reason for anything when you think about it, is it?” Dragon attempted to reason.

The children had no answer and were puzzled. Dragon gestured for them to sit. They sat by his tail and wondered what was to happen next. But, they were not worried. They had seen worse than a sleepy inquisitive dragon.

As if Dragon could read their minds, “Well first, I’m not going to hurt you, just because.”

A giggle.