Disclaimers: The characters in this story do not belong to me. They are owned by Carolyn McBride AKA Taleweaver. Thanks, Tale, for allowing me to borrow Frizzle and his friends for this story.

Thanks also go to Shandon for the inspiration.

Constructive feedback is always welcome.

Frizzle is drawn by Verrath

A long time ago, in a land far, far away lived a little dragon named Frizzle.
One day Frizzle woke up in his little cave and knew that he was going to have a bad day. He knew as soon as he opened his eyes that it would be a bad day. He could hear the rain drops ‘splat, splat, spatter’ on the stones at the cave door.

“That means we won’t be able to have our school picnic and smoke-blowing contest today,” Frizzle thought to himself with a frown.

When he went to the kitchen for breakfast he saw that his mother had made boiled spotted ostrich eggs with mushy grain cereal. “But Mama! I hate mushy grain cereal! And I like my spotted eggs fried!” Frizzle whined at his mother, and his lower lip started to tremble.

I’m sorry, Dear,” Mama Dragon answered as she quickly moved around the kitchen packing lunches and cleaning dishes. We are all running late, and I didn’t have time to fix anything else. Eat your breakfast like a good little dragon. You will be late for school if you don’t hurry.”

Frizzle couldn’t find his new raincoat that had the dragon breathing fire on the back. He had to wear his old one with the big purple bunny chasing a bumblebee. He accidentally dropped his tail in a big mud puddle, and muddy water splashed onto his legs and feet, soaking his shoes and socks.

When Frizzle got to school the late bell had already rung so he had to sign in at the office. Mr. Snarl, the principal, frowned at Frizzle and told him to hurry to class.

The class was already seated and at work when Frizzle entered the room. Someone else was in his seat! Mrs. Smoke took his late slip and told Frizzle sit in a desk up front.

“But my desk is right here between Dawnie and Garth!” Frizzle said. His lip started to tremble again.

“I know, Frizzle,” Mrs. Smoke replied, patting him on the head as she gently directed him to the new seat, “but your parents and I thought you might be able to see the board better if you are closer to the front of the caveroom. Just try it for today and see how you like it.”

Frizzle frowned angrily and plopped his books down on the desk loudly. Then he plopped himself down just as loudly. Mrs. Smoke ignored the noise and continued with class.

There was an indoor recess because of the rain. Frizzle forgot his story during storytelling class and made a D- on his History of Dragons test because he forgot to study the night before.

The worst thing of all happened during the afternoon recess. Frizzle, Garth and Dawnie were playing Jacks in the back of the room. All three dragons had made it to the ‘threesies.’ Then Garth missed a jack. Now Frizzle and Dawnie were playing for the championship. Frizzle tossed the ball and grabbed for the jacks…and missed. Dawnie didn’t miss on her turn.

“I win!” cried Dawnie happily.

“Good job!” Garth answered and gave Dawnie a ‘well done’ pat on the shoulder.

Frizzle was mad! He should have won. He was the best Jacks player in the whole school! He jumped up angrily and spun around so his tail hit the jacks still on the floor. They scattered everywhere.

“Get out of my way! I don’t want to play with you anymore!” he snarled and pushed past Dawnie and Garth as he stomped to the front of the class and sat down hard in his new desk.

“Frizzle, come to my desk please.” Frizzle heard the stern voice of Mrs. Smoke.

Frizzle shuffled slowly to Mrs. Smoke’s desk, his head hanging low. He knew he was in trouble now. He could hear Dawnie sniffling like she was trying not to cry in the back of the room. The rest of the class was completely quiet. Frizzle felt every eye on him. Frizzle stopped at Mrs. Smoke’s desk and waited.

Mrs. Smoke didn’t speak for a long moment. She just looked at Frizzle sadly. Finally she looked up and motioned to a young dragon. “Firestorm, will you watch the class for me a few minutes? I have an errand to run. Frizzle will come with me to help, won’t you, Frizzle?” Mrs. Smoke looked at Frizzle as she spoke the last words.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Frizzle replied in a small voice.

Frizzle and Mrs. Smoke walked down the cave hall silently until they reached the bench outside the office. Mrs. Smoke sat down on the bench and motioned for Frizzle to sit. Frizzle sat down beside her and looked at his shoes. He waited a few moments and then he asked, “Are you going to tell Mr. Snarl what I did?”

Instead of answering Frizzle’s question, Mrs. Smoke asked, “What did you do, Frizzle?”

Frizzle thought for a moment. “I was mean to Dawnie, and I knocked the jacks all over the room,” Frizzle said. “But I should have won! I always win at Jacks! It’s not fair!” he cried. Tears shimmered in his eyes. He blinked to stop them from falling.

“You are one of the best Jacks players I’ve seen,” Mrs. Smoke replied. “Probably the best player in our school,” she added, “just like Dawnie is the best marbles player. She usually wins at marbles just like you usually win at Jacks.”

Frizzle nodded his head.

“Do you remember last week when you and Dawnie were playing marbles at recess, and you won the game?” Mrs. Smoke asked.

Frizzle nodded again and this time he smiled. “I sure do,” he said. “I was very happy. It was the very first time I won at marbles.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Smoke said. “We were all proud of you. I was proud, and so was Garth and Dawnie. You remember what she said?”

Frizzle hung his head very low now. “She said I was getting much better, and she was very glad I’d won.” Frizzle thought for a moment. “Mrs. Smoke, do you really need me to run an errand? If you don’t, I would like to go back and speak to Dawnie and Garth. I think I need to say I’m sorry.”

“I think that would be a very good idea,” Mrs. Smoke answered. “You go on back to class. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Frizzle hurried back to the caveroom and looked for Dawnie. He saw her and Garth at their desks drawing pictures on their slates. He walked up to Dawnie’s desk and said, “Dawnie, I’m very sorry I was mean to you when you won the game. I’m glad you won, really. You played a good game.”

Dawnie smiled a big dragony smile and said, “Thanks Frizzle. You want to draw pictures with us?”

Frizzle nodded and went to his desk to get his slate. As he passed by the cave window, he noticed that the rain had stopped and the sun was beginning to peek from behind the clouds. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad day after all.