The Reluctant Dragon

Kenneth Grahame's 1898 children's story, "The Reluctant Dragon" (read here in its abridged version), is a lovely fable about a small boy's efforts to save the life of a large, lazy (self-professed), and droll blue-scaled dragon who prefers poetry to rampaging. Having taken up residence in a cave overlooking the beautiful English countryside, the dragon must contend with a challenge to fight none other than St. George, called by local villagers to slay the beast. The boy, who befriends both the dragon and St. George, must help saint and beast come to terms with the pending battle. A clever solution is in store, and St. George and the dragon join in fast and furious displays of cunning and combat. In the end, as in many stories of this era, the honesty and innocence of youth guides the world of the grown-ups.

Public Domain (P)2015 Jim Moore