DRAGON LONGZE- THE GOOD FATHER (REVISED BY BOST 2026) – PART 1

DRAGON LONGZE- THE GOOD FATHER (REVISED BY BOST 2026) – PART 1

(BEGINNING OF PART 1)

 

Dragon Longze, now in his mid teens (about fifteen earth years), wanting to see more of the world, one day he successfully absconded from his island prison, where he had been tutored and, carefully monitored by his stringent guardian teacher day and night.

 

01- MAGIC ISLAND WHERE LONGZE WAS KEPT

In truth, his guardian Vernon had read his mind and intentions long before this and, had already decided on allowing Longze this apt lesson (and experience). Vernon, though demanding and strict, being a much younger than his peers (guardian colleagues), he had been far more tolerant of Longze’s defiant, rebellious traits that had exasperated the prior three veteran ones before Vernon.

All the same,  Vernon had been perturbed for some time now, by Longze’s unusual attachment to humans and his unwavering fascination in their perceived, noble capacity; hence, he’d hoped that Longze’s firsthand experience in the mortal world, his albeit brief exposure to the truth,  might shed more accurate  light (truer assessment) on his otherwise idealized interpretation (version) of the matter.

 

02- VERNON - GUARDIAN OF LONGZE (19)JP

Vernon had, furthermore, hoped that in the interim this would temper, if not forever bust (diffuse), his charge’s impractical, steadfast (inexorable) belief in humanity, and decisively ensure his future survival.

                                                                                             ~

 

Longze after having efficaciously run away, he had incessantly swum in the vast ocean in the form of a white fish with golden gills (for at this early stage in his life he was not able to transform into a dragon just yet), traversing a great distance.

Subsequently, affirming that he had gotten clear away and that he was not pursued, he selected an ideal, deserted sandy shoreline (with not a soul about) to emerge from the waters and now fully transformed into a human form, his two bare feet was firmly planted (landed) on the coarse sandy beach. His first precarious (bit wobbly, tottering) steps quickly balanced (stabilized), he then swiftly ascended (climbed) the snaking, barely visible goat’s path and reached the top of the hill where he could then better (observe) survey the entire perimeter at that higher elevation.

 

03- LONGZE ASSUMES HUMAN FORM

His keen eyes spotted at once t. top part of the chimney of the wooden cabin which was nestled in a grove of tall pine and was ordinarily well hidden, at some distance from where he stood: the abrupt rising wind  swaying the brunches at one point had fortuitously, revealed the chimney’s presence.  It was nearing dusk and in his naked state, the cold seeped into his very marrow (bones); however, indifferent to thrashing wind that now bend or whisked the tall grass (and bushes) that reached his waist, he elatedly tread (walked, practically ran) his bare feet over the uneven, gravelly ground towards the cabin. The deceptively dilapidated wooden hut was overgrown with ivy; Longze, reaching the door and finding it unlocked, without hesitation (entered) stepped inside.

His quick perusal,  revealed that interior was not only sturdy but orderly and practical: a sparse furniture of  a well positioned crude table and two chairs was placed  in the centre, while a small sleeping bed with thick woolen blanket over it (that had seen better days) was pressed against the far wall by a small, boarded window. The absence of curtains, tablecloth or other soft feminine touches, revealed that the cabin belonged to a solitary, robust male human. The cold (unlit) hearth was slightly off center, with few cast-iron pots hanging overhead and a stack of wood piled at the side of it;  a large empty earthen jar probably used to store-rain water, stood next to four barrels of spirits which rested at the far corner beside some other wooden boxes clearly holding rations.

The well constructed (pine-wood) bookcase that was set against the other wall, was composed of three shelves: The top shelves held a crude stone carving of a fierce bear and some withered, scrolls of maps, a discoloured romance fiction, a simple bound book with pages all curled up, and two innocuous account books. The middle shelves sported two large wooden utensils (large ladle, a huge fork), a long kitchen knife, and four wooden dishes. The bottom shelves had on it neatly stacked, bunch of ropes, one deadly stiletto, a stack of thirty arrows stored in leather casing, an axe with a short handle, box filled with various size metal splinters (sheards, pins, spikes, pegs, tacks, various size nails), a deadly looking metal hook and something else, Longze could not rightly identify.

 

04- LONGZE CHECKS OUT THE INSIDE OF CABIN

His eyes next caught the two ebony chests off to the side adjacent to the pine bunkbed with crumpled dusty blankets over it. Judging by the look of things however, thick layer of dust covering everything about, the occupant had not been there for quite some time.

Longze did not know it, but the place was a secret hideout, used infrequently by a notorious, a felonious (lawless) highwayman and a dastardly killer named Kalen, who prayed on the beached travellers, or lost and vulnerable hunters (trackers) or adventurers. From the looks of it, the place was used to temporarily stashed his most recent ill-gotten booty there before he carted it away to the nearby town for illegal sale.

Fortunately, Kalen was away at the time, probably already pursuing (tracking) his next prosperous prey (target).

Anyhow, Longze, finding the premise abandoned, he searched through the large wooden chests. In one he found stacks and stacks of coins and other precious gems and valuables. He understood that he needed some cash in the human world, so he borrowed a small bundle with some coins in it, with purpose of repaying what he took to the owner later.

Longze, next rummaged through the other five smaller wooden chests that housed varied forms of attires; he was too naive to discern (recognize) that these, shirts, pantaloons, vests, socks and in some cases jackets, in all likelihood were pilfered, appropriated garbs, costumes, and wardrobes, of various fabrics (silk, cotton, wool) and quality. At the bottom of the third small chest, he had additionally discovered, four pairs of leather boots, (varied) different in style but all black in colour. He measured (pressed) the souls of a pair, which had caught his eye, against his feet and found that they were close to his foot size; therefore, he set this sturdy pair aside. Subsequently, he in quick succession, fetched a pair of a grey coloured woolen socks, few pieces of garbs from other small chests, which were practical and fit well. Shortly after, Longze emerged from the hut, appropriately dressed.

