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You'd never guess it if you tried ever so！fact is； I'm such a confoundedly
lazy beggar！〃
〃You surprise me；〃 said the Boy； civilly。
〃It's the sad truth；〃 the dragon went on； settling down between his
paws and evidently delighted to have found a listener at last： 〃and I fancy
that's really how I came to be here。 You see all the other fellows were so
active and EARNEST and all that sort of thingalways rampaging； and
skirmishing； and scouring the desert sands； and pacing the margin of the
sea； and chasing knights all over the place； and devouring damsels； and
going on generallywhereas I liked to get my meals regular and then to
prop my back against a bit of rock and snooze a bit； and wake up and think
of things going on and how they kept going on just the same； you know！
So when it happened I got fairly caught。〃
〃When WHAT happened； please？〃 asked the Boy。
〃That's just what I don't precisely know；〃 said the dragon。 〃I suppose
the earth sneezed； or shook itself； or the bottom dropped out of something。
Anyhow there was a shake and a roar and a general stramash； and I found
myself miles away underground and wedged in as tight as tight。 Well；
thank goodness； my wants are few； and at any rate I had peace and
quietness and wasn't always being asked to come along and DO something。
And I've got such an active mindalways occupied； I assure you！ But
time went on； and there was a certain sameness about the life； and at last I
began to think it would be fun to work my way upstairs and see what you
other fellows were doing。 So I scratched and burrowed； and worked this
way and that way and at last I came out through this cave here。 And I
like the country； and the view； and the peoplewhat I've seen of 'emand
on the whole I feel inclined to settle down here。〃
〃What's your mind always occupied about？〃 asked the Boy。 〃That's
what I want to know。〃
The dragon coloured slightly and looked away。 Presently he said
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bashfully：
〃Did you everjust for funtry to make up poetryverses； you
know？〃
〃'Course I have；〃 said the Boy。 〃Heaps of it。 And some of it's quite
good； I feel sure； only there's no one here cares about it。
Mother's very kind and all that； when I read it to her； and so's father for
that matter。 But somehow they don't seem to〃
〃Exactly；〃 cried the dragon； 〃my own case exactly。 They don't seem
to； and you can't argue with 'em about it。 Now you've got culture； you
have； I could tell it on you at once； and I should just like your candid
opinion about some little things I threw off lightly； when I was down there。
I'm awfully pleased to have met you； and I'm hoping the other neighbours
will be equally agreeable。 There was a very nice old gentleman up here
only last night； but he didn't seem to want to intrude。〃
〃That was my father；〃 said the boy； 〃and he IS a nice old gentleman；
and I'll introduce you some day if you like。〃
〃Can't you two come up here and dine or something to…morrow？〃
asked the dragon eagerly。 〃Only； of course； if you've got nothing better
to do；〃 he added politely。
〃Thanks awfully；〃 said the Boy； 〃but we don't go out anywhere without
my mother； and； to tell you the truth； I'm afraid she mightn't quite approve
of you。 You see there's no getting over the hard fact that you're a dragon；
is there？ And when you talk of settling down； and the neighbours； and so
on； I can't help feeling that you don't quite realize your position。 You're
an enemy of the human race； you see！〃
〃Haven't got an enemy in the world；〃 said the dragon； cheerfully。
Too lazy to make 'em； to begin with。 And if I DO read other fellows
my poetry； I'm always ready to listen to theirs！〃
〃Oh； dear！〃 cried the boy； 〃I wish you'd try and grasp the situation
properly。 When the other people find you out； they'll come after you
with spears and swords and all sorts of things。 You'll have to be
exterminated； according to their way of looking at it！ You're a scourge；
and a pest； and a baneful monster！〃
〃Not a word of truth in it；〃 said the dragon； wagging his head solemnly。
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〃Character'll bear the strictest investigation。 And now； there's a little
sonnet…thing I was working on when you appeared on the scene〃
〃Oh； if you WON'T be sensible；〃 cried the Boy； getting up； 〃I'm going
off home。 No； I can't stop for sonnets； my mother's sitting up。 I'll look
you up to…morrow； sometime or other； and do for goodness' sake try and
realize that you're a pestilential scourge； or you'll find yourself in a most
awful fix。 Good… night！〃
The Boy found it an easy matter to set the mind of his parents' at ease
about his new friend。 They had always left that branch to him； and they
took his word without a murmur。 The shepherd was formally introduced
and many compliments and kind inquiries were exchanged。 His wife；
however； though expressing her willingness to do anything she couldto
mend things； or set the cave to rights； or cook a little something when the
dragon had been poring over sonnets and forgotten his meals； as male
things WILL do； could not be brought to recognize him formally。 The
fact that he was a dragon and 〃they didn't know who he was〃 seemed to
count for everything with her。 She made no objection； however； to her
little son spending his evenings with the dragon quietly； so long as he was
home by nine o'clock： and many a pleasant night they had； sitting on the
sward； while the dragon told stories of old； old times； when dragons were
quite plentiful and the world was a livelier place than it is now； and life
was full of thrills and jumps and surprises。
What the Boy had feared； however； soon came to pass。 The most
modest and retiring dragon in the world； if he's as big as four cart…horses
and covered with blue scales； cannot keep altogether out of the public
view。 And so in the village tavern of nights the fact that a real live
dragon sat brooding in the cave on the Downs was natural