The Weeping Dragon

a Childrens’ Book

by Cadmann Warner
illustrated by Marcus Laurinaitis
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There is a Great Dragon, who lives among a settlement of elfin people, and forever weeps.

***

There once was a dragon. He was not like the legends described dragons. He did not eat elfin people, or burn them with fire, or spit acid on them, or step all over their houses.

And the dragon came upon a surprise. If for a time the elfin peoples were allowed to grow old and not be burned, or stepped all over, or spit upon, some of them became dragons themselves.

They were not all like him; some had no wings, some could not breathe fire but only spit acid, or lightning, or even merely spittle. But all had one thing in common: they also did not thoughtlessly burn or eat elfin babies, or children, or step all over their houses, or spit upon them.

And all other dragons watched over the elfin peoples, though none more than the first dragon.

And, in time, all these other dragons went on, in search of other elfin peoples' to watch over, that they might one day be dragons themselves.

And it came to pass that the first dragon realized that although he watched over them, the elfin people feared him.

And he gathered them together and said, "You have no need to fear me. See, I pull aside the scales of my breast, and whoever would strike a blow may do so. I am your protector, and defender, and shall always bare my whole and vulnerable heart to you." And none of the elfin people struck him with their elfin swords, and the dragon was glad.

But the elfin people had each murmured to himself or herself, and to each other: "If we struck but did not at once destroy this dragon, his rage might be fierce, so we had best not strike at all."

And so one day the dragon said, "I must walk together with these elfin people, for I know that though they accept me and would not harm me, yet do they fear me."

And the dragon called upon the magic of the Creators, Sky and Earth, and all the Others, and they granted him to walk among the elfin people as a human, though They insisted he not be quite so small as they, but tall and proud. And the dragon walked among them.

And as he walked, he did not hear the elfin people say to himself or herself, and to each other, "This dragon is more a threat to us than ever.

“Before, as our protector and defender we could tolerate this threat, of his power. But now he is one of us, and even of no use to us, and weak. But in his weakness still is the potential for strength, for he could yet become again a dragon among us, and be as we know dragons really are, and eat us, and burn us, and step all over our houses.

"Yet if we strike now, unlike before, we may even with our tiny, elfin swords eviscerate him with one blow, and split his heart, and he may die, and we need never again fear dragons."

And the elfin people said to the once-dragon, "Do you remember how you used to pull apart your breast scales and bare yourself to a blow, and say, Whoever would strike a blow may do so, I am your protector and defender and shall always bare my whole and vulnerable heart to you?'

“Would you show us once again, for old times' sake?"

...And the dragon spread his arms and began to speak ...

But before he had finished the first words, the elfin people fell upon him, and tried in vain to eviscerate him with their tiny swords, and in vain to with their elfin swords split his great heart.

And the dragon stood for a moment, surprised, for even as a man their tiny, elfin swords could scarcely make so large a heart as his bleed, and could not kill him.

But the once-dragon realized what they had meant to do to him, and from within his heart broke, and burst. And he fell.

And suddely the sky split with lightning, and dripped with acid, and even merely spittle ...

***

...And hundreds of dark forms descended upon the elfin people, the many forms with wings carrying those without.

And the dragons surrounded the elfin people and said: "You fools! You nest of vipers! We have searched long and hard, yet have still no found any other elfin peoples.
Did you not know that we would have watched over you, that some of you might grow into dragons yourself one day? And none more so than he, who you have killed!"

And the many dragons snatched the spirit of the First Dragon as it fled his body, and they returned to it its dragon power, and each living dragon infused it with a little of their own. And the slain dragon rose, and his body changed into a dragon once again, more powerful and fearsome than any dragon had ever been.

And in their anger the dragons said: "These fools! This nest of vipers! Come, what matter is it that some would be dragons? Let us burn them all, and eat them all, and and step all over all their houses!"

But the once and now-again Great Dragon said, No. For there are those among them who will yet be dragons themselves, one day ...

"Go," he said. "Find your own elfin peoples, while I watch over these. Though never again may I bare my whole heart to them."

And the Great Dragon lives among them, and watches over them still, and now, and in all ways.

Even unto the end of the World.