Once there was a princess who lived not far from a very deep wood. Often she would find a way out of her lessons and spent the time exploring the woodlands. One day, she spied a dragon there. And not quite sure how to approach such a noble beast, she would often hide herself and watch him.
Some days, the dragon occupied himself by creating marvelous little creatures out of paper, which he later gave to friend and stranger alike. Sometimes his little creations were intentionally left behind for someone to discover later.
On windy days, the dragon was seen in a large clearing. Children's laughter filled the air, as the dragon patiently taught them how to make colored paper dance like butterflies on the breeze.
Sometimes, the princess would follow villagers and castle residents who wandered alone into the woods. There the dragon would be, ready to listen to their troubles and aide them any way he could. And when people needed a safe haven, the dragon opened his own den to them.
As the princess witnessed all this, she learned the value of courtesy and kindness – and remembered.
Several years had passed before the princess gained the courage to approach the dragon in the woods. But when she did, she knew she had nothing to fear from him. A strong friendship developed between them. And the dragon taught the princess much: How to open her eyes and see the beauty of the world around her; to think before acting; to understand the consequences before making a decision; and to stick with that decision once made. The princess grew to become a wise, gentile woman – the pride of her father.
So great was her father's pride that when it came time for her marriage, he wanted only the best husband for her. He sent messengers far and wide, into neighboring kingdoms and beyond! There would be a contest – the man who had performed the most courteous act would win his daughter's hand.
As it turns out, there was this young lord who decided he would enter the contest. He had heard that a dragon lived in the woods near the princess and her father, and thought, What better courtesy could I perform than by getting rid of this fire-breathing pest for them?
So the young lord packed his things, got into his armor, mounted his noble steed and headed off on his quest. Eventually, he came upon the dragon in the woods.
The dragon at this time was busy teaching young pages the proper handling and respect for weapons. Thinking harm was about to befall the children, the young lord boldly approached the dragon and bravely called his challenge. As soon as the dragons head was turned, the battle ensued.
One of the pages picked up a dagger and ran to help the dragon. Unfortunately, the young lord was so engaged in battle and had such limited visibility in his helm; he mistook the gleam from the dagger for a dragon's claw. The would-be-fatal blow came down fast, but the dragon was even swifter – lightning-quick, he placed himself between the innocent child and the blade.
The blow didn't kill the dragon outright, but his strength ebbed quickly. The king, princess and their entourage arrived just then, alerted by the commotion in the woods.
The young lord paused before landing the final blow. Before any word could be spoken, the princess took hold of her father's sleeve, getting his attention. “Father,” she said, “which is more courteous? The single act a man performs in his life, or the life one leads with hundreds – nay thousands of little courtesies along the way?”
Upon hearing these words, the lord took his sword and laid it on the ground. The dragon's life was spared so that he may continue his courteous acts for many, many years.
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This story was originally written for a storytelling competition in the SCA where we demonstrate the courtesy of someone we know. :D
- ESA
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