Audiobook · read by volunteers
Reluctant Dragon
Kenneth Grahame (1859–1932)
Read by Mark F. Smith · 1 chapter · 56 min
About the book
What would you do if a dragon moved into the cave above your village? Run for the hills, or make friends and share a poem? The Boy in this story chooses friendship. He discovers that the dragon is peace-loving, fond of quiet afternoons and the odd banquet, and has no wish to burn anyone’s crops. Life is delightful until a knight in shining armour arrives to do what knights are supposed to do. Now the Boy must find a way to keep his friend safe without spoiling anyone’s honour. Kenneth Grahame writes with the gentle humour and affection for his characters that readers know from his other work, and the story is short enough to enjoy in a single sitting. A tale for children, and for anyone who likes their legends turned happily upside down.
Introduction
Kenneth Grahame lived from 1859 to 1932, and The Reluctant Dragon, which dates from 1898, is one of his best-loved short stories. Grahame is perhaps most famous for another book about animals and riverbanks, but this tale shows the same gift for gentle comedy and the same affection for characters who prefer comfort to conflict.
The story turns an old legend upside down. In the traditional tale a dragon terrorises a district until a brave knight arrives to kill it. Here the dragon is a quiet fellow who loves poetry and peace in his cave, a boy has befriended him, and the villagers are alarmed by something that turns out to be perfectly harmless. The arrival of a knight in shining armour then creates a problem that must be solved with tact and cleverness rather than with swords. The humour comes from the polite way in which everyone, including the dragon, goes about the business of avoiding a fight.
The recording consists of one continuous reading and lasts a little under an hour. It is a good length for a bedtime story, a car journey or a short break in the day. The voice of the narrator matters a great deal in a text of this kind, and a single reader carries it from the first line to the last.
It is a story that children enjoy for its fun and adults enjoy for its wit. If you would like to hear a dragon who simply wants a peaceful life, this is a fine choice, and its message about friendship needs no explanation.
Public domain
Kenneth Grahame died in 1932: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text