by Travis Perry
The men holding strands of rope pulled hard, but the dragon thrashed and jerked the ropes out of place so they couldn’t tighten the net. The dragon let out a deafening roar which sounded even louder echoing off the walls of the cave. Droplets of acid hit the rope around his mouth.
As the dragon fought, the acid weakened the rope around his face until he was able to break through with his head, although his body remained trapped. The dragon swung his neck from side to side, roaring as the men dodged flying acid.
There was lots of shouting and wrestling with the ropes as the dragon continued to struggle. Sam felt his heart racing, but he wasn’t sure if it was from fear or excitement. He was safe as long as he stayed behind his boulder and the ropes held.
The dragon whipped around so violently that the men began to lose control of the ropes. Sir Ethan had been standing at the cave entrance, but now he dashed toward the dragon to grab a rope. The dragon swung his tail, nearly knocking Sir Ethan out of the cave.
Sir Ethan wiped his brow and then he approached the dragon again. He grasped a flying loose end of rope and then he and the rest of the men began to slowly tighten the net.
Sir Ethan barked out orders. “Pull the ropes tighter! More on this side! Watch the acid! Get the muzzle! We need the muzzle!”
Sam looked around. The muzzle lay in the dirt in the back of the cave and he quickly realized that all the others were occupied with trying to restrain the dragon. He yelled, “I’ll get it!”
Sir Ethan shouted, “No! It’s too dangerous!”
Sam looked at the dragon. He didn’t seem quite as energetic as he was before. “Sir! I think he’s getting tired!”
Sir Ethan yelled, “Stay where you are!”
The dragon roared and thrashed in the net more slowly and then he stopped. He folded his wings and laid his head down.
Sir Ethan looked at the dragon and then he said to Sam. “We need to keep holding the ropes in case he starts up again. I’m sorry. I was supposed to keep you out of danger, but you’re the only one who can reach the muzzle.”
Sam nodded. “Yes, sir.” He slipped as far back into the cave as he could, using the boulder as protection. He reached for the muzzle, but it was too far away. His heart pounded. He would be right in the line of acid if the dragon decided to roar.
He pulled his cloak tightly around his shoulders and looked at the dragon. The dragon was watching him. Sam took a deep breath and told himself to pretend the dragon was only a big goat. Yeah, right. A big goat that spit acid and could eat him. He took another deep breath and said as calmly as he could, “It’s OK, boy. It’s OK. I’m just going to get the muzzle.”
The dragon hissed loudly, but he didn’t roar. Sam took that as a good sign. Talking quietly the whole time, Sam moved as slowly as his racing heart would let him.
When he picked up the muzzle, the dragon raised his head. Sam froze. They stared at each other for what felt like hours but was probably less than a minute. Then the dragon laid his head back down. Sam slowly let out his breath. He forced himself to stay calm and walk quietly back to the boulder.
Sir Ethan exhaled. “Good work. Now we have to get it on him.”
Sam swallowed hard. “I’ll do it, sir.”
Sir Ethan nodded. “I need everyone to hold the ropes firmly. Don’t move if you don’t have to.” He turned to Sam. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Sam clutched the muzzle tightly so it wouldn’t slip out of his sweaty hands. He stepped out from behind the boulder and said, “OK, boy, we’ve got to do one more thing. I’m going to put a little muzzle on you.”
He kept talking as he approached the dragon. Whenever he stopped talking, the dragon would move or hiss, so Sam continued his monologue.
He tried to focus only on his task as he edged up to the dragon. The dragon kept his head on the ground and slowly his eyes closed to just a sliver. When Sam was close enough, he gulped and then he stepped one leg over the dragon, straddling his neck. He quickly dropped to his knees.
The dragon opened his eyes and raised his head. As he did, Sam whipped the muzzle over the dragon’s face and pulled it tight. The dragon tried to swing his head, but Sam held his neck tight with his knees while his trembling fingers fumbled with the buckle on the muzzle.
As soon as Sam got it fastened, Sir Ethan yelled, “Now! Bind him up!”
