There was once a very beautiful princess named Claudia, who lived in a very big castle, for her father was the king of Dragoland. The young princess usually spent her days playing with friends in the castle dungeons. But one day, Claudia and her chums went for a walk around the castle walls where there was a forest full of trees.

Claudia was the most beautiful of all her friends. Her long blonde hair and big green eyes meant that people noticed her wherever she went.

As they entered the forest, the girls noticed something moving among the tree branches, but couldn’t see who or what it was… Suddenly, an enormous dragon came flying out of the undergrowth and grabbed Claudia with his claws. Then, as quickly as he had come, the dragon flew back deeper and deeper into the forest. Terrified, the other girls ran back to the castle to tell the king what had happened.

The King of Dragoland was so alarmed at hearing the news that his daughter had been kidnapped by a dragon that he ordered an army of a thousand men to rescue her. Meanwhile, the dragon had already reached his lair with the princess.

The young princess was so scared that she kept a close eye on the dragon’s every movement, for she feared that he would harm her. Suddenly, the dragon crouched over her and said: “Don’t be afraid, dear princess, I won’t hurt you. I just want you to be my bride.”

Claudia was astonished by this, for she had never imagined a dragon could like her. After a few minutes, she answered: “But dragon, I don’t want to be your bride. I want to marry Prince Nicholas. Moreover, you are a dragon and I am a girl and you should find a lady dragon to love you.”

Listening to young princess Claudia, the dragon reflected for a few minutes and then said:”Princess Claudia, I think you’re right. I should find a bride who is just like me, but when I saw you in the forest you were so beautiful… I’m very sorry for having imprisoned you in my lair.”

Right at that moment, the king’s thousand soldiers burst into the dragon’s cave to save the princess. Seeing they were about to shoot the dragon, Claudia shouted: “Noooo! Don’t shoot, he hasn’t harmed me! Stop!” Then the dragon set his claw on the ground for the princess to climb up, and took her to the entrance of the lair where her father the king was waiting.

And that was how the dragon understood that he should respect the princess Claudia’s advice, and look for a lady dragon to share the rest of his life with.

THE END