Smoky the Dragon - Part 1
Illustration © 2023 Susan Fleming
A long time ago there are lots of dragons. One of these dragons is Smoky who lives in a cave on a hill near to a village. He is a very handsome dragon and just as you imagine dragons to be – with a long nose and tail, scales for his skin and a line of ridges on his back. However, everyone and everything is frightened of Smoky. This is because he is very big and because flames and smoke come out of his mouth and nose. Smoky looks so frightening that everyone runs away when Smoky comes.
This upsets Smoky because he is really a very kind dragon and he just wants to have friends: someone he can talk to and play games with, but if everyone runs away and shuts their doors when Smoky comes, what can he do?
He tries to talk to a robin, but flames come out of his mouth and scorch the robin’s breast turning it bright red.
He tries to talk to some poppies, but flames shoot out of his mouth and turn the poppies bright red.
He is very excited when he sees a squirrel but when he starts to talk to the squirrel flames shoot out of this mouth and turn the squirrel red.
He meets a fox. The fox turns to run just as Smoky begins to speak so that the front of the fox stays white, but the back is turned red by Smoky’s flames.
Poor Smoky! He just wants to have friends, but nobody will talk to him.
There is a wood on the hill where Smoky lives in his cave, and in this wood lives a wise old owl called Twowit. He is called Twowit because he is twice as clever as anyone else. From the hole in the tree where he lives he sees how unhappy Smoky is and has a plan to help him. Twowit flies down and lands on Smoky’s head. He is safe there because all Smoky’s smoke and flames shoot forward.
He says into Smoky’s ear….. (For more read Part 2)