Story © by Bob Bearden 1998
All Rights Reserved
page by Jilli

THE DRAGON OF THISTLEDOWN

By B.R.Bearden aka Thon_

Everyone remembered the year the Dragon came to Thistledown. The spring was just passing into summer and the new grass turning to darker green in the pastures around the small hamlet. It was the spring when Squire Tandy fell on the cobblestones of the village commons and broke his ankle, and his threat to have the stones removed as a menace had the village astir. Taxes were also raised that spring by a farthing on the measure, adding yet another burden on the common folk and prompting many to leave Baron Richard out of their prayers. But, all of this worry evaporated when the Dragon came.

Those who spied it first thought it a large bird, an eagle maybe. Yet as it grew larger in the nearing, all knew it was neither an eagle, nor anything any of the people had ever seen. It circled the hamlet once, a terrible shape that panicked the animals yet held the people frozen in place. Spiraling down like an autumn leaf, the gold and brown creature came to rest on Hop Rabbit Hill. And there it lay, somewhat sprawled, as if completely done in by its flight.

The villagers gathered at the edge of the pasture, too afraid to approach, too curious to flee. A general discussion on what should be done commenced once the shock of seeing the huge creature had somewhat lessened.

"That's a dragon!" announced Harlon Brickman, local stone and brick mason and only slightly smarter than the bricks he made and laid. He had set the less-than-even cobblestones in the commons.

Jason Miller, local wit and operator of the grain mill, turned to him. "Are you sure, Harlon? Might it not be an exceptionally large dragonfly? Been some big ones about this year."

"Don't think so," Harlon replied in all seriousness, causing a few chuckles.

"I thought dragons were all fairy tale and make believe?" said Lucila Entwhistle. She was the schoolteacher.

"This one ain't!" exclaimed little Tawny Hillcrest, the village tomboy. She was on equal footing with a badger in both weight and temperament. Lucila glared at her.

"How many times, Tawny, must I tell you that ain't is not..." the teacher began.

"This is hardly the time for a school lesson," Dilbert Tap, the tavern owner, cut her off. "We seem to have a dragon, fairy tales or no, sitting on Hop Rabbit Hill and looking down at us."

"Here comes the squire!" someone in the crowd shouted.

All turned as the old man hobbled up on his crutch, the ever-present bone pipe hanging out of his mouth. He was wearing his green walking coat with the brass buttons, despite the warm day, causing some to speculate that he had taken time to dress-it-up a bit for their unexpected visitor. His man Will walked behind him.

"So, has anyone tried approaching the beast to ask its business in Thistledown?"   Squire Tandy asked as the crowd parted for him. He was not the type to go around.

"Well, squire, we thought we should wait on you, beings that you own Hop Rabbit Hill," Jason said with a hint of a smile. A few others smiled, but were careful not to let the cranky old man catch them.

"Hrmmp! Right you are, Jason Miller." The squire turned a narrowed look his way. "Glad to see you have grasped the concept of trespassing at last."

Now others smiled, recalling how the Squire had chastised the younger man severely in front of the entire tavern crowd for cutting across his pasture.

"Let's go talk to the dragon!" Tawny suggested. She had already climbed to a perch atop the Squire's split rail fence. Property rights and fences meant nothing to her.

"Talk? Who says the beast can talk?" Harlon asked.

"Dragon's always talk in the stories," the young girl shot back. She hopped off the fence and started up the hill.

"Tawny, you get back here!" her mother shouted in alarm. The widow Hillcrest was ignored as usual.

The crowd watched as the small figure boldly marched up the hill. The dragon turned its head to watch her and drew its wings in tight against its body, as if wary of the sprite of a girl. Several in the crowd held their breaths, expecting the dragon to snatch up the girl and fly way. Mrs. Hillcrest held her hand over her mouth and seemed ready to drop in a dead faint.

Tawny stopped less than twenty feet from the huge creature. From below, the crowd could tell from her gestures and the movement of her head she was talking to the dragon. The head of the dragon moved also, as if mimicking the slight human. After a few tense minutes, Tawny turned to the villagers below.

"His name is Gramm!" she shouted, "You can all come closer. He ain't gonna hurt you!"