 

05- LONGZE APPROPRIATELY DRESSED

Longze did not know this, but he had been spotted at some distance by the eagle-eyed, returning culprit. Kalen was a stubborn villain; he had always pressed on (his stamina) hard refusing to accept his bodies’ limitation. This most recent heist had gone terribly awry (wrong); encountering real resistance, he had barely made out with his life, only to find unexpected intruder, a brazen thief exiting from his cabin wearing his clothes and Heaven knows what else he had absconded with? More importantly, how had the thug (goon, trespasser) breached the set deadly traps and the locked door?

Kalen’s mind reeling (spinning, whirling) with unanswered questions, ignoring the fact that his body at present was teetering on the verge of collapse, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, towards his cabin.

 Longze, oblivious to all the peril, was halfway down the hill, when the rogue warrior Kalen arriving, almost breathless, at the spot, finding the traps un-engaged and the door clearly unlocked (with no traces of the sturdy iron lock anywhere) and therefore, seeing red ( fuming with rage) and growling, rushed inside his cabin to assess anticipated marks of intrusion, damage or, more specifically, theft ( what was missing ).  

 

06- KALEN THE RUFFIAN

Nevertheless, deciding not to linger, Kalen at once fetched his stored (spare) arrows- as his arrow-sack (bag, satchel) slung on his back was entirely empty, having buried the last one (arrow) squirely in the chest of his most ardent pursuer. All five guards that had been the relentless pursuers for half a day, bent on revenge for his dastardly murder of their Lord, in the end had been expertly vanquished one after the other, by his poisoned arrows that always found their mark.

Kalen fuelled entirely on (running on) adrenalin, commanded by an unyielding, stubborn brain demanding blood (retaliation, retribution) and utter obliteration of this brazen thief; and so, armed with fresh arrows, and some deadly shards and hook, Kalen had dashed outside, with murder registering in his pupils.

His path, however, was abruptly (instantly) blocked by the menacing looking dark warrior, who stood his ground with an unyielding, menacing stance (posture).

This was Longze’s guardian Vernon who had manifested on the scene some time prior, swooped down from the clouds long before Longze had appeared on the scene and seen to disarming the traps then simply vanishing the lock on the door, by a beam shod from his pupils, therefore, allowing his wayward (naughty, disobedient, unruly)  ward (charge) uninterrupted, safe entry into the wooden cabin.

 

07- VERNON IN THE CLOUDS

From far above, amidst the clouds, Vernon’s keen eyes (vision, sight) nevertheless piercing the walls of the cabin, he’d with some amusement, monitored (watched) his charge Longze’s subsequent activities within the cabin. He had carefully noted for instance, what Longze had selected and what he did not take. Vernon was intrigued with his ward’s practicality and his disciplined mind, and additionally pleased, with Longze’s lack of greed, decency, and pure heart. Longze had only borrowed what he needed, and nothing more; even then, he had left, though foolishly, a written note to the proprietor, the complete list and the promise of repayment of those items, later.

Vernon then had watched his naïve charge exit the premise and quickly descend the path, looking every bit the confident traveller, an ordinary normal human being.

Subsequently, Vernon had lingered amidst the cloud’s tad longer but long enough to assess the immediate danger posed to Longze; he had clearly read Kalen’s malevolent intent. Vernon with darkened mood, observed Kalen’s subsequent collection of items, that Kalen’s mind demanded not just to punish, murder or maim, but to inflict the exacting, excruciating prolonged pain and torture on the perceived thief, Vernon’s ward, before his end.

Therefore, feeling perfectly justified of what he was about to do, he had slowly descended from the clouds and waited, both feet firmly planted on the ground, Infront of the wooden cabin, in real time minutes before Kalen darted to, outside.

“Going somewhere?” Immortal Vernon’s sneer froze the very blood in Kalen’s veins. But before Kalen could respond, Vernon with his dragon’s fiery power channeled to his hands, he incinerated all, Kalen and the entire cabin, all was scorched and reduced to ash in an instant.

 

08- VERNON -LONGZE'S GUARDIAN

                                                                            

 (END OF PART 1)  

 THE CONTEST OF SILENCE (REVISED 2026)

Meditation was taught to students in this private school as part of their curriculum.

Five close friends challenged by a rival group, undertook to observe twenty-four hours of silence. The bet was that if they won they would be absolved from any chores whilst if they lost, they would complete all the chores of the winners for a week. Two impartial students, one from each group were designated to keep a close eye on all participants.

On the designated day, the groups entered the private chamber of the library and after getting comfortable begun in earnest and reverent calm, their meditation on the void.

Silence prevailed throughout the day; the room was so quiet in fact that you could hear a pin drop. But as darkness encroached and the room grew dim, one of the participating four stirred, and then before he could stop himself, words just flew from his mouth, ordering the nearby attendant to “Light the blasted oil lamp!”

The closest one to him could not suppress a grumble:” Hush up, you’re not supposed to speak!”

“You two have blown it.” The third one chimed in.

“I’m the only one who has kept quiet.” Unfortunately the fourth one could not refrain from boasting.

Fin

 BE LIKE THE WATER (BY BOST, REVISED 2026)

Once upon a time there lived a modest (meek) young man (individual) called Hagen, who wished more than anything, to be an invincible warrior, like the heroes mentioned in ancient fables. He was well over six feet tall, handsome, had grey blue eyes and his straight long blond hair was often kept loose (unbound), cascading down his shoulders.