Sam held the dragon’s neck until the men secured the ropes tightly. The binding went quickly now that the beast couldn’t spit. The men even rolled his tail into a large coil.
When Sam stepped away, they slid two long poles through loops in the rope and hoisted up the dragon, carrying the poles on their shoulders. As darkness fell, they carefully made their way down the cliffs and back to the campsite. Once there, they secured the beast to a board and set him in a cart.
It was very cold. One of the working hands built a fire and the men warmed themselves before eating some stew and retiring into their tents.
Before Sam went to bed, he walked over to where the dragon was laying in the cart. His eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. All bound up and sleeping in the firelight, the dragon looked more pathetic than scary. Sam still shuddered, relieved to be out of the cave.
He turned to leave, but he snapped a twig and the dragon hissed. Sam stifled a shout. He stepped back quickly, hoping nobody had noticed. No one seemed to be paying attention, so Sam looked back at the dragon. The dragon was staring at him, but he didn’t look angry.
Sam’s fear gradually turned to curiosity as he looked into the dragon’s eyes and tried to imagine what he might be thinking. Remembering Madam Susan’s words, he whispered, “I’m sorry. I know we attacked first. But you can’t eat our goats.”
The next morning, the men readied the horses and began the long trek home, pulling the cart behind the horses. About midday, they stopped at a stream to rest and eat.
Sam couldn’t resists stealing another look at the dragon. He looked pale and listless. Sam poured a little water into a bowl. He put it on the board and used a long stick to scoot it close to the dragon’s snout. The dragon sniffed at the water. Then, much to Sam’s surprise, he stuck a long forked tongue out of his muzzle and lapped it up. When he finished, Sam brought another bowlful and he drank that also. The third bowlful he left untouched.
In the daylight, the dragon looked almost ridiculous. Sam cautiously reached out and touched his scaly skin. The dragon tried to lift his head and Sam jerked his hand back.
“Watch it, boy!” Sir Ethan said. Then he softened, “Hey, you did a fine job back there in that cave.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Sir Ethan clapped Sam on the back. “When we return, I’ll tell Lord Emerson about your bravery.”
Sam gave Sir Ethan a big smile. “Thank you, sir!”
Sir Ethan looked at the men resting. “Let’s move! We’ve still got a long ways to go!”
Just before nightfall, they arrived back at the castle. Lord Emerson came outside to see the dragon. “Good work, men,” he said. “We’ve built an enclosure for him while he awaits his trial. Take him there and untie him from the board, but don’t free his wings and leave him muzzled.”
Sam watched the men carry the dragon to the enclosure and remove the ropes holding him to the board. The dragon rolled onto the floor. His tail broke free and he swung and struck the man nearest to him, knocking him down. The man scurried away and the door was locked. There was a small opening for sliding in bowls of water and food and a large window with bars on it.
Sam peeked into the dragon’s cage. The dragon was still mostly bound and curled up quietly in a corner. His huge eyes watched Sam. Then a giant tear ran down his face. Sam stared at the dragon to make sure it wasn’t just his imagination. He looked around, but everyone else had left. He turned back to the dragon. “Are you crying?” A second tear ran down the dragon’s face and plopped in the dirt below. Sam shook his head. He slowly walked back home.
That night, Sam told Ahni, Uncle Al and Aunt Mar
a about the dragon tears.
Uncle Al said, “I’ve never heard of such a thing!”
Sam shrugged. “Come and see. I know he ate our goats, but... there’s just something about him...”
Ahni shuddered. She drew Galla close to herself and hugged her. “I don’t know, Sam. That dragon was pretty scary in that cave.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, I know. But you’ve got to see him, Ahni. You, too, Uncle Al.”
Aunt Mara spoke. “Sam, if you’ve seen something good in this dragon then you need to invest’gate. The trial will be soon and he’s likely to be killed oth’rwise.”
Sam thought for a minute. “I saw... sadness? Loneliness? I’m not sure. He was crying. I wanted to give him a hug!”
Aunt Mara smiled. “Go back tomorrow and watch him some more. Lord Em’rson will appoint a defend’r for the dragon. If you feel strongly, talk to the defend’r and ask him to find a way to save the dragon.”
