Once upon a long-ago morning, the Little Green Dragon woke up.
First, he opened his big green eyes.
Next, he decided to go visit the princess. He loved the princess, because she was so-o-o-o-o pretty!
In a little while the Little Green Dragon was walking along the road. He was on his way to visit the princess.
The Little Green Dragon saw a man on a horse galloping toward him.
“Hi!” the Little Green Dragon called out.
But … when the man and the horse saw the Little Green Dragon, they fainted. They thought he was so-o-o-o-o ugly!
Sadly, the Little Green Dragon went walking on his way to see the princess.
Soon he came to a town.
All the people were running about and crying: “Whatever shall we do? Whatever shall we do? The wicked king and all his army are coming to make war on the princess!”
The Little Green Dragon went running from one group of people to another.
He said: “I’ll help! I’ll help fight the wicked king and all his army.”
But … when the people of the town saw the Little Green Dragon, they fainted—this way and that way, and that way and this way. They thought he was so-o-o-o-o ugly!
“Just wanted to help,” the Little Green Dragon said softly.
Very sadly, the Little Green Dragon went on his way to see the princess.
After a long while he came to a mountain. At the very top was a castle where the princess lived.
The Little Green Dragon climbed. He climbed and climbed and climbed. He climbed to the top of the mountain.
The castle was in front of him.
The Little Green Dragon walked across the castle bridge into the castle courtyard.
All the soldiers were running about. They were crying: “Whatever shall we do? Whatever shall we do?
The wicked king and all his army are coming to make war on the princess!”
The Little Green Dragon went walking very quietly past the soldiers. Luckily, none of them saw him, so none of them fainted.
The Little Green Dragon went inside the castle to see the princess. He loved the princess because she was so-o-o-o-o pretty!
Peering down one long hall after another, the Little Green Dragon looked for the princess.
Then … he saw her coming toward him!
But … when the princess saw the Little Green Dragon, she fainted! She too thought he was so-o-o-o-o ugly!
“I just wanted to tell her I would help. I love her,” the Little Green Dragon said softly.
Very, very sadly, the Little Green Dragon walked out of the castle, through the castle courtyard, and across the castle bridge.
He walked down the other side of the mountain. Maybe the people there would not think he was so-o-o-o-o ugly.
As the Little Green Dragon walked, big green tears dripped off the end of his long green nose.
He didn’t look anywhere but at the ground. He was very, very, very sad.
Then the Little Green Dragon heard a terrible racket. He looked up.
There, right in front of him, were the wicked king’s lancers and bowmen, his horsemen and his foot soldiers—and the wicked king himself!
Ever so bravely, the Little Green Dragon went running toward the wicked king.
He was crying: “Please don’t make war on the princess! Please don’t!”
But … when the lancers and bowmen, the horsemen and foot soldiers, and the wicked king himself saw the Little Green Dragon, they fainted. Yes, they thought he was so-o-o-o-o ugly!
Then the Little Green Dragon heard another terrible racket. Slowly, slowly, he turned his head and peered over his shoulder.
There, behind him, were the man and the horse who had fainted, the people of the town who had fainted, the soldiers of the princess who hadn’t fainted because they hadn’t see him … and the princess herself!
They were all yelling and shouting and cheering.
The Little Green Dragon was frightened, because they were looking straight at him. Nobody had ever looked straight at him before—without fainting, that is.
Then … the princess herself came running to the Little Green Dragon.
She threw her arms around his rough, green neck and said: “Oh, Little Green Dragon. You saved us from the wicked king and all his army! And, oh, how we love you, because you are exactly who you are.”
And then the princess laughed and said, “And because you are so-o-o-o-o special.”
Exploring the Adventure:
1. How does everyone at first judge the Little Green Dragon? Why might they react as they do?
2. Do you agree with them?
3. What do the people and the princess learn about the Little Green Dragon?
4. How does the Little Green Dragon at first judge the princess? (Why does he say he loves her?)
5. What does the Little Green Dragon learn about the princess?
This article is an excerpt from the Unity Book Adventures of the Little Green Dragon.
These exciting stories are available in hardback, CD and audiocassette for special closeout prices in the Unity online store.