01- HAGEN

Orphaned at an early age, he lived humbly and all alone in a small wooden cabin at the edge of a vast, dense forest at high altitude (elevation) mountain. He had an adventurous spirit, and he had plenty close encounters with predatory beasts, living in that remote (secluded) region; nevertheless, he often took long walks in the woods to collect medicinal herbs and also, to explore this wild, untamed world around him as he had a deep, innate appreciation of nature.  He rarely had any human company (an occasional hunter), sometimes going for months, without seeing another soul.

His days were spent tending to his small patch of fenced herb garden and he often made repairs to the wooden cabin (dwelling) that kept him safe from the tempestuous weather and the harsh elements. He chopped firewood making sure his supply never dwindled, stacked them by the entrance, then at night, after a plain repast (stew with meat and wild roots and vegetables), he sat by the hearth and read or sometimes carved little animals, fashioning them from small wood block. The finished products were the only adornment he had on his shelves next to the books and some rare rocks.

Once or twice a year, when it necessitated to fetch (buy) some necessary supplies- such as clothing, blankets, tools, sack of flour or millet (corn, oats, sorghum) for making bread, coffee, beans, seeds, and occasionally some dried or preserved fruit and of course, books- he ventured down the mountain and visited the general store in nearby  border  town. As an avid reader, he sought to acquire the adventurous fables and legends that the proprietor, the middle-aged, widowed frontiersman, called Kenneth, knowing Hagen’s passion and having a particular fondness for this honest young man, who never argued about the price, always made sure to reserve in stock the very latest novels (a volume or two) for him.

02- kENNETH - PROPRIETOR OF GENERAL STORE

Hagen made his living, of course, chiefly by hunting wild animals and selling valuable pelts, in exchange for the supplies; his furs of wolves and mountain lions etc., had always fetched good margin of profit for the storekeeper and so, the proprietor looked forward to these rare visits from this remarkable young man.

                                                                                      ~

When Hagen grew up to his early twenties, as a fine young man no longer content living a solitary life in the woods, his soul craved adventure and to see more of the world, but more importantly, he desired to be a competent warrior; and as he was interested in wrestling, he travelled to the farthest edges of the country and after repeated attempts finally got accepted in an illustrious martial school, at an island monastery, where a most famed master was the instructor.

03- ISLAND MONASTERY (2)

Fuelled by his enthusiasm Hagen endured gruelling training sessions to eventually become a competent fighter. Though he was now robust (athletic, muscular) and a proficient warrior, his timid nature nevertheless, still incumbered his progress and prevented him from reaching his true potential. And despite his zeal and daily practices, on those special tournaments held by the schools to measure the initiates ‘progress, at every instance, without fail he persistently got bested by his opponent.

04- TOURNAMENTS  AT THE ISLAND MONASTERY (17)

         

The teacher who would earlier on recognized his true abilities was baffled by this. Suspecting Hagen’s innate impediment, he initiated a private bout with Hagen to evaluate his skill. True enough, Hagen, caught in the momentum of fight defeated his master on the first round. Subsequent bouts all proved to be the same.

You are a like the turtle,” the master told Hagen one day. “But too often you cower under your shell, you need to come out.” and sent Hagen to see his good friend Ingolf, a Zen master at the nearby temple, for help.

“Not a turtle,” Ingolf, the Zen master nodded after hearing Hagen’s account. “You shall be a Sweeping Wave.”

05- ZEN MASTER INGOLF

Ingolf instructed Hagen on the preliminaries of meditation then told him to remain there the rest of the night imagining himself not as a human being who is primarily afraid, not as an adroit warrior (fighter), not anything but a great wave of the oceans.

“Be like the tsunami,” he said to Hagen before retiring to his private chamber. “Imagine your power sweeping, swallowing all and everything in your path. Then all will be well with you.”

                                                                                    ~

Hagen set motionless in darkness for hours contemplating the words of the Zen master Ingolf.

At first his mind would not cooperate with his will, and Hagen wondered about a great many useless things, places, people or past events, anything but the wave. Gradually however, his willpower won over his monkey mind and forced it to focus on the vast sea, volumes of water and then the waves. His mind now was pinned on that single giant wave. It grew larger and larger, washing over the shoreline, uprooting trees, structures, houses, and even the temple he was sitting in. Everything was encompassed by that giant wave. All that could be seen was the ebb and flow of the immense ocean.

06 B -HAGEN  LIKE THE WATER

At the first light of day when the Zen master Ingolf emerged from his room, he found Hagen still meditating at the very spot he had left him, with one difference…He was engulfed in a numinous (mystical)  miasma (mist, fog, cloud) and emanating from it, was the luminescent (glowing) blue light. Hagen’s eyes closed, his face radiant and perfectly serene, his breathing shallow and steady, he was however, from head to toe soaked to the skin, with his garments completely drenched, sticking to his form and revealing his fine physique. He appeared as though he was immersed (swimming or floating) in cool waters of the vast ocean. His gleaming, handsome wet face was framed by the sodden strands of blond hair, as the pearls of water droplets created a shimmering ring of a small puddle at the perimeter floorboards.

The very moment Zen master Ingolf had drawn near and gently (tentatively) placed a hand on Hagen’s shoulder, however, all was transformed back to norm, and Hagen, as well the periphery (the margin) reverted to prior dry state (circumstance).

The corners of master Ingolf’s mouth slightly lifted as he nodded his head; his hand reaching out lightly patted Hagen on the shoulder and he said, “Now you are that invincible wave, go forth and always be thus.”

And true to fact, Hagen from that day forth became an invincible fighter, winning every challenge and tournament. For decades, his fame spread far and wide (everywhere) and he became the undefeated champion of the realm.

