Annie Smart’s explanation.” Now I understand.”
“Anyway, Douglas, now that we’ve got all that biology lesson out of the way, we would like you to come back to Marfield with us and to become part of our world again. Will you?” Frances McNally asked.
“But won’t I be too big to fit back in?” Douglas remarked. “They turned me out of the village 50 years ago because I was too big and I’m four times larger now. I’ll never fit in!”
“Oh yes you will,” said Frances McNally confidently. “We’ll find you a place, Douglas. You’re the children’s dragon and we all love you. We’ll find you a place.”
And do you know, they did! The dragon returned to the village, carrying every child on his huge back, singing and smiling as he went to his new home with his new friends. He felt wanted and much loved again.
The children found Douglas the space for his new home as they promised. It was in the middle of their school playground, where the dragon was able to gaze upon their smiley faces all day long and hear their happy voices as he watched them play and sing happy songs.
During the winter months, when it was very cold, Douglas would act as a hot water bottle for all the children who’d snuggle up to him. Even the squirrels, birds and other small creatures would visit him in the school playground whenever it got bitter cold and Douglas would wrap his long tail around the woodland creatures like a warm scarf. When it rained, the kindly dragon would spread his wings and allow all the children in the playground to shelter beneath them like an umbrella. In the hot summer months, Douglas would blow a nice cool breeze around the playground.
Although Douglas the Dragon rarely got angry again, he would sometimes get annoyed if he noticed a child playing too roughly with another child or one child bullying another. If Douglas ever saw this, he would simply open his mouth ever so slightly and, breathe out some warm air ever so gently towards the back of the unfriendly child’s neck. Once the child felt the warm breath of Douglas on the back of their neck, they would instantly stop being unkind and unfriendly. After all; they've been responsible for transforming ‘Douglas the Ferocious Dragon’ into ‘Douglas the Friendly Dragon’, and none of the children wanted to risk Douglas getting angry and changing back again! Did they?
On the day that Wizard Yaffe left Marfield to resume his travels, the Mayor, the blacksmith and Granny McNally saw him on his way. In the background, was Frances McNally picking her nose and flicking big bogies at Fred Larkin Junior.
“I’m so sorry to see you go, Wizard Yaffe,” the Mayor of Marfield said as the Wizard gathered his few belongings together.” Thank you for all your help, Wizard Yaffe. It only seems like yesterday since you arrived yet, you’ve done so much for us in such a short time.”
“Thank you, Mr Mayor, but I’ve done so little to command such gratitude. It’s your children that you and the village owe their thanks and appreciation to. It was ‘The Power of their Love’ that saved the day and recycled the dragon’s anger back into love. Never underestimate ‘The Power of Love’ Mr Mayor or the importance that all our children play in our futures. Continue to place your trust in the love of your children and the Power of their Love will never desert them or leave them wanting: it will continue to change for the better, every creature and situation they encounter in our world. Bye Granny McNally. Bye Mr Mayor. Bye, Blacksmith Jones.”
“Bye, Wizard Yaffe. Have a safe journey. Keep your feet well shod and you’ll walk far, dear friend!” the blacksmith bade the wizard.
“Goodbye, Wizard Yaffe” Granny McNally said with a tear in her eye. Being in her 102nd year of life, she realised that they might never meet again at this side of the green sod. “God speed, Wizard Yaffe. Heed my advice and make haste to your next cover point before six this evening, before it starts raining heavily.”
“Rain heavily you say, Granny McNally?” the wizard remarked in a puzzled tone of voice as he looked up above towards a clear sky.” Are you sure, Granny McNally?” he asked.” The sky is blue, the sun is cracking the flags and there’s not a hint of a dark cloud in the sky?”
“Take my humble advice, Wizard Yaffe” the Mayor cautioned.” Take my humble advice and ignore the smiling sky. If you are half as wise as you look to be, you’ll pay heed to Granny McNally’s forecast. In all the years I’ve known her, she’s never been wrong in her weather predictions. If Granny McNally says it will rain by six, you’d do well to stay within arm’s length of a good umbrella!”
Just as he was about to leave, a big bogie flew through the air and landed on the wizard’s wand. Turning back, Wizard Yaffe saw Frances McNally, Fred Larkin Junior and Douglas the Dragon waving farewell to him.
“Bye, Douglas. Bye, Frances McNally, Bye, Fred Larkin Junior, Bye, every one. Bye.”
Douglas the Dragon sent the wizard a kiss with the gentlest breath he could blow.
The End (To be continued).