Under the Shadow of the Dragon

The young queen stood, wet from the storm outside, in the lighted cave. “Take care of my son!” she cried. “My kingdom will soon be torn by war; but if you will guard the prince, he can someday claim his throne.”

“I promise,” returned the dragon, proud to help the queen.

A year later, the queen’s wicked brother Zindar rose up and overthrew the king and queen. But the prince, jealously guarded against all harm by the dragon, knew nothing of this. He grew up happily in the woods around the cave and was taught all he needed to know by the dragon. The dragon, Tallinn by name, grew very fond of the prince and wished they could stay together forever.

Such however, could not be the case. When the prince was twenty, Tallinn called to him. “The time has come to tell you everything, dearest prince,” he said tenderly. “You are truly a prince. In fact, by rights you are king of this land. Your uncle killed your royal parents, the king and queen, but the queen saw what was coming and left you with me. Now you must get back your kingdom.”
 
“Please, come with me,” the prince begged. Tallinn consented, and together they left the woods and journeyed toward the king’s castle.

Once they were outside it, Tallinn gave a great roar. “The rightful king has returned to claim his throne!” he cried.

The wicked uncle was very scared and ran out the castle’s back door and never came back, for he lived the rest of his life in fear of “a fearful monster who came out of the woods.” In fact, he was the one who started the myth that dragons are wicked.

The prince went into the castle, and the dragon went back to his cave. Tallinn often visited the prince and in time married and had dragonlings. The prince became a very good ruler and became known as Torin the Wise; but he never had a more faithful friend than Tallinn the Dragon.