Smoky the Dragon Part 2
Illustration © 2023 Susan Fleming
Twowit says into Smoky’s ear, “I have been watching you. You only breath smoke and talk flames when you get very excited. You get very excited when you try to make friends. When you are on your own these things do not happen. So, do not get excited when you try to make friends.”
“That is very easy to say,” says Smoky. “I cannot help getting excited when I think about making friends.”
Twowit thinks for a moment, and then he says, “The answer is not to try to make friends!”
“But I want to make friends. It must be very nice to have friends to play with,” answers Smoky.
“I know,” says Twowit, “so when you see someone in the distance do not go rushing up to them. Just wave in a friendly way and carry on. Gradually everyone will get used to you and when you meet anyone you will not get so excited.”
This worked very well. Everyone gets used to Smoky and Smoky does not get so excited. Very soon he had lots of friends. He gives children flights on his back, because dragons do have wings and can fly. Sometimes, when a fire has gone out in the grate of a village house or a bonfire is needed to burn garden waste, then the villagers get Smoky just a little bit excited so that he makes a small flame to light the fire.
Once each year he lets himself get very excited. This is on bonfire night. First, he proudly leads the procession with smoke and flames coming in great bursts from his mouth. When he gets to the bonfire he is so excited that his flames very quickly light a spectacular bonfire. All the villagers and their children cheer. Smoky feels very proud.
Then he has to calm down very quickly because his flames would make it difficult to see the fireworks, and that could spoil the show both for himself and for everyone else. This is not easy for Smoky, but he is learning very quickly to control his excitement – but inside he is still very excited to see the lovely fireworks.
Every day the robin, the squirrel and the fox come to play with Smoky, and poppies flower outside his cave. Smoky is very happy with his friends, but his special friend is Twowit.