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Dragon Capers
Gryff Gets Fired
by Alex Craggs
In Snowdonia,
He is winged, red, and frightening. He
lives on jagged stone cliff.
With his scales, warts and horns, Gryff’s hardly a beauty,
He scares all whom he meets, he says, “It’s my duty.”
Gryff
is known widely for being grumpy and tough,
with a temper, sharp teeth and an incredible puff.
For it isn’t just mouth from which Gryff can throw flame,
It’s his mouth, nose and ears, it has brought him much fame.
One
darkened day Gryff took wing, and roared loud.
He flew higher and higher, to the top of a cloud.
But in the cloud it was cold and he’s a little like you.
What starts with a sniffle, often ends with the flu!
Gryff
flew out of the cloud which was well below freezing.
Sneezing and sneezing and sneezing and sneezing.
When a dragon sneezes, those near come out worst,
so many steer clear of the fiery burst.
The
flames from Gryff’s mouth set a forest on fire.
The flames from his nose made it burn even higher.
The flames from his ears looked very distinguished,
But by the time of his last sneeze, his flames were extinguished!
“Oh
no!” Cried out Gryff, “that’s incredibly rough,
No one will be scared if I can’t light my puff!”
He felt all put out; it was unlike him to fail.
He was short of ideas so he started to wail.
100
miles east, high above a steep gorge,
Flew an old English dragon, known only as George.
He smelt burning forest as it started to cook.
He then heard Gryff’s loud howling and flew west for a look.
George
listened for wailing and hovered in close,
until he saw Gryff beneath him, looking sad and morose.
George the dragon called out, “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”
“I’m puffed out!” cried Gryff, “My pilot light’s gone!”
“Lost
your puff?” replied George, “but this flame indicates,
that the dragon that started this fire is great!
You’ve to prove there is nothing, to make me feel sorry,
but if you’re lacking your puff it’s a bit of a worry.”
Gryff
let out a puff as he tried to be savage,
but nothing emerged bar the smell of a cabbage.
“So you see I am doused where I used to have fire,
I wish I had flames, it’s my only desire!”
“Don’t
worry,” said George, “it’s not such a big mission,
I’m sure with my flame we can launch the ignition!”
So the dragons breathed out together as one,
Gryff still had nothing, George burned like the sun.
“Time
for plan B,” said George shaking his head,
“Your puff’s a bit duff, it looks like its dead!
But I’ve got an idea, so don’t be delirious,
To get stuff in your puff, we need to get serious.”
“Trust
me on this, for it sounds a bit silly,
but to restart your puff, we’ve to go for a chilli!”
“A chilly?” Asked Gryff, “But isn’t that cold?”
“Not this kind of chilli, just do what you’re told!”
So
Gryff the red dragon and George the albino,
flew thousands of miles to be served Jalapeño’s.
The waiter though frightened knew what they required
and passed Gryff a bottle, saying, “Break glass to be fired!”
Gryff
shattered the bottle to get at his dinner,
a small pepper bounced out, he was on to a winner.
Gryff picked up the green pepper, “This is hot?
Are you sure?”
George warned, “Yes, but be careful, of what you wish for!”
In the
depths of despair Gryff could no longer wallow,
he threw pepper in air, and then caught it and swallowed.
A deep thunder was heard from the pit of his tummy.
Gryff yelled, “WOW THAT’S HOT! I feel
kind of funny!”
Flames
escaped with the words from Gryff’s mouth, nose and ears.
A fire in his belly nearly brought him to tears.
George looked a bit nervous, his warning was coded.
There was calm for a moment, then Gryff’s bottom exploded!
But it
wasn’t all bad, and Gryff couldn’t knock it,
The spark from his bottom sent him off like a rocket.
Gryff was back home in
leaving George with the bill and two smouldered eyelashes.