The Dragon's Lesson
Chapter 1. Once upon a time, there lived a dragon who had grown so large and powerful that he believed himself to be invincible. He had no respect for the other creatures that inhabited the forest or the rules that governed their lives. He did whatever he pleased, burning trees, devouring livestock, and terrorizing the small village nearby. The villagers were terrified of him and so they resorted to desperate measures: they planned to hire a knight to slay the dragon.
When word of this reached the dragon's ears, he was enraged and vowed revenge. One day, while surveying his domain from atop a mountain peak, he spotted a tiny man on a road below. The little man seemed lost and confused.
The dragon swooped down and captured him in his claws. The man pleaded for mercy but the dragon merely laughed in response, telling him that he would make an example of him in order to send a message to all those who would oppose him. Just then, however, something strange happened; instead of becoming angry or scared, the little man remained calm and began speaking gently to the dragon as if it were an old friend.
He told stories about his travels around the world and how he had come to understand that every creature has its place in nature’s grand design. He explained how all creatures should strive towards harmony rather than conflict if they want peace in their lives. The dragon listened with interest and slowly began to realize that perhaps this little man was right; perhaps his actions had been misguided all along.
He released the man with an apology and vowed never again to use his powers recklessly or without thought for others’ feelings or well-being. From that day onward, the dragon became an ally rather than an enemy of those who lived nearby; using his formidable powers only when needed for protection or assistance rather than destruction or chaos. In time, both dragons and humans alike came to admire him for his wisdom and courage in learning from his mistakes; something which few creatures have ever done before or since.
The END