 

FIN

OUTWITTING THE DRAGON LONGZE (STORY BY BOST, 2026- PART 2) 

That afternoon John set to the task of repairing Dragon Longze, he first rummaged among the heap of old iron and found there some heavy chains and a great collar that had been made in the days when men sang over their work and put their hearts into it, so that the things they made were strong enough to bear the weight of a thousand years, let alone a dragon.

01-DRAGON LONGZE (54)JP

John fastened dragon Longze up with the chains, and when he had padlocked them all on safely, he set to work to find out how many rivets would be needed.

"Six, eight, ten—twenty, forty," said he. "I haven't half enough rivets in the shop. If you'll excuse me, sir, I'll step around to another forge and get a few dozen more. I won't be a minute."

And off he went, leaving the baby in front of the dragon's forepaws, laughing and crowing with pleasure at the very large purr of it.

John ran as hard as he could into the town and found the mayor and corporation.

"There's a dragon in my dungeon," he said; "I've chained him up. Now come and help to get my baby away."

And he told them all about it.

But they all happened to have engagements for that evening; so, they praised John's cleverness, and said they were quite content to leave the matter in his hands. In truth, they did not believe him, suspecting him of spreading a yarn (or a fib) for whatever reason. Dragons had been extinct for a millennium now; moreover, the townsfolk were a selfish lot, some were cruel narcissist, but the majority were all greedy, conniving (devious), wary lot (doubtful), and even cowardly. 

"But what about my baby?" said John.

"Oh, well," said the mayor, placing a conciliating (placating) hand over John’s shoulder, "if anything should happen, you will always be able to remember that your baby perished in a good cause."

So, John went home again and told his wife some of what had happened.

02-JOHN THE BLACKSMITH (6)jp

"You've given the baby to the dragon!" she screamed (shrieked) at him. "Oh, you unnatural parent!"

"Hush," said John, and he told her some more. What John did not know however, was the fact this celestial dragon had certain innate abilities, one of which being his keen hearing; when Longze set his mind to it, he could hear even the fluttering of butterfly wings in the rushing air, the whispers of trees in the far off mountains or the foliage carpeting the wide open fields and, certainly he could hear the conspiratorial murmurs (undertones) of humans who held special interest to him. He’d therefore heard all that John had told his wife striving to conciliate (placate) her anger, as well, mollify her mounting dread in her heart. 

"Now," John had then sweetly kissed his wife’s forehead and said, "I'm going down. After a while you can then play your part, and if you keep your head, the boy should be all right."

So down went the blacksmith, and there was the dragon, just as he’d left him, still purring away to keep the baby quiet. The dragon Longze, despite all he knew, he had been quite amused at first by this altruistic, soft bundle of pliant (supple) infant swaddled in soft cloth, that reacted favorably to his purring. The baby incessantly cooed and gurgled, drooling, making odd sounds; furthermore, the baby was clearly unafraid, even smiling at him, a strange but lovable creature that it was. But eventually, dragon Longze’s interest began to fade (ebb) and his patience started to wear rather thin.

"Hurry up, can't you?" the dragon said, wanting to see what John would do next. "I can't keep up this noise all night."

03-DRAGON LONGZE (38)JP

"I'm very sorry, sir," said the blacksmith, "but all the shops are shut. The job must wait till the morning. And don't forget you've promised to take care of that baby. You'll find it a little tiresome, I'm afraid. Good night, sir." John quickly climbed the stairs, not giving the dragon any chance to respond.

John did not go far however, once at the outside of the left ajar dungeon door, unseen, he quietly sat on his rump (rear end) and leaned his back to the wall. Though he would never admit it, his shoulders slumped wearily (despairingly) betraying the placid (tranquil) mask he wore on his face. He half-lowered his eyelids, pinning his gaze on the ground and quietly waited; he was prepared to keeping vigil, if necessary, all night long.  In truth, his innate instincts had absolute faith in this noble dragon; but his parental obligation had constrained him nevertheless to stay close,  per chance the dragon suddenly succumbed to anger or became erratic, and therefore, endangered his precious bundle.

The dragon Longze had purred till small hours, but then he got tired of it; moreover, he was annoyed, understanding the trick John had played on him. So now he stopped, and as soon as everything was quiet, the baby thought everyone must have settled for the night, and that it was time to begin to scream. So, it began.

"Oh, dear," said the dragon, "this is dreadful (awful) noise. Now, there, there…" He gently patted the baby with his claw, but it screamed more than ever.

" Humans are so guileful (sly, cunning) and even the best of them is detestable.” Jaded dragon Longze now grumbled.

04-DRAGON LONGZE (45)JP

From the start, Longze had seen something in John that set him apart from the typical humans; though, his unique compassion and generosity of heart had made him vulnerable despite his robust physique and intrepid fortitude (grit, stamina. But now Longze was second guessing his original feel. Besides which, he felt increasingly more annoyed by all the deceit and the disrespect shown to him. Feeling suddenly tired, Longze yearned for a good night’s slumber (repose, sleep) to rest his weary bones."

The baby, meanwhile, went on screaming.

The dragon Longze could have squashed it and instantaneously, permanently put a stop to all that jarring noise; meanwhile, he could not help but wonder why John had left his clearly precious son in obviously precarious (vulnerable) position. Was John, adapting such a drastic measure (and by taking a sure gamble), wished to convey (express) his full confidence in his (Longze’s )benevolence, while establishing an innate bond, a bridge, between their species (genus)? Clearly, he was no ordinary mortal.