Ahni sighed. “I guess I’ll come, too. But I’m not taking Galla with me!”
Sam and the Dragon: Chapter 8
Sam and Ahni left right after breakfast. They found the dragon sleeping in his cage.
“Look how big his eyelids are,” Ahni said.
Sam laughed. “You think those are big? You should see his eyeballs!”
Just then, the dragon opened his eyes and stared at Sam and Ahni. Sam waved. “Hi, buddy. Would you like something to eat?” He put barley mush into the food dish and slid it under the door.
It took the dragon a long time to eat, but he stuck out his tongue over and over again as he slurped up the mush. When he finished, Ahni grinned. “I think he likes it!”
In response, the dragon let out a low growl, followed by a rumble.
Sam cocked his head. “Is it just me, or did we hear his stomach growling?”
Ahni giggled.
The dragon retreated to his corner and shut his eyes again.
“I feel sorry for him,” Sam said. “He looks so helpless with his wings tied up and he has to wear that awful muzzle.”
“Better that than spit acid at us,” Ahni said.
Sam remembered the fight in the cave. “Yeah, I suppose so. Still, he did come back to find us in his home. I just don’t think he’s a bad dragon.”
“Well, I’m glad he’s in here and not eating any more goats,” Ahni said. “We should go back now, Sam.”
They returned home to a scene of panic. Uncle Al and Aunt Mara were outside the hut looking over the shattered remains of the printer.
Sam gasped. “What happened?”
Uncle Al said, “I put in a large chunk of obsid’n just like all the others and it made that awful grinding noise and then it made an even awf’ler sound and it did this!”
“This” was a pile of strange clear material, glass and metal shards that covered a small patch of ground.
Sam stared at the pile in disbelief. “Maybe we can fix it.”
“It’s no use,” Aunt Mara said. “That box can’t be repaired. We need to tell Madam Susan.”
With a heavy heart, Sam walked back to Castle Emerson. When he explained to Madam Susan about the printer, he was surprised that she didn’t seem to be upset.
Madam Susan gave Sam a quick hug. “It’s all right, really. That machine was very old and I guess it had just enough left in it to cure your family. How’s your aunt?”
“She’s better, ma’am,” Sam said. “She’s able to eat and she gets out of bed for a little longer every day.”
Madam Susan smiled. “Then she’s going to be all right. And Ahni’s fine, and your uncle also.”
“Yes, madam,” Sam said. “They’re both healed.”
“Well, then,” Madam Susan said, “that printer came into your lives at exactly the right time and it left when its work was done.”
Sam shook his head. “You’re not angry with us?”
Madam Susan laughed. “No, Sam, of course not. Tell your aunt and uncle not to worry. It’s a pity they didn’t get a chance to use it to make something useful enough to save their farm, but there’s nothing more valuable than saving your family.”
Sam shook his head in amazement. He’d never met anyone like Madam Susan in his whole life.
Before he returned home, he stopped to the see the dragon again. He was awake and pacing stiffly since he was still partially bound. Sam talked as he refilled the water bowl. “Hey, good job, buddy! You made a good impression on Ahni.”
Sam picked up the empty food dish. Before he refilled it he held it up to the light. “You’ve already burned holes in this! Listen to me! They won’t let you go if you keep spitting acid! You’ve got a trial coming, remember? They want to kill you! No spitting or hissing, all right? No drooling, even. You’ve got to behave yourself if you ever want to fly back home again.”
The dragon gave a low growl.
Sam slid the dish through the slot in the door and the dragon started slurping the barley mash with his long forked tongue.
Sam shoulders sagged as he put the bag of food away. “What am I saying? They’re not going to let you go. You’d just roar acid at people and eat more goats.” With misty eyes he refilled the dragon’s water one more time and left for home.
Sam and the Dragon: Chapter 9
The day of the trial arrived. Sam, Ahni and Uncle Al woke early to walk the ten kims to Castle Emerson. When they arrived, Sam recognized a few of the riders congregated in the courtyard and some of the worker hands and farmers milling around outside around the gate.
