The Dragon Who Learned Believing in self
High above the Village of Willowmere, in a cave carved into a snow-capped peak, lived a dragon named Ember. She was enormous, with scales that shimmered between copper and gold, and breath hot enough to melt stone. But Ember had a problem — she was terribly lonely.
Every time she flew down to the village, people screamed and ran. Maya, who was braver (or perhaps more curious) than most, decided to find out why the dragon kept coming. Armed with nothing but a basket of muffins and a big dose of courage, Maya climbed the mountain.
"Are you going to eat me?" Maya asked, standing at the mouth of the cave. Ember looked startled. "Eat you? I'm a vegetarian! I came to the village because I wanted to make friends. But everyone runs away before I can say hello." A single smoky tear rolled down her enormous snout.
Maya sat down, offered a muffin, and they talked for hours. Ember had read every book in her cave twice. She loved poetry and hated thunderstorms. She wanted more than anything to understand believing in self, because the books she read said it was the most important thing in the world.
Together, Maya and Ember came up with a plan. The next morning, Ember landed gently in the village square — with Maya riding on her back — and used her fire to light every hearth in every home. She baked a hundred loaves of bread with her breath and melted the ice that had frozen the town well. By sunset, the villagers weren't afraid anymore. And Ember learned that believing in self begins with a single act of kindness — and a really good muffin.
Talk about it
Ember discovered she could be brave by helping others, even when scared.
Three questions for lights-out
- Why do you think people were scared of Ember at first?
- What was the bravest thing Maya did in this story?
- How did Ember feel after she helped the whole village?
Words worth knowing
- shimmered
- sparkled and glowed with changing colors
- vegetarian
- someone who eats plants and food, not meat
- hearth
- the fireplace where a family keeps warm
- enormous
- really, really big
- courage
- being brave even when you're scared
Is this story scary for young kids?
No — the dragon is kind and lonely, not mean. The scary feeling goes away quickly when Maya shows Ember is a friend.
What's the lesson about believing in yourself?
Ember learns she's brave and worthwhile by doing something kind. Sometimes you discover who you really are by trying, not by thinking about it.