Reluctantly but also eagerly, the people crossed the Squire's fence and climbed the hill. None of the villagers dared as close as Tawny. All stood staring in awe at the amazing creature.

The dragon was the size of a small cottage, with a tail twice again as long. Its snake-like head was atop a long neck and the creature was covered in brown and gold scales that rippled in the sunlight. Its wings were bat-like and brown with hints of purple in the membranes. The eyes of the dragon were large and an oily green in color, with slit pupils likes a cat. It opened its mouth and the crowd gasped and stepped back at sight of the teeth the size of daggers. Then it spoke.

"Greetings, small ones," it said in a voice deep and strong , like a bell. "I am Gramm."

Nobody said a word. Until the Squire, slower to climb the hill with his crutch, pushed his way through the gawking villagers. His man Will joined the back of the crowd.

"And I am Squire Tandy," he announced to the beast. "And this is my property you are upon."

"Property?" the dragon pondered a moment. "Oh, you mean this is your territory?"

"You might say that, yes," the old man answered. "Indeed, yes. You are in my territory without my leave."

At the Squire's bold words, the villagers stepped away from him, expecting to see him withered with the dragon fire spoken of in all dragon stories.

The dragon opened its mouth in what might have been a smile if it were not so terrifying. "I guess I should ask your leave, then. Do you mind if I rest awhile in your territory?"

"He don't own everything here, Gramm!" Tawny spoke up. "Just this pasture and hill, and that ol' manor house over yonder. You can rest anywhere else around Thistledown."

Squire Tandy gave the young girl a slit-eyed stare. Tawny gave it right back.

"Well, I suppose you may rest here a bit, dragon," the Squire gave in. "Just don't be eating my livestock unless you can pay."

The dragon did laugh at that. "I had something to eat only last year, Squire Tandy. I shall not be hungry for a few years yet."

"The Squire does have the plumpest sheep, though," Jason remarked. Several in the crowd laughed, until the old man raked their ranks with his hardest stare. Considering the matter settled, the Squire turned from the dragon and hobbled away down the hill, followed by Will.

After a time, the villagers also withdrew from the hill, being more than a little frightened of the dragon, despite its apparent peaceful intent. Most did stay down by the pasture fence to look at it and discuss it among themselves, though. Tawny, however, stayed with the huge creature, showing no fear whatsoever.

The girl walked around the dragon, looking at him from all angles and talking all the while.

"I bet it's just the greatest thing to fly!" she chattered on. "Seeing all the world laid out 'neath you. Dippin' and divin' like a bird!" She held her arms out and dipped and twirled to illustrate just how she meant. Gramm watched her with his great green eyes.

"Oh my!" the young girl said as she circled to the side of the dragon not visible from the village. She stared wide-eyed and open mouthed at the length of wood stuck in his side. A foot of a lance shaft protruded from Gramm just between his shoulder and side. The shaft was painted blue and had been snapped off. Green blood ran down it and dripped onto the grass.

"Oh yes, he scored me well," the dragon said as he looked down at the wound.

"Who did?"

"A knight who fancies himself a dragon slayer. He came upon me yesterday as I lay sleeping in the sun beside a lake. He charged me and had driven in his lance before I was fully awake." He saw a question coming from Tawny. "Dragons seldom sleep, but when we do, we sleep deep. Contrary to the legends."

The girl knelt and studied the wound and lance shaft as if she were about to tend it. Then she turned to face the dragon. "I'll get you some help, Gramm. My ma has been tending to the hurts and ills of our stock since my da died."

"Stock? You mean horses and cows?"

Tawny shrugged, "Well, we ain't got no horses, and only the one cow. But we got some pigs and chickens. When our cow, Mosey, got attacked by a wolf last winter, ma tended her real good. Now she don't hardly limp a'tall."

Gramm chuckled in his deep voice, causing Tawny to laugh too. "Alright, little one. See if your mother will look at my injury. If she can mend a cow, perhaps she can help me, also."

Word of the dragon had already drawn people from the outlying farms, so that the pasture fence soon resembled the watch-rail at the Baron's jousting tournament. Dilbert Tap, being a shrewd businessman, had begun serving out the back door of his tavern and was pleased to note the weekend drinkers indulging in a mid-week taste. The news of the dragon's injury quickly spread. The Squire sent off one of his lads to inform Baron Richard of the event, a two-day journey, but more than justified.

