Dragon

Derek the Dragon was sad.

Derek the Dragon could not make smoke.

And we all know there's no smoke without fire.

And this was Derek's problem. He was a dragon with no fire.

He asked a passing bird what she thought.

But she just talked about herself, as that is what birds do.
"Tweet twitter tweet."

He asked his neighbour the Bear what he thought.

But as it was nearly winter, Bear was sleepy, almost hibernating. So Derek didn't understand Bear's muffled words,
"Meed mood, met mat."

Derek was upset. He needed some help.
"I want fire, I need fire in my life. I am a dragon!" he said. But no one was listening.

Derek looked up into the sky. And what did he see? He saw smoke far away in the distance!

And we all know there's no smoke without fire.

Derek decided to go to the smoke.

Derek flew over hills, through valleys and across streams.

When he was close he could smell the smoke. Derek's mouth curved up a little at the corners.

Derek sped the last few miles towards the smoke.

And he found a wizard.

The wizard had a black pot of soup cooking on a big roaring fire.

"Hello" said the wizard pointing a crooked finger at Derek, "Would you like some soup?"

Derek starred at the fire, it crackled and glowed, smoke was billowing up into the air. Derek had a big smile on his face.

"Um, no thank you" said Derek, "I am here to ask you why I don't make smoke and fire?"

"Ahhh" said the wizard, "Let me see." and he paused for a while.








 "Are you happy?" the wizard finally asked

"No, I'm not" said Derek

"Once you are happy then you will make smoke and fire." the wizard wisely stated and went back to stirring his soup.

"But how do I become happy?" Derek asked the wizard

The wizard stopped stirring the soup and looked at Derek,
"Well, you will need three things. Someone to love,  something to do and something to hope for."

"Oh" said Derek and then added "Thank you" Derek then took off back for his home thinking hard about what the wizard said.

I have something to hope for - I hope one day soon I will make smoke and fire.

I have something to do - I must get happy to make smoke and fire.

But I need to find someone to love - I don't have anyone to love.

At home Derek wondered who he could love. The closest person to him was Bear. So he thought he would love Bear. He went to Bear and said,
"I have decided to love you Bear."

But Bear was asleep.

Derek wondered what to do next. He thought about bear. Whenever he saw Bear he was either sleeping or eating. Derek decided to go and get something for Bear to eat. Derek had to think hard about Bear again, what did bear like to eat? Derek remembered seeing Bear fishing in the river. So Derek caught some fish for Bear using his long spikey dragon's tail.

Derek put the fish next to sleeping Bear.
Bear stirred and woke up.
"Grrrr "said Bear "I mell mish"

"Pardon" said Derek
"I smell fish" said Bear more clearly this time.
"Yes I have caught you some, I remembered you like eating and I also remembered you like eating fish."
"Thats very nice of you." said Bear a little suspiciously.
"Well, l've decided to love you." said Derek
"What? Haa haa hah ha ha ha." Bear laughed out loud, a big hearty beary laugh.

Derek was taken aback, but then started very slowly to smile. Bear continued to laugh and his laughter became hysterical.
And do you know what happened

As Derek started to giggle, smoke started to smolder out of his lips.
Then as Derek's giggle turned into fun, full, proper laughter the smoke turned into fire.
"Whooosh" came the fire out of Derek's mouth.
"Whoosh" it went again.

And Bear and Derek enjoyed some barbeque fish for dinner.