Dragon Legends from the House Fairy

The House Fairy paid a visit last night. This is quite an event in our house because it means one of the children has a reward chart full of stickers. Last night it was Secundus’ turn to take down his completed chart and place it on his bedroom floor for the House Fairy to exchange for a gift.

The House Fairy can be a little sporadic in her visits. Like her sister, the Tooth Fairy, sometimes she forgets. The gifts she brings can vary in quality – sometimes they appear to have been saved from a Christmas cracker - but it’s the thought that counts. And every six weeks or so Prima or Secundus get a soupcon of that “Father Christmas Has Been” feeling when they wake up.

Secundus, therefore, woke the King and I this morning by calling “I’ve got a book!” which didn’t seem terribly worth shouting about until I remembered that the House Fairy had delivered it overnight. Moreover, Secundus announced at 6.55 am, it was a Book On Dragons.

When the alarm clock finally sounded at 7.30, Secundus paraded gleefully in, brandishing Dragon Legends (£5.99, Pavilion Childrens), an anthology of myths, legends and folklore featuring dragons. David Passes re-tells stories from as far back as 2000 BC and as far away as China, with a sense of wonder matched perfectly by Wayne Anderson’s fantasy illustrations. 

Some folktales in this selection are well-known in England, such as “The Lambton Worm” and St George of course, but others will be new to most readers. Passes also includes explanations as to the origin of the dragon myth and the purpose and symbolism behind it, without overwhelming the reader with facts or detracting from the drama of the stories and lavish artwork. Secundus particularly liked Passes’ clear reasoning about why people believed in dragons long ago.

Always in his element when spinning a yarn, the King has already been inspired by Dragon Legends and is gearing up to re-tell “Beowulf and the Fire Dragon” tomorrow breakfast-time. I’m not quite sure that’s what the House Fairy intended but it’s proof that you can never be too old for dragons. 

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