Login to BatWeb
Forgot your password?
Library: Dragons, Pride, and Understanding, an Allegorical Tale.
Books
Author: Yari
Date:Nov 2 1995
One day, a cyclops was stumbling about in a cave that he had
not yet visited. He turned a corner and almost ran straight
into a large dragon!
"Go away," mumbled the dragon, who was half-sleeping at the
time, "or I shall eat you."
"Hum, well, if you insist, Dragon, then I shall. But you
really are a grumpy sort, and ought work on that," said the
cyclops as he turned away.
"GRUMPY!?" the dragon roared. "I will show you grumpy!" and
she reared to her full height, which was impressive indeed.
"Now, now, Dragon," the cyclops said, in his most soothing
tone of voice. "I was merely suggesting that you might get
better results if you had said 'Hello Cyclops, please go away,
I am rather sleepy', is all. No harm meant, really."
The dragon paused a moment, appearing to think about what
the cyclops had said. "Humph, very well. Now go away.
Please." (Ever heard a Dragon using sarcasm? It's really
quite impressive)
"That's it? Very well? Heh, hardly the voice of a fierce
Dragon I hear coming from you. I must say, you are a curious
one, indeed. Someday I should like to find out more about
you," he said, as he turned to leave. He stopped, and turned
back. "No, I do not think it will be someday, it will be now.
Do tell, why are you so eager to be rid of me?"
"Aside from the smell?" the Dragon asked, a slight frown
making her appear even more fierce, and continued without
waiting for an answer. "Because I do not wish to be disturbed,
I am a fierce dragon and I do not enjoy company."
"I find that hard to believe, a dragon of your intellect
would enjoy good conversation, I'd bet. Do tell, why is it
that you will not engage me? It seems a simple request of
someone of your longevity." The cyclops sat down on a nearby
heap of bones.
"You really wish to know, don't you? Pest." The Dragon
heaved a huge sigh, nearly blowing the cyclops's cape off. "If
you must know, I live with pain, pain that you cannot imagine.
I am a dragon, I must be fierce, it is my nature, and I cannot
show pain. You see, I have a sword imbedded in my right hind
paw, and I cannot dislodge it.(We dragons are not quite that
flexible) It is most bothersome, and it makes me angry , and
as you have learned, when I am angry, I am not polite."
"A sword? That must be painful," the cyclops said with a
wince, "perhaps someone of my small stature could remove it? I
can at least try."
"No, I shall dislodge it myself, you are not needed."
"I know that, but if I can help, I'd like to. At least
allow me to inspect it, an examination might discover something
about your wound that would help you dislodge it yourself," the
cyclops offered.
"Hmm...as you wish, you may inspect it," the dragon rumbled.
The cyclops walked around the dragon to find the sword, but
could not. "Dragon, lift your paw, so that I might see it
better?" he asked.
The dragon complied, and the cyclops saw the wound. It was
small, and there was something imbedded in the great paw, but
it was no sword.
"Dragon, that's no sword at all, it is merely a fire-
nettle!"
"A fire-nettle? Indeed. It feels as a sword..."
"Fire nettles are nothing to be concerned about, friend
Dragon...they are small and inconsequential, but they have the
ability to feel much worse than they they are. They grate and
they grind, but in the end, they are nothing but a thorn.
Please, allow me to help you remove it?"
The dragon paused a moment, then set her head on a massive
paw. "No, I do not believe I shall allow it. Nettle, sword,
whatever the case, it's my problem, and mine alone. Dragons,
after all, are mighty, and I will manage. How would it look, a
Dragon, requiring the assistance of a pungent cyclops to remove
a nettle? No, that would not do, not at all. Now please do go
away, I have a lair to lie in, and I'd prefer to do it alone."
The dragon closed her eyes, signaling that this conversation
was over.
"Yes, I shall leave you to your lair, but if you should ever
want my assistance, I am only a roar away, your voice carries
quite well, you know."
The dragon opened one eye, let loose a mighty snort, and
closed her eye again. With that, the cyclops turned and left
her to sleep.
Books