Louren's Gift
A long time ago there was a boy called Louren, who rescued a dragon that had been rejected by its mother. The dragon was so grateful for what Louren had done that he stayed by his side day and night, protecting him. When Louren grew into a man the dragon would follow him to market where no one dared to cheat him. No thief ever stepped foot on his land. No bandits ever gave him trouble. Louren had a long and successful life. When his hair turned gray and his body started to fail, the dragon gave him a final gift. The dragon spoke Louren’s name and then surrendered his life to Louren. His body restored to its youth, Louren was able to live a second life that was just as plentiful as the first.
Ponti and the Shell he Found in a Dragon's Nest
A long time ago, in a village near the sea, there lived a young boy named Ponti. His father was a fisherman and very poor. To help his family survive, Ponti would often walk the beaches and climb the cliffs in search of things that he could sell for a coin or two.
One day Ponti found a dragons nest. It looked as if the nests owner hand long since abandoned it. And so, assuming that anything left behind was not wanted, he searched the nest. Buried in the far corner he found a very rare sea shell. The money he could get for it would feed his family well for a month. With an empty stomach growling with anticipation, Ponti put the shell under his shirt and returned home.
Some time later, when the money from the shell was spent, and his stomach once more empty. Ponti climbed to the dragon's nest again. This time he found the nest occupied with a beautiful blue dragon. She sat atop three eggs.
The dragon turned to him and asked, "Are you the boy who took my shell?"
Ponti suddenly felt afraid. He stammered out an apology, explaining he had not know that she still lived there. The dragon just laughed at him and said, "No apologies are necessary. It sounds as if your need were greater then mine. Tell me, would you like another?" Ponti eagerly nodded his head. "Then watch my eggs for me tonight. Stay with them and keep them warm. And when I return in the morning I will bring you another shell," The dragon offered, Ponti quickly agreed. So she took flight, leaving Ponti to tend to her un-hatched. Ponti stayed in the cave all night tending a fire and making sure the eggs stayed warm.
In the morning, the dragon did not return. Ponti stood looking out to see, waiting. At midday he climbed down from the nest and returned home. There he gathered up some blankets, a fishing rod and what few things his mother could spare, and returned to the nest. For four days and three more night, Ponti tended the dragon's eggs.
Eventually she returned and rewarded the boy with a shell for each night that he cared for her young. He used the money to buy his father a better fishing boat and the family never went hungry again. But more then that, he and the dragon became friends they taught and helped each other for the rest of their days.
Folgyn's Dragon Song
Loneliness,
Deeper than the ocean.
Emptiness,
So vast it swallows all.
Wounded,
Beyond repair, torn, broken.
Despair,
Consuming every breath.
Anger,
Unquenchable, even by death.
Revenge.
