Valiant Chris James

VALIANT CHRIS JAMES
(By Lynn Katulka) (Illustrated by Christine Gibson.)

Valiant Chris James and a brown-spotted steed. Were guarding the kingdom from robbers and thieves. When far in the distance, from the Orange Opal Cliffs, came a nasally sound- a HONK and a SNIFF. The horrible sound seemed to bounce down the cliff, straight into the valley where the winds often drift.

Mounting thesteed with a leap and a bound, Chris James galloped with speed towards the sound. They trotted and splashed through puddles knee deep, from the rain that had fallen at the first of the week, ridding through town, everyone waved, bidding “Good luck”, “God speed” and “Be Brave”.

Now, Valiant Chris James was the boldest of knights, who had conquered two ogres in one single fight. But even braveknights have fears to felt, and Chris’ was dragons who could make armor melt. A scaly, green dragon lived high in the cliffs, precisely the source of that HONK and that SNIFF.

As they drew ever closer to the dragon’s dark home, the honking and sniffing increased in tone. Valiant Chris James dismounted the steed and climbed up the cliffs through the thorny, black weeds, sneaking ‘round corners,so as not to be seen, Chris James hoped this dragon wasn’t really that mean.

A peek in the cave that the dragon called home, showed very large piles of cleanly ploked bones, Valiant Chris James swallowed all of the fear, entered the cave shouting, “DRAGON I’M HERE” with a thundering THUD and a glant GALUMP, the dragon appeared, making everything jump.

The dragon looked mean, red eyes andall aglow, but his slimy, green scales were hanging too low. The dragon had purple under each of his eyes, and circling his head was a flock of big flies. This scaly, green dragon, who was said to be bold, was stuck in his cave with a nasty head cold.

Valiant Chris James climbed high on a rock, so the dragon could hear and they could hear and they could talk. The dragon explained to ValiantChris James, that the cause of his cold was the steady cool rain and, because of his cold being all in his head; when he tried to breathe fire out came honking instead.

“If I had fire,” the sick dragon said “I bet I’d get better and my scales wouldn’t shed” Valiant Chris James sat and thought for a spell, and finally, “I’ll make you well… but you have to promise, you have swear, that you’ll nottry to melt the armor I wear”

The dragon agreed to the Valiant knight’s terms, (he’d promise the moon to get rid of his germs.) Valiant Chris James was happy to help, starting a fire so warm could be felt, and the cave was aglow with the fire’s warm heat as the dragon sat nearer to warm his cold feet.

Valiant Chris James stayed through the night, feeding the flames to keep alight, thedragon soon drifted into a slumbering sleep, as Valiant Chris James made not a peep, the dragon awoke the very next day to lind his cold had crept far away.

The dragon looked better, his scales way up high, the purple was gone and so were the flies, he was ever so grateful to Valiant Chris James, that he chuckled and blew out hot smoking flames, the knight edged away yelling “We made a deal, youpromised I wouldn’t be your next meal”.

The dragon had started to circle the knight, preparing himself for a fearsome fight. The knight’s armored hat fell off in the haste, as long red curls tumbled down to her waist. “A girl!” barked the dragon, “not brave-not strong!” “That,” said the knight, “is where you are wrong”

“I, Christine James, came in to your cave. That in itself shows you I’mbrave. I rode through the night, and I climbed up the cliff, fighting through weed, thorny and stiff. I built the fire that drove out your cold, and all you can say is I’m weak and not bold!”

The dragon said, “Sorry” with a pitiful pout. And expertly stamped the small fires out. “I’m perfectly well, and you’ve been very kind. As you can see, my breathing is fine.” The dragon then said, “What...