Tawny and her mother, along with Jason and farmer Matter Grouse trudged up the hill carrying pails of water. Nobody else desired to get any closer to the wounded dragon. The widow Hillcrest made a wide circle to the wounded side of Gramm, keeping her distance and looking as if she might flee at the first excuse. Matter stood gawking until Jason made some remark about he and the widow being from the same seedpod. At that he screwed up his courage and approached to within a few feet. Tawny, of course, walked right up to Gramm. The girl pointed to the broken lance, though it was quite apparent to all.

"Oh dear," her mother said as she set her bucket to the ground. "That is wicked. How shall we ever remove it?"

"A lance shouldn't have a barbed head like an arrow," Jason said. He knelt and studied it. "I think we can pull it out. If Gramm will stand for that, of course."

The dragon snorted. "I would have pulled it out myself if I could grip such a small thing properly. So far, I have done no better than to break it off."

Tawny patted the dragon's massive shoulder as she might a favorite dog, bringing a gasp from her mother. "Gramm is brave and strong. He'll let us snatch that ol' spear out of him."

"We need to be about it. He's losing blood." Matter said. Widow Hillcrest had sent Tawny to fetch him, as she had when the wolf injured her cow. He was knowledgeable in the treatment of livestock. Even the Squire consulted him, on occasion.

Jason washed the green blood off the shaft, dried it a bit with his shirttail, and tested the grip. Matter joined him. The two men looked expectantly at the dragon and at Tawny.

"Are you ready, Gramm?" the young girl asked, patting him again. The dragon nodded and looked away.

Jason and Matter braced themselves and, on a three, strained to pull the shaft out of Gramm's side. At first if held fast, and Gramm grunted, his wings twitching. Then slowly the shaft was withdrawn until it popped free of the brown scales. The two men stumbled back, breathing hard from the effort.

Matter took up his bucket and doused the wound with the cold well water. Gramm jumped in surprise, and the Widow Hillcrest dropped in a faint. Tawny laughed.

"Are you ok, Gramm?" the girl asked after waking her mother. The woman sat up embarrassed.

"Yes, I am fine," the dragon said. "Thank you all."

Matter took a handful of salve from a stoneware jar and looked enquiringly at Gramm. The dragon nodded. The farmer covered the wound with his special blend of animal cure-all. "I think a couple of days rest here, and I shall be strong enough to be on my way."

"Where to?" Tawny asked, her smile vanishing.

"My home is far away, in the mountains, Tawny. I was resting by the lake when I was attacked." Gramm said. "Finishing up a journey I like to make to the sea every spring."

"The sea! Oh, that is as far away as forever," the girl said.

"Well, it is a long way," the dragon laughed. "But, there is a certain female dragon lives on the coast, and she and I share company every spring. Hrmpp, anyway, thank you all again. If there is anything I can do for you, I will."

"Like what?" Jason asked. "You have some treasure you wish to share?"

Gramm laughed loudly, the sound carrying down to the village. The people at the fence knew they were missing something and hated they had been so timid.

"Any treasure I have is far from here, sir." Gramm said. "Sorry."

"We don't want none of your treasure, Gramm," Tawny said. "We're just proud we could help you." Jason shrugged and nodded agreement.

In the afternoon most of the people got the nerve to climb the hill for a closer look at their dragon, for already they were calling it "their" dragon. (In after years it would be remembered as The Dragon of Thistledown). Gramm was pleasant with all, and especially to the children as they played around him, tumbling down the grassy hill and climbing up to go again. At nightfall, the villagers said their good-byes. Only Tawny remained after dark, sitting between the dragon's feet and asking her endless supply of questions. Widow Hillcrest finally came for her an hour after nightfall and shooed the girl home.

The next day the knight arrived. He came into the town from the south, unseen until he rounded Napper's Bend. His appearance in the rustic town caused almost as much a stir as the arrival of Gramm.

The warrior was dressed in plate armor that caught the sunlight on its burnished surfaces, partially covered by a blue surcoat trimmed in white. His helm swung at his saddle, surmounted by a white horsehair crest. On the other side was his shield, blue with a white griffin upon it. At his side he wore a great sword. The man himself was blond of hair and more-than-one of the village girls were taken by his handsome features. The knight's horse was a massive animal, built like a plow horse but with a regal bearing.

