3354 - Lucy and the Dragon

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Vicky Baklessi

Once upon a time there was a little girl, so little, that nobody would notice her. Her name was Lucy because even in the darkest of darks her hair was bright. Each night, before she went to sleep she prayed for humans. She didn’t want her village to know so that they won’t dishearten her and she did it silently.

In that era, a dragon was passing by her country. He had with him iron letters so that he would never forget his beloved homeland. He had heard many prayers in the year of destruction but he wasn’t able to help all of his people. The resistance was vain but he never kneeled down and he saved as many as he could with tooth and claw. When the beasts caught him, they didn’t manage to kill him because he hadn’t yet lived his one thousand years. So one sunny day, he escaped.

That night, he heard the prayer of little Lucy. He had seen many, but nobody prayed for the others. And he decided to find her village. It was easy, because she was shining in the dark. He was looking at her but she didn’t see him. The Dragon had the color of the invisible even since he had left his homeland. She felt him though and cried out:

– Who is it?
– He who heard your prayer.
– Are you a saint?
– In my homeland the saints came after!
– Why don’t I see you?
– There is no reason to.
– What do you look like?
– What do you want me to look like?
– Like a dragon
– A dragon?
– So that those who harm people are afraid of you.
– Don’t you want me to look human?
– No!
– But why?
– How will you protect us otherwise?
– You ‘re right.
– You will be my monster.
– Just as we say, my person.
– Exactly.
– Okay, my lucy.
– How do you know my name?
– I don’t, I see it.
– You are strange.
– Does it matter?
– No. It’s better like this. So that nobody else wants you.
– I will be here for you.
– Why do you carry these iron letters?

The Dragon started recounting his adventures and little Lucy fell asleep. It was the first time she was joyful. The Dragon remained standing beside her. Nobody would ever disturb her again. He had at last a light within the dark. Little Lucy was a lit candle of an non-existing temple that waited the next history, so that the world awakens. It was them who would write the iron letters which Lucy’s Dragon were holding.