Dragon Achoo

“Achoo!” The sound of the dragon’s sneeze reverberated through the cave. “Oh, me,” the dragon said to no one in particular, since he was all alone except for a few skeletons. “I think I have a nasty cold coming on.”

Whenever the dragon got sick, he knew there was only one thing to do. He would have to go to the village and ask for help. When a dragon has a cold, the strangest thing happens: instead of the fire shooting out, the fire shoots in. Talk about a case of heartburn!

The dragon first came across a small rabbit. “Don’t run,” he shouted. “I’m sick, and I need help. If you can give me some of your carrots to chase away my cold, I would owe you a big favor.” The rabbit looked at the behemoth dragon and then looked back at the safety of its hole before saying, “Sorry, can’t help you.” Then he scurried away to hide inside his home.

The dragon moved on. The heartburn was getting worse. He needed some fruits or vegetables to get better, and he knew just where he could find some. Three knocks on the door of the three little pigs’ brick home was all it took to get one of the pigs to the door. “Excuse me,” said the suffering dragon, “but I was hoping you might be able to help me. I need some fruit or vegetables, if you please, and if you will help me get well again, I will owe you a huge favor.” The pig looked over his shoulder at his brothers, and then he looked at the dragon before slamming the door shut as he shouted, “Sorry, I can’t help you!”

Sighing, the dragon moved on. He came across just what he needed: a man selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road. “Excuse me, Sir,” the dragon said to the man. “I need your help. I am sick, and the only thing that can help is to eat fresh fruits or vegetables. If you could help me, I would owe you a huge favor.”

The man did not hesitate; he gave the dragon three giant watermelons that he swallowed in three giant gulps. Grinning at his good fortune, the grocer said, “Now you owe me.”

“Indeed I do,” said the dragon, and he blew his fire all over the man’s grocery stand until there was nothing left but ashes.

“Why did you do that when I helped you?” the man asked the grinning dragon.

“I gave you something in return,” explained the unrepentant dragon. “A reminder that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”