In the center of the village commons he stopped, giving all an equal chance to see him. He called for water and several eager boys ran to the well to fill the dipper for him and the bucket for his steed. Tawny slipped from the crowd and cut behind the tavern, racing to Hop rabbit Hill as fast as her lean legs would take her. She had been on her way there when the knight arrived, her morning chores a memory and her intention of going to school a myth. Out of breath she arrived at the dragon, who lay dozing in the mid-morning warmth.

"Gramm, oh Gramm, there is a knight in the village! " she exclaimed as quickly as she could catch breath. She stood panting and trembling before the dragon. Gramm raised his head from his paws and looked to the town.

"Dressed in blue, on a gray horse?"

"Yes, all in blue, on a horse bigger'n Mosey." She gasped. "Is he the one what speared you?"

"Sir Jon of Licten, yes." Gramm answered. "He means to make a name for himself at my expense, 'twould seem."

"Just fly away!" Tawny said.

Gramm rose slowly and stretched his wings. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

"I am still weak from the wound. I doubt I would make more than a few miles. Then he would come upon me in even weaker state than I am now." The dragon mused. "I don't wish to fight, but it seems the only course open to me at present. He will quickly learn where I am."

"Then hide!" the girl pleaded. "Down behind the hill. I'll tell him you flew away!"

Gramm considered her words, then nodded. Slowly, with evident pain, the great creature crawled to the other side of Hop Rabbit Hill. When he was down the far slope, the girl turned to the village. She saw a crowd just rounding the tavern and heading for the fence, led by the knight on his huge horse.

Tawny ran down the hill. "He flew away .. did see? He took off like a big bird!"

The crowd scanned the sky in all directions. The knight gripped his sword hilt.

"Where?" The knight demanded as Tawny reached the fence. He now wore his helmet, but the visor was raised. His griffin shield was on his arm, but his sword was as yet undrawn. Tawny pointed off to the North, towards the thickness of Tangle Wood Forest.

"Are you sure?" the man asked. He spoke as one used to commanding respect of people. Tawny nodded her small head, her eyes all wide and innocent. The knight looked to the north. "How long ago?" Tawny shrugged. "Right after you came into Thistledown, sir. I ran around here... to get a good seat on the fence for the fight...and...well, he flew off."

The girl could see the knight doubted her. She had been found out too many times in lies to adults not to know when they didn't believe. She looked into the crowd, seeking support. The dragon had not hurt anyone there; in fact he had been very kind to all. Yet they stood mute as this arrogant knight came to slay the poor thing. Tawny felt alone. The knight gave her a cold look, then urged his steed forward. The mighty horse breasted the rail fence and the rails tumbled like straw before it. Sir Jon drew his sword. Tawny stepped in front of him. How frail she looked, standing defiant with her small fists at her sides, in front of the massive horse and steel clad rider.

"I saw him, too!" Jason spoke up and walked over to stand by Tawny, putting his hand on her slight shoulder. He indicated with his head towards the forest. "I saw what I thought was an eagle while we were talking on the commons, but now I'm sure it was the dragon." The knight hesitated, locking the miller with a searching stare.

"Oh yea, I saw that!" Dilbert Tap said as he joined the miller and the girl. "As I was fetchin' you that tankard of ale, m'lord, I chanced to look out my back door and saw that dragon wingin' off North."

"Tawny is a fit to teach, always full of mischief," Lucila Entwhistle said in her best teacherly tone of accusation. Tawny's heart sank. "But I have never known her to lie. Not once."

The girl looked at her nemesis in surprise, and Miss Lucila actually winked at her. Little Tummie Granger spoke, "Why, Tawny is the biggest...ouch!" He yelped as his mother grabbed his ear.

"You don't speak when grown-ups are talking, Tummie!" she said. "Didn't I raise you better?"

Others in the crowd, even Harlon Brickman, said they too had seen it fly north. The knight looked confused, but not convinced.

