Mouse and the Dragon

A young girl decides to explore the world...

Mouse was a girl that had been forced to choose her own name. Sometimes she decided to change it, but at the moment it was Mouse.

There was no meaning behind the name but she thought that it had a nice ring to it and that if people these days were allowed to be named after fruit or plants, then being named after a small furry rodent was nothing to be ashamed of.

Mouse couldn't remember her parents � which is why she had had to come up with a name for herself � and she often wondered whether she had ever had any. She was of the belief that she had been brought to the Smith's home by the stork, though she was wrapped in a two week old, crunchy, yellowing newspaper rather than a soft, white, cosy blanket.

The only other theory that Mouse could come up with was that she was secretly an alien, sent to gather information of earth. One day she would remember her mission and get beamed up to relay her discoveries. Until then, Mouse wanted to enjoy living on earth: It was a very nice place.

Due to her intriguing baby-life, Mouse did not know her birthday, so she celebrated it at Christmas as a way of saving time and money. Birthday's were often expensive, but so was Christmas. Putting them together seemed entirely sensible.

Mouse's childhood was remarkably uneventful in her opinion and she was delighted when she turned sixteen and was able to leave her old life and travel her way across the land. The Smith's were very sad when she had told them that she was leaving. They were unable to have children themselves and had been delighted to find a ready-made child sitting on their doorstep one autumnal Tuesday afternoon.

Despite their sadness, the Smith's understood that Mouse needed adventure in her life. Their home had always been too small to contain her exotic ways and she often spilled over the edges which caused all sorts of trouble for them; Mrs Smith in particular, as she usually had to tidy up afterwards.

This is why, on one other autumnal Tuesday afternoon, sixteen years after she had been found, Mouse was once more on the doorstep of the Smith's home. This time, she was dressed in more than paper and carried a small brown suitcase in one hand and a big, black coat in the other (for although it was autumn, the sun still shone brightly and it was far too warm to wear such things as coats).

Mouse kissed each of the Smiths on the cheek and then left, leaving nothing more than a wave, a slight smile and a secret note tied under the kitchen sink.

Turning the corner, Mouse beamed to herself. She even danced on the spot for a moment or two, taking in the joy of finally being free from the repression of school-life, stereotypes and dinner-time. Continuing to grin, Mouse set off down the path which she knew led to Somewhere Else.

She had not entirely planned what she was going to do on her travels, but she liked the idea of being able to go anywhere and so decided to follow her feet and hope that they would lead her some place nice.

Mouse continued to walk until about dinnertime. At this point, she decided, it would be a good time to have a rest and maybe some cake and lemonade which Mrs Smith had so kindly packed for her that morning.

Mouse's resting spot was next to a cave, which although dark, still looked quite welcoming and so she decided that it would probably be quite a good spot to rest for the entire night.

However; when Mouse opened her little brown suitcase to extract her snack, she heard a tremendous roar! Looking up from her case, Mouse was fear-stricken to see in front of her the most giant and scary dragon that you ever have seen!

Mouse couldn't even yelp with fright and so simply stared up at the scaly, purple beast with her elegant eyes. It stared back at her, but not with fear: The dragon stared with hatred and anger. And then it even spoke!

�CHILD, DO YOU KNOW YOU I AM?!� it roared, making the ground beneath Mouse tremble ominously.

�I- I- I do not, Mr D- Dragon. P- P- P- Please, d- don't eat me!� she managed to stutter out eventually, wondering how her adventure could have gotten so terrible before she had even left town.

The dragon coughed harshly and spluttered a few droplets of dribble onto Mouse's head. She shuddered as it hit her. Then it spoke again.

�Oh, I am terribly sorry!� it cried out in a much more pleasant voice. �I had no intent of scaring you then! I've had the most frightful cough all morning and I'm afraid that it's given my voice quite a dreadful sound!�

�O- OK,� Mouse replied calmly, realising that the Dragon had never intended to harm her and was probably just trying to make a friend.

�So what are you doing up here anyway? There's few that'll come up to see a Dragon such as myself these days; everybody is far too frightened of me. Are people frightened of you as well?� it asked pleasantly.

�Well no...� Mouse began, �I'm actually in the first stage of a mighty adventure. I just stopped for a snack and a rest. I had no idea that anybody lived up here, let alone a Dragon!�

�Well I never!� the Dragon replied, surprised. Then he smiled. �Then I'd definitely like to be friends. What's your name?�

�I don't entirely have one. You see I was found as a baby, and so I've had to make one up. I like to be called Mouse at the moment though,� Mouse smiled up at the Dragon, glad that he wasn't going to be eating her. �What's your name?�

The Dragon looked away sadly.

�I'm afraid that that's something we have in common. I also do not know my true name...�

�Oh my, why ever not?� Mouse was sad for the Dragon because it is always a sad thing not to know who you are.

�When I was a young lad, I lived around the corner from an evil wizard named Jeffrey. He was only about my age at the time and we had even gone to school together. Then, one year, we came to the annual dance that our village held. There was a young woman named Violet that I was quite in love with, so I asked her to the dance. She said yes and so it was agreed that we would go to the dance together. However, it turned out that Jeffrey was also in love with Violet, and, on hearing that I had already asked her out, he fell into a vicious rage. This is when the extent of his magic was first discovered. He could not bare to see me with Violet and so lured me up to this mountain and turned me into this terrible creature! Jeffrey took away all of my memories of myself, but left all of those related to Violet so that I would always remember my unrequited love for her,� the Dragon had tears in his eyes by now and Mouse felt quite dreadful. Getting up, she put her arms around his left calf, the only part of him that she could reach; so very massive that he was.