Age old beliefs now in doubt, “Things will never be the same for me after this," mused Longze. "Nevertheless, I must put a stop to this incessant noise before it seriously tests my patience. Hush, then—did 'ums, then." And so, the Dragon Longze tried to placate the baby as if it had been a young dragon. But when he began to sing "Hush-a-by, Dragon," the baby, not mollified, he screamed increasingly more.

"I can't subdue this incessant, raucous neonate (newborn); can’t keep it quiet," huffed the exasperated Longze; and then suddenly he saw a woman sitting on the steps. "Here, I say," said he, "do you know anything about babies?"

"I do, a little," eyeing the dragon suspiciously and not wishing to divulge more, said the mother. Betty had fought her husband on this, and defiantly entered the dungeon, and set on the steps at the very top, at first seething in rage, then observing the dragon’s tolerance and so, by degrees calming, she’d kept a sullen (fretting, morose), vigilant eye on the unfolding scene.

05- BETTY SITTING ON TOP OF STAIRS

"Then I wish you'd take him away, and let me get some respite," said the dragon Longze, yawning. "You can bring it back in the morning before the blacksmith comes."

She didn’t need to be asked twice; at once descending the steps, mother’s protective instinct emboldening her, she fearlessly drew near (quite close) to the dragon and picked up her son.

The baby cradled in his mother’s bosom, inhaling her familiar scent, abruptly then stopped all his ruckus (brawl, rumpus); thus, she quickly mounted the steps, and exited the dungeon. A frown (a scowl) registered on her lips, the moment her seething, rebuking gaze turned on her husband, who nevertheless dismissed it, and knowingly smiled. She could not maintain her ire for too long, and so, after exasperatedly exhaling the breath of relief, she nodded, and he happily follow her (in tow) to their bedroom.  

At daybreak the subsequent day, John went down and boldly, unapologetically, explained to the dragon Longze exactly how matters stood. He’d kept his word meanwhile, and first and foremost, diligently and competently repaired the Dragon’s injury. Then, however, electing to keep the locks and chains where they stood, furthermore, retrieving the iron gate with a grating to it, he set it up at the foot of the steps, therefore imprisoning the Dragon.

The dragon Longze was both irate (furious) and same time impressed with John’s deception and courageous acumen, understanding why he’d done as he did. He was after all protecting (upholding, preserving) the safety and welfare of his family, as well, the townsfolks; though being so discerning, Longze doubted townspeople would see it that way, nor will they ever truly appreciate John’s efforts that afforded them salvation and the purported (supposed) lasting security.

06-DRAGON LONGZE (42)JP

The dragon Longze , meanwhile, had not been as helpless as he seemed; he had in fact considered breaking his bonds and leaving this contemptable town the moment John had left his side. Longze however had had a soft spot for this young hero, so he remained  as he were, supposedly restrained and imprisoned; as his curious nature propelled (drove) Longze to wait and see how things would unfold later on that day, anticipating correctly, that the mayor and the towns elite would seek to confirm proof of John’s claim.

Sure enough, afterwards John had gone straight to the mayor and said: "I've got the dragon suitably incarcerated (confined, secured) in the dungeon; rest assured, he will pose no further danger to anyone in town." But of course, they needed proof, so they followed him back to the castle, and went straight down to the dungeon.

"Noble preserver," elatedly cried the mayor seeing with his own eyes the absolute proof of John’s claims. "You’ve truly gone and done it! We will, hence, get up a subscription for you, and crown you in public with a laurel wreath."

07- THE MAYOR  MARCELL

So, the mayor put his name down for six pounds, and the corporation each gave four, and other people gave their guineas and half guineas and crowns or two crowns, and while the subscription was being made the mayor ordered two poems at his own expense from the town poet to celebrate the occasion. These poems were very much more admired, especially by the mayor and corporation.

The first poem dealt with the noble conduct of the mayor in arranging to have the menacing dragon tied up. It also described the splendid assistance rendered by the corporation. And the second expressed the pride and joy of the poet in being permitted to sing such deeds.

When the subscription was finished there was more than five hundred pounds accumulated, a considerable sum, in the coffers, and a committee was formed to settle what should be done with it. Part of it went to pay for the elaborate banquet in honor of the mayor and the corporation; another bit was spent in buying commemorative, gold medals with impaled dragons on them, to pin on the corporate members’ chests; and the reminder that was left, was allocated to other committee expenses.

So, there was nothing left for the blacksmith John except the laurel wreath and the knowledge that it really was he who had saved the town. Nevertheless, after these frivolous expenditures, from thereon things had gone a little better for the blacksmith’s family. To begin with, the baby did not cry so much as it had before. Then the rich lady who owned the goat was so touched by John's noble action that she ordered a complete set of shoes at 3 shillings, 5 pence, and even made it up to 4 shillings, 7 pence, in grateful recognition of his public-spirited conduct.

Subsequently, endless hoards of tourists flocked to the region (town)  from quite a long ways off, and they  paid three and a half pence each to go down the steps and peep through the iron grating at the white dragon in the dungeon—and it was four pence extra for each party if the posted armed guard (assigned by the mayor) let off colored fire to see it by, which, as the fire was extremely short, was three pence-halfpenny clear profit every time. Meanwhile the blacksmith John's wife used to provide teas at tenpence a head, and altogether things grew brighter week by week.

08- JOHN THE BLACKSMITH (31) jp

John from the first, had refused to take any part in all of this despicable and farcical entertainment (amusement); he would not benefit from funds derived from the humiliating carnival like atmosphere, that put the noble dragon on daily display. He felt deeply shamed and grieved most sincerely, for his earlier unwitting part in all of this duplicitous debauchery, and in due course, perpetuating this most demeaning, injurious depravity (corruption, degeneracy) of the noble dragon.

