A Tale of Two Dragons mythological story for children(1)

A Tale of Two Dragons

By: Oceania

Very many years ago, when the land was full of vast forests, a boy was born at a cottage in the depths of the woods. He grew up with his mother and father and rarely saw anyone else. His friends were the woodland creatures and in his nature he became as shy as they. Now Hal liked nothing better than to finish his chores as quickly as he could and vanish into the woods to play. On one rather wintry day , one of those days when the dry autumn leaves on the forest floor crunched as he walked on them he was surprised to meet a very old and wizened man, his beard nearly touching his knees , and his cloak very raggedy. Yet to Hal , when he looked into his penetrating twinkly eyes, he seemed the wisest man on earth.

Hal took him home, he was strangely accepted by his Mother and Father, who seemed were very much in awe of the old man. Hal had never seen his father in awe of anything, in fact Hal was rather afraid of his father, since Hal had a very timid sensitive nature. This greatly worried his father who loved him but felt he needed to learn fight and protect himself as he grew into a man.

As they sat round the brightly burning wood fire in the evening HalÆs father told something of these worries to the old man, who listened quietly, he seemed to have taken a great liking to the boy. Then, in the way that they did in those days, of storytelling on a winterÆs evening, the old man told them why he was wandering in the woods living on nuts and berries.

click on picture for larger image(65356) of Merlin by Sheila Ansell

He spoke of a powerful King , who had called upon the old manÆs powers of prophesy, to solve a problem. The king had four times built a castle, and four times the castle had fallen down. The King was in fear since an earlier prophesy had warned him that if the castle was not built he would surely die. Merlin, for that is who the old man was, had vowed to wander in the forest until he had the answer. That very day all had become clear to him. The great castle of Vortigern had living beneath it two dragons , one red and one white , until they were released the castle would continue to fall down. Now dragons can be very fearful and Hal was very afraid, he was even more afraid when Merlin said he had been told he would find a boy in the wood to help him.

Merlin requested that Hal should accompany him , and that he would be taught to be a warrior and protector of the people when the fearsome dragons were released. Do not be afraid Hal he said, I will give you a magic sword and you will be the bravest of them all. Your father and all the people will be proud of you. Hal was not so sure but the idea of a magic sword excited him.

For a year Hal trained and fought with the most valiant warriors in the land, he trusted in his magic sword, with it he felt he could do anything and he was proud to be a protector of the people. The day came when the two dragons of Vortigern were released and Hal rushed to get his magic sword only to find that it was gone just when he needed it most. All his old fear came back, what was he to do, the people were relying on him. There was another sword , just an ordinary sword but he picked it up and went out to fight. He fought gloriously and returned triumphant. Now there is a twist in this tail, when he told Merlin what had happened the MerlinÆs wise old eyes twinkled and he laughed saying ôDid you really think it was a magic swordö? I just told you that so you would overcome your fear for I could see that you had a truly brave heart. Your sword has been an ordinary sword all along , the magic comes from your own brave heart, you must trust yourself as you trusted your æmagicÆ sword.