Tales of the Rain: bedtime stories. Наталья Дмитриева

      – Agreed. When you're gone, I'll continue this story. But you will tell me your story about this. From start to finish! Can you make it in time?

      – I'll try very much. Just go to the bed, cover yourself up, and go to sleep.

      – What do you mean, go to sleep? Aren't you…

      – Don't worry, I'm not going to lie to you. I'll tell you the story myself, from the very beginning to the end, and you'll hear it. And if you accidentally fall asleep, you will see the continuation of the story in a dream. I promise you. Don't be afraid!

      – And I'm not afraid. Tell me. I have covered up. What's the name of your story?

      Sad little dragon

      Once, a long time ago, far away from here, high up in the mountains, in a dark and damp cave, a sunray found a strange egg. It was so big that neither ray nor his brothers had ever seen before. However, from the father Sun, ray heard that on the Earth there used to be such amazing creatures, either birds or animals, which laid eggs, and from them hatchlings were hatched. These animals were so huge that they are no longer found on the Earth.

      The ray looked at his find with interest, trying to examine it from all sides. He couldn't look deep into the cave, but there was so quiet that he couldn't believe that anyone else was living nearby. This egg looked so lonely, forgotten and abandoned. And the ray called his brothers to admire the unusual finding. Together, they spent all days looking at it and wondering who could hatch from this amazing egg.

      And then one warm, sunny morning, the curious brothers heard a tapping and crackling sound, and then they saw how winding cracks like spring streams ran on the… And suddenly the shell at the top swelled up like ice on a river, and one "piece of ice" separated, rose unsteadily, and under it opened a surprised round green eye.

      Then the streams divided the shell into separate petals, and from them huge nacreous and pearl wings sprouted and unfolded in all their glory. You've already guessed who it was, haven't you? Well, of course, it was a real dragon! The rays were so surprised so they even backed away from the cave. The dragon snorted grumblingly, and flames burst from his nostrils. The tiniest and informidable thing (if anyone had ever seen how real big dragons spew flames) was that he had more sparks than fire. But, of course, if someone has never seen real dragons, then these sparks could seem not only amazing, but even scary.

      Soon the little dragon realized that he was totally alone in the cave, and slowly began to move towards the exit. His movements were still very uncertain and even, perhaps, funny. Of course, he was huge and enormous, if you compare him with all the animals that live on the Earth now, but you could see that he was still a very small and unthinking cub. He sat down awkwardly and swayed on his "paws", awkwardly turned his head, trying to look around and figure out where he was. His jaws (well, not a mouth or a beak, what else could it be but jaws) opened helplessly, and incomprehensible sounds came from it – either whistle, or a hiss.

      But the brothers-rays, of course, guessed that the little dragon was looking for mom and dad. And they began to think about how to help this baby, because they knew that he could find no parents, not even grandparents, not even any aunts and uncles, as they say, scarcely in sight. The rays stroked the little dragon's head gently – you understand, of course, that no one else on the Earth could do this. Well, who would reach the top of that head? That's it!

      The poor little dragon knew that there are no his relatives on this planet for a long time, and the only thing he can hope for is to find friends.

      The rays, of course, did not refuse to be friends with Draco (Well, how else can you call it? If you don't like the name, make up your own!), but they couldn't be around when friends were especially needed: in cold, gloomy weather and on a dark night. You may ask: why do you need friends at night? Those who have a mom and dad and a warm bed may not need friends at night… But the rays said that all the dragons that once had lived on the earth could fly. They could tell more, but they didn't. Well, you know.

      And so Draw went to look for friends. He spread his pearly wings and soared! You may ask, how did he soar, so small and helpless creature? And very simply – he had a dream. And a dream is the kind of thing that changes the weakest person to the strongest one. Oh, believe me, if you really, really want something, only really, you will definitely have the forces to achieve it!