Children’s Classic Read 2020 February!
(where the author lived and where, according to legend, St. George did fight a dragon).
In Grahame’s story, a young boy discovers an erudite, poetry-loving dragon living in the Downs above his home. The two become friends, but soon afterwards the dragon is discovered by the townsfolk, who send for St George to rid them of it. The boy introduces St George to the dragon, and the two decide that it would be better for them not to fight. Eventually, they decide to stage a fake joust between the two combatants. As the two have planned, St George harmlessly spears the dragon through a shallow fold of skin suggested by the dragon, and the townsfolk rejoice (though not all of them, as some had placed bets on the dragon winning). St George then proclaims that the dragon is reformed in character, and he assures the townsfolk that the dragon is not dangerous. So the dragon is then accepted by the people. “The Reluctant Dragon” is an 1898 children’s story by Kenneth Grahame, originally published as a chapter in his book Dream Days. It is Grahame’s most famous short story.
I read this in ONE setting! HA. It was so lyrical and poetry and a dragon and goodness and faith and all the warm fuzzies. So many lessons in this read. So relevant today still! The Wind in the Willows is one of my favorite reads and this one is as good as that! It is just magic! I highly recommend it! It would make a wonderful read a loud!!
