Elmer and the Dragon

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Map

1. Tangerina

2. Storm

3. The Sand Bar

4. The Island

5. Flute, the Canary

6. King Can XI

7. The Secret

8. Treasure

9. Farewell

10. Elmer Flies Home

About the Author and the Illustrator

Chapter One

TANGERINA

Into the evening sky flew Elmer Elevator aboard the gentle baby dragon, leaving Wild Island behind forever. Elmer, who was nine years old, had just rescued the dragon from the ferocious animals who lived on the island. An old alley cat told him how the dragon had been hurt when he fell from a cloud onto the island, and how the wild animals had made him their miserable prisoner. Elmer, feeling sorry for the dragon, and also hoping to fly on his back, had set off to the rescue.

Now the dragon was free, and happy and grateful, and he said, "Elmer, you were wonderful to come all the way to Wild Island just to rescue me. I'll never be able to thank you enough!"

"Oh, that's all right," said Elmer. "Flying on your back makes all my trouble worthwhile."

"Then I'll take you on a trip! Where would you like to go?"

"Everywhere," said Elmer. "The trouble is that I ran away ten days ago to rescue you, and I guess I ought to be getting home."

"Well, at least I can fly you there." "That would be swell," said Elmer, peering over the dragon's side. "Let's rest tonight down there on Tangerina Island, and start the trip tomorrow."

"Fine," said the dragon, swooping down and landing beneath a tree on the beach of Tangerina.

Elmer slid down and took off his knapsack. "You're beautiful!" he said, admiring the dragon's blue and yellow stripes, his red horn and eyes, his great long tail, and especially his gold-colored wings shining in the faint moonlight.

"It's very kind of you to say so," said the dragon, suddenly feeling very hungry. "What's there to eat around here?"

"Tangerines all over the place!" said Elmer, picking one and peeling it for the dragon.

"Pew! Pew! What a terrible taste!" choked the dragon, spitting out the tangerine as hard as he could.

"What do dragons eat?" asked Elmer.

"I used to enjoy the skunk cabbages and the ostrich ferns on Wild Island, but I don't see any here," said the dragon, looking anxiously up and down the empty beach.

"Maybe you'd like the tangerine peelings?" suggested Elmer.

The dragon closed his eyes and carefully bit off a small corner of a piece of a peel. Then he jumped up yelling, "Why, they're delicious!"