Kenneth Grahame

The Reluctant Dragon Illustrated Kenneth Grahame

When a dragon is discovered up on the Downs, the Boy is not in the least surprised. He's always known that there was a dragon cave, so it seems only right for a dragon to be living in it. The Boy decides to pay a visit to the cave, and he thinks he knows just what to expect. But this particular dragon is not a bit like the ones in fairy tales. In this beloved classic story, a young boy befriends a poetry-loving dragon living in the Downs above his home. When the town-folk send for St. George to slay the dragon, the boy needs to come up with a clever plan to save his friend and convince the townsfolk to accept him. Dragons are a scourge and must be abolished, at least, that's what all the villagers say. It doesn't seem to matter that this particular dragon wouldn't hurt a fly and is more than content to laze by his cave and make up poetry. He certainly doesn't want to fight, though it seems he will have no choice when St. George arrives on his warhorse with golden armour gleaming, carrying the longest, wickedest spear you ever did see. Still, the dragon does have one friend - the shepherd's son, a small boy with a great deal of sense and imagination. Will he find a way to solve the dragon's dilemma?