"Hey now, what is all this?" Squire Tandy asked as he hobbled up to the forefront of the crowd. "Are you people going to stand here and lie to this noble knight? Shame on you all! This is what I expect from you, though. You cripple an old gentleman with your shoddy cobblestone work in the commons, you traipse all over my pasture, and now you can't even speak the truth to this high born man?"

The Squire ran his coldest stare over the crowd, then limped over to Tawny. "And you, girl, are gonna lead them in the lie, is that the way of it?"

Tawny started to speak, but the old man shushed her with an upraised finger. "None of your backtalk!"

The Squire turned to the knight. "Truth is, Sir Jon, I was in my manor there on the rise, up in my upper balcony window, when you arrived in town. My servant, Will, came with the word of who you were and what you sought. As you may see, my manor sits higher than Hop Rabbit Hill, so I had no trouble seeing the dragon and all it did. I've been watching it with suspicion, anyway, what with it pretending to be hurt so it couldn't fly away. Ha! There was nothing wrong with the beast, other than a scratch that wouldn't hurt me, much less a dragon. It was sizing us up for the kill, I don't doubt. It is our good fortune you came when you did, sir knight. I'll tell you exactly where that dragon is, sir."

The crowd stood as one dejected soul. Tawny felt she might cry, which she had not since her da passed away. The knight gave them all a severe look and drew his sword. The bright blade gleamed in the sunlight. The man smiled. "Where is the beast, Squire, that I may rid you of it?"

"As I said, they all lied to you, saying it flew off to the north when you rode into the village. I watched the whole thing," The Squire Tandy said. He looked at Tawny and she turned her eyes away. "It flew off to the south!"

The girl looked up in surprise. The Squire, using his pipe, pointed south, towards the river. Harlon Brickman stepped up to the mounted man and removed his sun-faded hat.

"Sire, I weren't trying to lie to you. I ain't real smart, as everyone knows. I saw the dragon fly off towards the river, but I thought that was north. But north or south, that's the way it went," he said. Jason gave him a slight nod and a smile.

The knight sheathed his sword and turned his mount. "Thank you, Squire." He said, then glanced at Harlon. "At least one person in your village knows how to aid a questing knight."

"Hold on there, what of my fence?" The Squire caught at the bit and reins of the war-horse. "Shouldn't you be fixin' my fence before you rush off to slay that dragon?"

The knight jerked the horse free of the old man's grip. "I am no commoner, to mend fences. Let a couple of these liars tend to it." He set off at a cantor.

"Well, if that's how you regard private property, don't you be coming back here!" Squire Tandy called after him, shaking his crutch. "I'll be sending Will to fetch Baron Richard if you do! Mark my word on that!" For answer the knight laughed over his shoulder as he spurred off down the road.

"Hrrmp!" the old man snorted. Then he laughed. "Wait till he gets across the ferry. I told Will to make sure he gets a free ride across to the south bank. But, if he decides to come back, he'll find it won't go back over for him. We'll see if he can swim the river with all that armor on his big plow horse."

The weeks that followed led into a perfect summer for the folk of Thistledown. Gramm mended quickly and was soon flying about the region, testing his strength. Tawny flew with him, holding tightly to his neck and laughing all the while. The Squire relented on his threat to tear up the cobblestones of the commons and Harlon replaced the uneven stones. Dilbert did a brisk business in his tavern as more and more folk made the journey to the village to view the wondrous dragon. The Widow Hillcrest, Matter Grouse, and Jason all came into some gold coins, and none doubted they were in payment for their bit of doctoring. (And there was rumor that the Widow and Matter might be joining their fortunes by year's end.)

Even Baron Richard visited for a few days and conversed amiably with Gramm. Before he left, he announced Thistledown taxes were to be reduced by two farthings on the measure, possibly in return for Gramm giving him an aerial tour of his Barony.

The day the dragon left for home, a festival was held in his honor. Amid banners and music he said his good-byes and treated the crowd to the sight of a blast of fire, to resolve the question of whether or not dragons do breathe fire. After a hug from Tawny, Gramm launched from Hop Rabbit Hill and winged off to the west, the setting sun striking gold off his scales.

So, at last Thistledown returned to normal and the people to the routines of their lives.

Until the Unicorn came down out of Tangle Wood Forest for a visit. And, of course, Tawny was the first to run to greet it.