�There there,� she patted him. She paused to allow the Dragon to wail a great sob before asking a question. �But how could Violet just stop loving you, just because you'd changed on the outside?�

The Dragon wiped his eyes slightly and then looked down at Mouse.

�I am quite sure that Jeffrey would have relayed some false tale of my death to her, to keep me out of the way so that he could make his move,� the Dragon looked so very mournful that Mouse vowed then and there that she would do something to help him.

�How long ago was this?� Mouse asked, hoping to gather as much information as she could for her first adventure.

�Mmm?� the Dragon seemed a little surprised by the question, but thought about it nonetheless. �Well- I- I'm not too sure... Time is irrelevant here, so I suppose that it could have been any time ago. Days, months, years or decades...�

�Show me which was to go and I shall find this wizard Jeffrey,� Mouse said strongly, using all of her might. �I'll make him change you back and you can go and see Violet again! I am sure that she will still love you!�

The Dragon looked surprised for a moment, but then his eyes once more filled with tears of joy due this wonderful act of kindness.

�Oh thank you, Mouse! Thank you so much! My village is just on the other side of this mountain here!� the Dragon waved an arm vaguely over his shoulder in the direction of the mountain that his cave was built into.

�Right then,� Mouse said determinedly, picking up her suitcase and coat. �I'll be back as soon as I can!�

�Wait, wait!� the Dragon held one of his wings over the entrance of the cave, blocking her way. �You mustn't go now! It'll be dark in a short while and that'll be far too dangerous! Stay here for the night and go in the morning. It won't take long, this cave links directly to my home town.�

�Right,� said Mouse, in the same determined voice as before, setting herself back on the floor, opening her suitcase again.

*

Mouse and the Dragon enjoyed a very pleasant dinner of warm lemonade and Victoria sponge with strawberry jam in. They fell asleep shortly after and Mouse was then awoken by the sunrise.

She ate another small slice of cake for breakfast, watching the Dragon's gentle breathing, positive that she could help him. When she was ready, she closed up her little brown case once more and stood up, brushing crumbs from her dress. She decided to leave her coat behind so that the Dragon would know that she was coming back.

Then she set off, up the dark path through the cave...

*

When the Dragon awoke, he was startled to find Mouse's space empty. He looked around for her a little, but when he found her coat he realised that she must have begun her adventure without saying goodbye. He sent all the luck he had out to her and crossed his claws in quiet expectation.

*

After four days of waiting, the Dragon uncrossed his claws and decided that it would probably be good if he washed and ate something. He trudged down the river in a melancholy way, wondering whether Jeffrey had cast some sort of spell on Mouse, or maybe fed her to the evil lion that lived down in his village.

Just as the Dragon was finishing off a rather delightful trout that he had caught, he heard Mouse's voice in the distance and also � he hoped � the voice of another that he recognised!

Splashing his scales with water in an attempt to make himself look slightly more respectable, he rushed up back to his cave.

�Violet!� he cried out in delight as he laid eyes on his long lost love. The two ran to each other and the Dragon lifted Violet up and hugged her tight, though he was careful not to squash her.

Mouse stood in her spot and watched the scene that ensued.

�Oh, how I have missed you!� Violet beamed up at the Dragon.

�I've missed you too, Violet!� the Dragon beamed back, baring his white, sharp teeth. �But where on earth is Jeffrey? Did he refuse to turn me back?�

Violet looked down sadly, in a similar way to the way that the Dragon had when he had spoken of his terrible past.

�Oh, it's all so awful!� Violet began to wail. �Just three days ago, Jeffrey was eaten by that evil lion! If I'd have only known about what had happened to you, I'd have gladly saved him!�

The Dragon looked down at Violet with love in his eyes.

�It's OK my dear. I understand completely. I also understand if you want to return to the village instead of living up here with an old Dragon like me. But before you go, could you please tell me my name?� the Dragon looked like he was going to be very lonely, but it was clear to all that he cared more about Violet's happiness than having company.

�Oh, how silly you are!� Violet smiled up at her love. �Of course I shan't leave you! I'll be staying here with you until the end of my days! I love you!�

Tears of happiness again began to fall from the Dragon's eyes and he held Violet close to him, drenching her.

�I am so happy!� he called out with delight.

Mouse turned to leave, happy with herself that her very first adventure had gone so well. But before she did that, she felt that she had to know the Dragon's name.

The Dragon let go of Violet and set her down on the ground. The two had quite forgotten about Mouse, but she did not mind because she believed that their love was far more important.

�So?� the Dragon asked. �What's my name?�

�Your name?� Violet smiled. �Why... It's Mouse...�

Taking this as her cue to leave, Mouse took up her suitcase and left silently with the feeling of a job well done.

*

Years later, when Mouse was an old woman, she wondered whether the Dragon ever thought of her, and hoped that he and Violet were still happy together.


And they were.


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