Dragon Story Part Three
Read Part One Here:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8871039884109084733/1274271512222280435
Read Part Two Here:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8871039884109084733/8101879342737499530
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Henry politely said, “Good morning,” and turned to begin the long trek home with the maple tree slung across his back.
“Halt. Worm!” the knight shouted.
Turning his head from side to side, he saw no worms on the ground. He asked, “Where?” thinking that it might be a nice little snack for his wife.
“You! You are the worm! Stand and meet your destiny.”
“I’ve never seen a destiny before. What is it?”
“Your destiny,” the knight informed him, “is to become a trophy on the wall of my castle.
“Why would I want to hang on a wall? And why would you want me to do that?”
“Well, you are a sort of a sorry-looking dragon. And your jacket is torn. But I’ve been searching high and low for a dragon for weeks on end, and you are the first and only dragon I have come across. It seems there are no other dragons to be found, so you will have to do.”
“I know of another dragon, one that would suit you much better.” Henry thought that this might solve his domestic problem without the hassle of a divorce. Surely the knight would frighten his wife, and she would run away, never to be seen again. Maybe she would even meet her destiny and hang on this knight’s castle wall. He wished he knew what a destiny was.
Henry stumbled here and there while leading the knight along the field toward his house. He stopped occasionally to adjust the maple tree when it ruffled his scales and made his back itch. Neither of them spoke along the way, but from time to time Henry let out a puff of smoke and the horse snorted at the smell of it. When the house came into sight, the knight spurred his horse and left Henry behind. The dust kicked up by the horse’s hoovers made him cough and sneeze.
As the knight approached the house, Mabel opened the door and came out to meet him. Henry sat on his haunches and watched the spectacle, for a thing to see it was. Mable shouted, “Who are you, little man? Did my lazy, good-for-nothing husband bring me a canned man for my breakfast?” Her inner fire rose from her gaping mouth, and the horse slid to a stop. The knight uttered a curse that will not be repeated, while the horse swung around and carried him back across the field at full tilt.
Henry sighed, picked up the maple tree and shuffled home.
“It’s about time you got home,” Mabel told him. “I’ve already been to the farmer’s market and traded a sheep’s fleece for a feast of eggs, potatoes and ham. Your breakfast is cold now, but you can heat it up yourself.”
Henry sighed, hoping that his weak inner fire would be up to the task of heating his food.
“Is that a maple tree?” she asked. “What a lovely gift! It will be for dessert after supper.” She smiled at her husband. Looking at him a bit more closely, she said, “Your jacket is torn. Pull it off, and I’ll mend it for you.”
Henry, for his part, decided that a divorce would not be necessary, since he would have a full belly, a mended jacket and a happy wife.
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Read Part One Here:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8871039884109084733/1274271512222280435
Read Part Two Here:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8871039884109084733/8101879342737499530
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