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It
had been such a lovely, sunny day and Peter had taken his father's small
boat out to sea to do some fishing. But strange black clouds had suddenly
rolled across the sun and a terrible storm had blown up. Peter struggled
with all his might to control the little boat, but the storm was too strong.
When a big wave hit his boat, Peter was knocked into the sea, and he was
washed to an island far away.
"I
must find out where I've come to," said Peter, "and I must try
to find my way home." Peter walked along the beach towards a wood.
Inside the wood Peter found the strangest building he had ever seen. It
was a small palace, which was all in ruins. As he moved closer, he saw
carvings of dragons on the handle on a big door, which was shaped like
a dragon's head.
Peter turned the handle of the door and the door opened. Summoning up
on all his courage he went inside.
"I've been waiting for you," it said sadly," for years
I have been waiting."
Peter was startled. He could hardly believe his
eyes. For
in the palace there was a green dragon, "Please don't stare at me
its rude," said the dragon.
"Sorry," said Peter, "it's just that I have never seen
a dragon before."
"I
am the last dragon in the world. And I've been on this Island for a very
long time. A wicked magician put me here and made my wings useless All
I want is to fly away home."
"Did you say island?" Peter said nervously. "I'm shipwrecked
and I want to go home too."
"Don't worry," said the dragon." I'm sure we can help each
other." And then he started to tell Peter about his distant country.
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Peter
listened, spellbound "I have travelled all over the world. But once
when I returned home I was naughty," said the dragon. The dragon
hung his head and looked ashamed.
"In the middle of a royal wedding I did some
flame throwing and burnt the chief magicians best trousers. He was very
furious and he cast a spell which made my wings useless. Then I was banished
to this Island, where I must stay until the power is returned to my wings."
The dragon began to cry and big tears rolled down
his face. "I've been waiting for a very long time for someone to
notice me."
"Don't worry," said Peter, "I will
help you" And a smile came on the dragons face.
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Next
day, Peter and the dragon set off through the wood.
"To make
my wings work again you must rub my back with some oinment," the
dragon explained.
"That's easy," said Peter.
"Well the ointment is in a jar at the bottom of a well."
When they reached the well Peter looked down in
dismay. It was impossible to see anything.
"Whatever shall we do?" gasped Peter. Peter and the dragon sat
down by the well, and started to think of a plan. The dragon looked sad.
"I know!" shouted Peter. "If the jar had a handle I could
get it with my fishing rod." But it turned out there was no handle
on the jar after all. But just as he was about to give up, he felt something
on the rod. Peter was so exited that he pulled it out so fast and it fell
of the hook. The dragon looked very sad.
"I'll
try again." It took another hour before Peter caught it again. This
time he pulled it up with great care.
"It's the jar!" called Peter. The
dragon was so happy he puffed out some white smoke. Peter caught the jar
in his hand and showed it to the dragon.
"Thank you very much," the dragon said, hugging Peter.
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"Now
let's see if this ointment really works." Peter took off the lid,
and put the ointment on the dragon's fingers. Then trembling, then trembling
he rubbed it on the dragon's back.
At first nothing happened but all of a sudden the dragons wings
blew out firm and strong. "It's worked!" They both shouted at
the same time, then they did a little dance together. Because they were
both so excited the dragon shouted, "Jump on my back."
To
their great delight they were soon flying across the sea, leaving the
island far behind them.
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