The dragon Longze, despite his boundless generosity of the heart, had eventually grown weary of this worst aspect of humanity, the rampant corruption, his unwitting exploitation and all the immoral display. And so, late one night, when John had pensively gone down to check on the captive dragon Longze, to visit with the poor creature and again, ask for his forgiveness: the dragon pre-emptively instead, had told him, a time had come for him now to abscond. He then with dignified air, though tentatively (hesitantly), asked John next, to release him from his bonds. What John did not know however, was this too was a test, and he had not disappointed Longze’s faith in him. 

Even though John knew this would land him in serious trouble, the blacksmith had been so beset with remorse that he without single moment’s hesitation, had immediately done as the dragon Longze had asked of him.

09-JOHN THE BLACKSMITH (36)jp

“We shall not see each other for a long while; however, by your actions you have earned my lasting esteem. If you are ever in need, I shall return, to set things right by you. Farewell for now, my dear friend. “Dragon Longze then had reverently bowed his head to John and then suddenly poof, disappeared in thin air.

John had fully grasped it then, that he’d never really been in charge (command); and that he was the one who had been outwitted (outfoxed) instead, by the gentle natured celestial dragon who, with infinite patience, had sought all along to attain, a genuine spark of true benevolence from a single mortal being .

 

 

FIN

 OUTWITTING THE DRAGON LONGZE (STORY BY BOST, 2026- PART 1)

John had lost both his parents, due to a freak accident, a runaway carriage, at the tender age of six. His innate nature was willful and stubborn; and so, after his daring escape from the oppressive, state-orphanage, he’d pretty much grown up in the streets, relying solely on his own wits.  Barely nine years old, John had then attached himself to an old, excentric blacksmith that lived at the edge of town, and as his apprentice, he’d hence acquired a useful skill. After his mentor the blacksmith had passed away, John wanting to see the world, had travelled on foot, from place to place, eventually settling in a small border town, earning a meagre living, doing whatever jobs needed doing.

01- JOHN THE BLACKSMITH (7)JP

John celebrated his seventeenth birthday, by treating himself to a cold draft, for the first time ever, at the local tavern.  The proprietor had cast him a cautionary look but took his coin and provided him with the local draft without saying another word. He had sat in the dark corner and quietly sipped, savoring the brew, as this was his right of passage, while his eyes stealthily scanned the room for any potential danger. He always kept his vigil, never trusting anyone; however now that he was in his late teens, his strong athletic physique and stalwart (fearless, valiant) bearing and unfriendly demeanor, deterred most ruffians (thugs, hoodlums) from approaching or targeting him. He had long straight white-blond hair, brilliant blue eyes and was most fair to look at; some might even consider him quite handsome. He’d been smitten with a local farm girl, at the outskirts of town, and that was the reason he’d extended his stay within this region.

There happened to be an old, old castle at the edge of town perched on a hilltop by the fast-flowing river. The castle had been abandoned long ago by the original owner Lord Densel Keroy, whose family had once lived there, for untold generations. After the Lord’s wife’s sudden death, he’d married a mysterious woman, some thought she was a witch, and from thence, things had taken a turn for the worse. One after the other, Lord’s three offsprings, close relations and then the extended members (kinfolk) had all, through succumbing to accidents, bad luck, illness or pestilence, perished. No one knew what’d became of the Lord or the reminder of his family; they had simply, one stormy night, under cover of darkness boarded the moored vassal (river boat) and sailed down the river. They were never seen or heard from ever again; moreover, for unknown reasons, Lord’s name or any reference of him, thereafter, had all been erased (wiped out) from the historical records (this included the town’s genealogy’ books). Deemed a cursed place, the once magnificent castle (along with its manicured grounds sporting fountains and statues and exotic trees and flowers) meanwhile, was simply abandoned and left to rot (decay, deteriorate).

02- ABANDONED CASTLE IN RUINS (3)jp

No one went near this old castle, save for John. The castle was by then so decrepit that most of its walls and towers and turrets and gateways and arches, some overgrown by ivy, lay crumbled or in ruins; a comparatively small segment (of the east wing) had remained intact, as a reminder of its once old splendor. John, unfazed by the supposed, curse and the ghostly hauntings (roaming), however, had noted the advantage to be had here; he saw, for instance, that there were two perfectly habitable, almost cozy rooms, within this sector, that was perfectly adequate for his immediate needs. And so, it was here, that John the blacksmith had set up his forge.

John the blacksmith, soon as he’d turned nineteen, had of course married his sweetheart Betty and his deep love and devotion for his beloved had never once wavered (faltered), despite some marital difficulties. She’d been spoiled by her father and had little understanding of the economics of life. Nevertheless, eight months prior, she’d born to him, a lively little baby boy, which he absolutely adored.

Recently, because of some unavoidable setbacks- first was the fire that had gutted their old home, then afterwards, his wife had succumbed to robbery, loosing all their savings- this unfortunately, had left John at present in dire straits; therefore, lacking the adequate funds for  a proper dwelling, he’d of course considered the dilapidated castle, especially since the two perfectly good rooms were rent-free.  So here John blew his bellows and hammered his iron and did all the work which came his way. This was not much, because most of the trade went to the mayor of the town, who was also a blacksmith in quite a large way of business, and had his huge forge facing the square of the town.

03- THE MAYOR  MARCELL

The mayor Marcell employed twelve apprentices, all hammering like a nest of woodpeckers, and four supervisors (controllers, overseers) to order the apprentices about; he had a patent forge and a self-acting hammer, the mechanical (automated) bellows, and many more spiffy things, all handsome about him. So of course, the townspeople, whenever they wanted a horse shod or a shaft mended, went to the mayor.

