Back to Home
Back to "Tales" Contents
T H E    P R I N C E S S    A N D    T H E    D R A G O N
Once upon a time, there was a little princess who was used to get bored nearly every day. Her small world, always
inside the castle, was made only of grown-up persons ; she even got no animal to be a pet for her.
Once all these "grown-up persons" were very busy, there was an important reception in the castle. Of course,
such things were only for the "grown-ups", and not for little girls, even princess. So the girl was alone, left to
herself. She began to go out for a walk in the park around the castle, dreaming to what such little girls could
dream.
When chance led her near the mouth of one of the underground passages of the castle, an odd idea overcame
her mind : she had always been told never to go into the underground passages, it could be dangerous, they all
said, and because she had always been a well-behaved little girl, she was used to never break the rules, and this
idea that she could go into an underground passage had simply never crossed her mind.
What drove her to disobey yonder day ? What made fear fly away ? What made the well-behaved little girl turn
into a little adventuress ?
She seemed not to remember anymore both that it was forbidden and that it could be dangerous, as they always
said. She bent double and entered inside the mouth of the underground passage. It was dark, but there was still
light enough so she could move forward easily. At a moment, on her left there was another passage which came
from behind and joined the one she was walking on ; she didn't think, she didn't care, but she was so young, how
could have she understood ? She walked quietly further, heedless of anything.
Darkness was nearly complete when she decided to turn back ; she walked quietly, till she arrived to the point
where she saw two ways in front of her ; she didn't remember the way she came from ; she took the right one, she
saw some light coming from it. The light increased little by little, but in fact it came from the upper part of the
passage, for the underground passages were collapsed here and there. In front of her, it was a complete
darkness. So she wanted to turn back, but then the way was blocked ... by a huge dragon ...  The little girl
staggered, she didn't know what to do. The dragon threatened her, she felt she was an intruder, as if she had
broken into the dragon's house, even as if she had desecrate a place. She didn't move because she didn't know
what to do. The dragon seemed to be angry. She didn't move but she felt as if things were changing inside of her.
She felt as if she was fathoming a secret ; it was as if the mystery of the castle history was penetrating inside her
whole being ; it was as if ...

But around the castle already the grown-ups were searching her at the double. They sought, sought, sought her
and ...
And ... But why not ? I just let you give the end that you want !


26/08/11
Isabelle Coquinot