Fiercer Than Dragons (IP : co-operation)

Once, in a far off jungle, there was a terrible, ferocious, scaly, fire-breathing dragon who all the other beasts of the jungle were afraid of.

Even the proud, roaring lion, who had once been king of that jungle, was terrified to face the dragon and would cower just like the rest of the animals whenever it walked by.

But the dragon would eat up all the food in the jungle; all of the trees that were edible and all of the bushes and the grass and, before long, all of the animals in the jungle were starving.

“Something has to be done about this”, said a female elephant whose children were crying with hunger, “This dragon is a bully and a glutton and we all have a right to share this jungle”.

But the other beasts just told the elephant to be quiet.

“Shhh!”, said the lion, trembling, “Do you want the dragon to hear you? He’s got fiery breath that would burn you to a cinder and big, flapping wings and great big teeth, not to mention that he’s enormous”.

“Huh!”, scoffed the elephant, “I’m not afraid of him. If he’s got big, flapping wings; well, I’ve got big flapping ears. If he’s got big teeth; well, I’ve got long tusks. It’s true he’s big but so am I and as for his fiery breath”.

But, just then, the eyes of the elephant lit up as she had an amazing, ingenious idea.

And, turning to the other elephants in her herd, she said,

“My fellow elephants. I have thought of a clever plan that will get rid of this dragon, once and for all
but I need your help, your support and your co-operation. Are you brave enough to stand beside me and fight off this scaly brute. If you are, let me hear your trumpets”.

Stirred by her emotive speech and tired of being bullied by the dragon, all of the other elephants raised up their trunks and made a loud trumpeting sound with them.

Now, convinced that she had the support of all her herd, Hilda told them her clever plan.

And, the next day, after the sun had risen high over the savannah, Hilda and all the other elephants marched together to the cave of the dragon to confront him.

“Come out you horrible, scaly beast. You coward!”, yelled Hilda, “We’re not standing for your bullying or your gluttony any longer”.

Suddenly, from inside the dark cave, there came a slow,deep, booming laugh and then all of the elephants saw the Dragon appear, spreading its vast, leathery wings; stretching out its long neck
and opening wide its snapping jaws full of sharp teeth.

“So, you think you’re fierce enough to face me, do you?”, said the dragon, “Well, I’ll show you”.

Then, taking a deep breath and expanding its big, scaly chest wide, the dragon blew out a long jet of bright orange, searing fire towards them, expecting them to run away in terror.

But the elephants did not run. Instead, when the dragon breathed out its flames, Hilda turned to the other elephants behind her and shouted, “Now!”.

And, all of a sudden, water gushed forth out of the elephants trunks, each with the force of a fire hose, pushing back the dragons fire and then, when the dragons fire had been put out, Hilda lifted up her trunk and made a loud trumpeting sound which was the signal for all the elephants to charge.

All at once, the herd of angry elephants stampeded towards the dragon with their tusks raised and, as they charged, the earth beneath the dragon shook like an earth quake.

Terrified, the giant lizard decided that he had met his match and then, flapping his wings, the dragon rose up into the air, flying off over the green hills and far away.

Now, throughout the jungle, there were celebrations and everyone praised the elephants and their valiant leader, Hilda.

Even the lion who, now that the dragon was gone, was back to strutting around, roaring and calling himself king of the beasts, had to admit that Hilda was a lot braver than him and so, asking Hilda to kneel down, the lion gave her a damehood with a special honorary title.

“I dub thee Dame Hilda”, he said, “Who is fiercer than dragons”.