John the blacksmith, meanwhile, struggled on as best he could, with a few odd jobs from travelers and strangers who did not know what a superior forge the mayor's was. The two rooms John and Betty had occupied, were warm and weather-tight, but not very large; so, the blacksmith John got into the way of keeping his old iron, his odds and ends, his fagots, and his two pence worth of coal in the great dungeon down under the castle. It was a very fine dungeon indeed, with a handsome vaulted roof and big iron rings whose staples were built into the wall, very strong and convenient for tying captives to, and at one end was a broken flight of wide steps leading down no one knew where. Even the lords of the castle in the good old times had never known where those steps led to, but every now and then they would kick a prisoner down the steps in their lighthearted, hopeful way, and sure enough, the prisoners never came back. The blacksmith John, brave as he was, had not the occasion to go beyond the seventh step, so he did not know or cared to know, what was at the bottom of those stairs.

04- BETTY  (28)JP

Beknows to John, when his wife was not doing the housework or nursing the baby, she would pensively sit on the steps or quietly shed some tears, for she was secretly very unhappy. She often ruminated on the happy, carefree days of old when she lived with her father in a stately (splendid) two-story farmhouse, in relative comfort and luxury, in the pristine setting of the countryside. She had two personal servants then tending to all the household chores and her, fulfilling her every whim. Additionally, they had seasonal workers that harvested the fields, they had three dozen sheep and, seventeen cows.

Then one day, while gathering wildflowers in the field, she’d chanced on John; he was so handsome, so dashing a young man, she had immediately been quite taken with him.  Young and reckless, they had married soon after. She with a wry smile on her lips recollected now, sitting quietly by the window, the time John used to come courting her in the summer evenings, as smart as could be, with a posy fastened in his jacket’s buttonhole. And now, her father had passed away, and John’s hair had lost its lustre (sheen); and though they’d survived many hardships, recently fairing worse, there’d been hardly ever enough to eat.

As for the baby, it cried a good deal at odd times but particularly at night; often, when Betty had settled down to sleep, it would always begin to cry, quite as a matter of course, so that she hardly got any rest at all. This made her very tired. The baby could make up for its bad nights during the day if it liked, but poor Betty couldn't. So, whenever she had nothing to do, she used to idly sit and cry, because she was tired out with work and worry.

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One evening the blacksmith John was busy with his forge. He was making a goat-shoe for the goat of a very rich lady, who wished to see how the goat liked being shod, and also whether the shoe would come to fivepence or sevenpence before she ordered the whole set. This was the only order John had had that week. And as he worked his wife Betty sat and nursed the baby, who, for a wonder, was not crying.

Presently, over the noise of the bellows and over the clank of the iron, there came another sound. The blacksmith and his wife looked at each other.

"I heard nothing," said he.

"Neither did I," said she.

But the noise grew louder—and the two were so anxious not to hear it that he hammered away at the goat-shoe harder than he had ever hammered in his life, and she began to sing to the baby—a thing she had not had the heart to do for weeks.

But through the blowing and hammering and singing the noise came louder and louder, and the more they tried not to hear it, the more they had to. It was like the noise of some great creature purring, purring, purring—and the reason they did not want to believe they really heard it was that it came from the great dungeon down below, where the old iron was, and the firewood and the two pence worth of coal, and the broken steps that went down into the dark and ended no one knew where.

"It can't be anything in the dungeon," said the blacksmith John and smiled reassuringly, then using the small strip of cloth he wiped the sweat off his face. "Besides, I shall investigate it proper, when I have to go down there anyway, to fetch more coals in a minute."

"There isn't anything there, of course. How could there be? But you will still be careful, won’t you dear?" said his wife concealing her trepidation (anxiety, unease). And they, being so considerate (and loving) of each other, tried so very hard to reassure the other, that both very nearly did believe it.

Then John took his shovel in one hand and his riveting hammer in the other and hung the old stable lantern on his little finger and went down to get the coals.

"I am not taking the hammer because I think there is something there," said he, "but it is handy for breaking the large lumps of coal."

"I quite understand," said his wife Betty, who had brought the coal home in her apron that very afternoon, and knew that it was all coal dust.

So, John went down the winding stairs to the dungeon and stood at the bottom of the steps, holding the lantern above his head just to see that the dungeon really was empty, as usual. Half of it was indeed empty, except for the old iron and odds and ends, and the firewood and the coals. But the other side was not empty. It was quite full, and what it was full of was Dragon.

06 - DRAGON LONGZE - JP

"It must have come up those nasty broken steps from goodness knows where," said John to himself, with a frown on his lip, as he tried to creep back up the winding stairs. Facing this unexpected danger, his anxious thoughts had been more about the safety and welfare of his wife and child.

But the dragon Longze was too quick for him—it put out a mighty big claw and caught him by the leg, and as it moved it rattled like a great bunch of keys, or like the sheet iron they make thunder out of in pantomimes.

"No, you don't," said the dragon in a grumbling voice that revibrated in the air.

"I beg your pardon," said John, stockily, “I meant you, no disrespect.”  His fearless eyes looked straight at the Dragon, though he was helplessly trapped under the claw of the dragon. Truth be known, he was inwardly awed, staring at this magnificent creature; he’d never seen a dragon before, he’d always been told that they had long been extinct. Subsequently, John shrugged his shoulders, resigned to his fate, and mumbled:  "Alas, here's a nice end for a respectable blacksmith!"

07-DRAGON LONGZE (3)JP

The dragon Longze seemed very much struck by this remark.

"Do you mind saying that again?" said he, quite politely.

So, John said again, very distinctly: "Here—is—a—nice—end—for—a—respectable—blacksmith."

"I didn't know," said the dragon. "Fancy now! You're the very man I wanted."

