Sunday Photo Fiction is a weekly challenge presented by Susan Spaulding, who has taken over this great weekly prompt from my old friend Al Forbes.
This week’s photo is again one of my own, and inspired a re-work of a piece I wrote some years ago.
The general idea is to write a short story (200 word max) inspired by what you see in the picture (below).
Click on this link to enter your tale, and see what others have written.
© C. E. Ayr
Click here to hear the author read the tale:
I, Dragon
Personally I think the punishment is a bit harsh.
Petrified for 1,000 years.
Sentenced by King Arthur himself at a special meeting of the Round Table.
Carried out by Merlin, that smug old git.
He thinks he’s a bit special just because he can do some magic and see the future and stuff like that.
It’s not like I did anything really bad.
Okay, I maybe overreacted a tad.
The thing is, I am usually so easy-going.
I help out a lot around the castle.
I provide fire for the blacksmith when he is forging swords.
I fly around the country delivering messages to knights on quests.
And of course, because I gather all sorts of news on my travels, I’m the ace reporter on the Camelot Courier.
Most people like me, especially the mums, because I am a sort of combination baby-sitter and adventure park for the kids on market day.
But this little brat just would not let it be.
Everyone knows that song makes me cry.
It has the saddest ending ever.
So when he sang Puff the Magic Dragon for about the 83rd time I guess I just lost my temper.
And sautéed the horrible child.
*
Footnote (not part of the story):
For any of you who are unfortunate enough not to know this fabulous song, this is how it ends:
A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.
This made me so sad that I wrote a sequel a few years back.
Sound Bite Fiction 
What makes me sad is there won’t be any more barbeques in Merry Ole Camelot. And I remember the song well.
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An excellent take on the prompt! I empathize with the poor dragon, I’ve done more than my fair share of baby sitting and sometimes you just want the brats to SHUT UP!
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Laughing.
My point exactly!
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Beautifully written though the horrible end to the horrible child but what more can you expect from an angry dragon.
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Thank you, Indira, the dragon was sadly driven to distraction.
But we all have a breaking point, don’t we?
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Indeed.
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Loved this story. Thanks for taking to a fantasy world.
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Hey, dragons are not fantasy, dragons are real as you and me!
Well, you, anyway, I’m not sure about me.
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Hahaha 😁
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Loved the story. Not fair for the dragon. He’s so helpful and easy-going until he wasn’t. Maybe a tad bit of an overreaction, but who can blame him? It’s a really sad song. Love Peter, Paul, and Mary … my granny’s favorite group.
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He is a sweetheart, Brenda.
And your granny, is she free to walk out with an ancient Scot?
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I wonder what a barbecued sautéed Col. Sanders Dragon would taste like? Lunch, I Guess. 😊
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We do not, repeat not, sautée dragons.
Ever.
You are a babrbarian, sir!
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Almost like the dragon is applying for a job, Nice broad based resume.
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He is a cool dude, for sure, I’d hire him anytime
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Well then. Yes, 1000 is a bit too long of a sentence, especially given all the mitigating circumstances and cumulative good deeds. I’m thinking, it was a business proposition from other reporters that led to the freezing of the industrious dragon. One might even think that little boy was sent to goad him … 😉 Well done!
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Hmm, conspiracy theory rocks Camelot!
This needs further investigation, I think.
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Indeed! You never know what you’ll find in that place. Avalon has more secrets than most politicians … 😉
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Oh no, I’d totally forgotten how Puff the Magic Dragon ends — that really is sad. And no wonder that dragon crisped that annoying boy for singing it over and over. Justifiable, I’d say!
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That is why I wrote a sequel, he is way too cool to leave in a cave for eternity!
And what’s the odd charred child between friends, hmm?
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I’ve missed your sense of humor, being away from SPF — but maybe you’re a bad influence, because now I want to work the phrase “the odd charred child” into one of my stories….
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❤❤❤
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Puff rocks!
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I live by the sea but fortunately not in Honahlee. I was a chef but never sautéed a brat. Food for thought.
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Personally I prefer my brats barbecued.
Always worth considering, I agree.
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CE This was actually borderline tender. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Well done!
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I am actually a bit of a sweetheart, Violet, I just hide it well!
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Were Peter Paul and Mary really that long ago? Gosh I am old.
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I was only a laddie myself, Joseph!
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🙂
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