Exactly when the castle bells finished ringing ten, the gates were opened and everyone filed into the Great Hall which had been set up for the trial. Lord Emerson sat in an ornate chair behind a narrow table. Next to his table was the witness stand—a simple wooden chair.
The room was filled with rows of wooden benches. Riders took the front rows while workers filled in the back rows. Two wide tables were set up at the front of the room. On the right hand side was the noble rider in the role of prosecutor, dressed in polished metal plate mail. On the left side sat the appointed defender of the dragon.
The chained dragon was led through a side door, still muzzled and wings bound. He hissed and swung his tail when he saw the crowds. Sam didn’t blame the dragon for being angry. He’d be angry, too, if he was bound like that.
Lord Emerson banged a wooden hammer on the table. “Trial is now in session. The defendant will rise.”
The defender stood and the dragon handlers pulled the dragon’s chains to make him face Lord Emerson.
Lord Emerson addressed the dragon. “Dragon, you are charged with eating the goats of Alfonso, one of my subjects. How do you reply?”
The defender replied, “Not guilty, your lordship.”
Lord Emerson banged the hammer again. “Prosecutor, you may call your first witness.”
The prosecutor stood up. “I call Alfonso of the Western Plain!”
Uncle Al walked to the front of the courtroom. He placed his hand on an ancient Bible on Lord Emerson’s table. Lord Emerson said, “Do you swear to tell the entire truth and nothing short of the truth, so help you, God, como dios manda?”
“Yes, como dios manda.” Uncle Al sat down in the chair next to Lord Emerson’s table.
The prosecutor walked up to Uncle Al. “Describe what happened on your farm.”
Uncle Al pointed to the dragon. “That dragon swooped over my pasture and snatch’d a goat. Then he dragged it off and ate it!”
The defender yelled, “My lord! How does he know it was this dragon?”
The prosecutor said, “I call my next witness. He will answer your question.”
Lord Emerson banged the hammer. “Continue.”
Sam was called to the stand. He told how the dragon dung in the cave contained goat hair and bones and he confirmed that this was the same cave where he led Sir Ethan and the riders. Then he added, “But please, my lord, I don’t think he’s really a bad dragon.”
The prosecutor demanded, “How do you know? Ar
e you an expert on dragons?”
Sam answered, “We were in his home, sir. He was just trying to defend himself. And that first night when he was locked up in the cage, he cried. I think he was sad.”
There was a murmur in the courtroom. The dragon hissed. Lord Emerson banged his wooden hammer. “Order!”
The prosecutor said, “He doesn’t look very sad right now – he looks like he wants to eat someone!”
The defender jumped up. “My lord!”
“Bang!” went the hammer.
“Hiss!” went the dragon.
Sam was dismissed to sit back down with the crowd. He looked around until he caught Madam Susan’s eye. She gave him a quick nod and Sam turned his attention back to the trial.
The prosecutor said, “I call Edgar the Engraver to the stand.”
Edgar took the oath and sat down. The prosecutor questioned him about how he used acid in his engraving work.
“Will a dragon’s acid eat through the bars of a cage?” the prosecutor asked.
“With enough time,” Edgar said, “a dragon’s acid will eat through anything.”
Sam nodded ruefully as he remembered the hole he’d found in the food dish.
The prosecutor called Farmer Henry to the stand. He was just outside the door of the courtroom. He entered, leading a goat on a rope. Instantly, the dragon thrashed and strained at the chains that held him.
The prosecuting rider said, “Thank you, Henry. You can go, now.”
He turned to Lord Emerson. “My lord, Alfonso witnessed the dragon before us snatching a goat. Goat remains were found in the dung in his cave. The dragon spits acid, which is destructive. And by his actions in this courtroom, the dragon clearly indicated that he wants to eat another goat. He is highly dangerous and guilty as charged. As a proven hazard to this community, the dragon deserves to be destroyed.”
There was a murmur of approval in the Great Hall. Sam looked around in dismay.
The prosecutor said, “I rest my case.” And he sat down.