"I’m at your disposal." John refused to beg for mercy and so had boldly ejected: “Go ahead, incinerate me.” He’d secretly hoped, that after his demise, the dragon would then go back satisfied, to whence he came from, and that his wife and child be safe.

"Oh, I didn't mean that.”  said the dragon Longze, "Though, I should like you to do a job for me. One of my wings has got some of the rivets out of it just above the joint. Could you put that to rights?"

John exhaled in relief and said, “I might, sir," rather politely, for he always was polite to any potential customer, even if he be a dragon.

"A master craftsman—you are a master, of course? —can see in a minute what's wrong," the dragon went on. "Just come around here and feel my plates, will you?"

John tentatively (timidly, cautiously) went around when the dragon took his claw away; and sure enough, there was a part where the dragon's wing was hanging loose, and several of the plates near the joint certainly wanted riveting.

The dragon Longze seemed to be made almost entirely of iron armor—a sort of thin strip of rust color beneath the blue-silver plates, it was from damp, no doubt—and under it he seemed to be covered with something furry.

All the blacksmith welled up in John's heart, and he felt more at ease.

08-JOHN THE BLACKSMITH (14)jp

"You could certainly do with a rivet or two, sir," said he. "In fact, you want a good many."

"Well, get to work, then," said the dragon. Longze could not detect any usual nuance (tone) of prejudice in John’s vernacular, nor could he sense the typical, intense fear in latter’s heart; therefore, rather intrigued by this unique individual and wanting to experience more of his mettle (valour, bravery), plus, unable to resist intimidating him, Dragon Longze said: "You mend my wing, and then I'll go out and eat up all the townsfolk, and if you make a really smart job of it, I'll eat you last. There!"

"I don't want to be eaten last, sir," said John.

"Well then, I'll eat you first," said dragon Longze.

"I don't want that, sir, either," said John.

"Go on with you, you silly man," scoffed the dragon, "you don't know your own silly mind. Come, set to work."

John drew closer- gave the dragon a bit of a nip or a dig under his rivets—took note of the damage…assess what it would take to fix it … fire and smoke. Then he hesitated; he seemed to be rather ambivalent (indecisive) about his next move.

"I prefer not to tackle (handle) this job, sir," finally John ejected, "and that's the truth. I know how easily accidents could happen… Then you’ll blame me, suspecting me of being deliberately malicious.”

"You may carry on without fear; I will not harm you even if you cause me hurt. “Dragon Longze, noting the blacksmith’s lingering qualms, assured John. “I’ll take all that you said under advisement; now, if you please delay no more, rivet me, and I'll eat you last”. Longze was inwardly laughing up a storm, noting the flicker of terror and calculation simultaneously registering in those human eyeballs (cornea, orbs); subsequently, all of it immediately being replaced with the stubborn, defiant fervour (commitment, zeal).

"I know you wouldn't do it on purpose, sir," said John pensively, "but any gentleman will give a jump and a sniff if he's nipped, and one of your sniffs would be enough for me. Now, if you'd just let me fasten you up?"

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“You are way too brazen; I give you that! " The Dragon Longze silently derided; then looking straight at John, outwardly objected: “But that would be so undignified."

"We always fasten a horse up," said John, "and he's the 'noble animal.”

"It's all very well," said the dragon, "but how do I know you'd untie me again when you'd riveted me? Give me something in pledge. What do you value most?"

"My hammer," said John. "A blacksmith is nothing without a hammer."

"But you'd want that for riveting me. You must think of something else, and at once, or I'll eat you first."

At this moment the baby in the room above began to cry. Its mother had been so quiet that it thought she had settled down for the night, and that it was time to begin.

"Whatever's that?" said the dragon, starting so that every plate on his body rattled.

"It's only the baby," said John.

"What's that?" asked dragon Lonze. "Something you value?"

"Well, yes, sir, rather," said the blacksmith John, trying his best to conceal his rising inner dread. He’d so hoped the baby would for once sleep peacefully through it all, and the Dragon would not be aware of their (his wife and son’s) existence.

"Then bring it here," said the dragon, "he’ll be an apt collateral (guarantee); you shall tie me up, I’ll keep an eye on it, till you've done riveting me."

"All right, sir," John reluctantly acceded, "but I ought to warn you… Babies are poison to dragons, so I don't deceive you. It's all right to touch—but don't you go putting it into your mouth. I shouldn't like to see any harm come to you."

The dragon was beginning to lose patience; he inwardly scoffed: “Likely story; you think me so ignorant? But to reassure you, hmm, very well, I’ll simply play along.”

The dragon Longze condescendingly purred and said: "All right, I'll be careful. Now go and fetch the thing, whatever it is."

So, John ran up the steps as quickly as he could, for he knew that if the dragon got impatient before it was fastened, it could heave up the roof of the dungeon with one lurch (motion, toss, heave) of its back and kill them all in the ruins.

Upstairs he found his wife with eyelids closed and in deep slumber, curled up in a ball, lying in bed besides the baby; for despite the baby's cries, she’d been so utterly spent with all that worry that sleep had abruptly claimed her. His sad eyes for a short spell lingering on Betty, John then leaned forward and gently picked up his son. The baby affectionately cradled in his arms, John hastened back to the dungeon and, showing great faith in the creature, he then gingerly placed his precious boy in front of the dragon's front paws.

11- JOHN'S BABY BOY PLACED IN FRONT OF lONGZE.

"You just purr to it, sir," he said, "and it'll be as good as gold."

So, the dragon Longze did just that, and his purring pleased the baby so much that he actually ceased (discontinued, stopped) his crying.

 

(END OF PART ONE- THE STORY CONCLUDES IN PART TWO)

 

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