Are you tired of the same old fairy tales where the knight does all the rescuing? If you are looking for an empowering princess who saved the dragon story, you have come to the right place. Meet Princess Clara, a girl who proves that empathy and a clever mind are stronger than any sword. Grab a cozy blanket, press play on our free audio podcast, and let’s read along!
Once upon a time, in the windy Kingdom of Oakhaven, lived Princess Clara.
Clara did not like waiting in tall towers. She liked climbing trees, exploring the woods, and carrying a yellow backpack filled with useful things: a rope, some bandages, extra-large bandaids, and a bag of crunchy apple slices.
Everyone in Oakhaven was usually very happy, except for one big problem. The Trembling Mountain.
At the very top of the highest peak, lived a fearsome dragon. Every Tuesday, a terrible sound echoed down into the valley.
RUUUMBLE! GRRRUMBLE! ROOOAAAR!
The ground would shake. The teacups in the castle would rattle—clink, clink, clink.
“Oh, it is the angry dragon!” cried the King, hiding behind his throne. “Quick, call the bravest knights in the land!”
The knights marched out in their shiny armor. Clank, clank, clank. But when they heard the dragon roar again, they turned around and ran away as fast as they could. They were terrified.
Princess Clara watched them run. She crossed her arms. “If the knights won’t see what is wrong, I will go myself,” she decided.
She put on her sturdy boots, grabbed her yellow backpack, and started to hike.
Up, up, up she went. Past the Whispering Woods. Over the Bubbly Brook. She climbed until she reached the dark, smoky cave at the top of the mountain.
ROOOAAAR! SNIFFLE…
Clara stopped. Wait a minute, she thought. That didn’t sound like an angry roar. That sounded like… a cry.
Clara peeked inside the cave. There, curled into a giant green ball, was the dragon. But he wasn’t breathing fire. He was crying. Giant, bowling-ball-sized tears were rolling down his scaly cheeks. Plop. Plop. Splash.
“Excuse me,” Clara said softly, stepping into the light.
The dragon jumped. “Don’t hurt me with your pointy swords!” he whimpered, hiding his face under his giant tail.
“I don’t have a sword,” Clara smiled. “I am Princess Clara. Why are you crying?”
The dragon sniffled. “My name is Barnaby. I was trying to pick some mountain berries, and my wing got completely tangled in these giant, prickly thorn bushes. It hurts, and I can’t fly!”
Clara looked closely. It was true. Thick, thorny vines were wrapped tightly around Barnaby’s left wing. The poor dragon wasn’t angry at all; he was just stuck and scared.
“Don’t worry, Barnaby. I can help,” Clara said gently.
She opened her yellow backpack. She took out her safety clippers. Very carefully, talking to the dragon in a soothing voice to keep him calm, Clara began to cut the vines.
Snip. Snap. Snip. It took a long time, but finally, the last vine fell away. Clara placed three extra-large bandaids over the dragon’s scratches and fed him her crunchy apple slices.
Barnaby stretched his massive wings. They were free! He was so happy that he gave Clara a gentle, smoky hug.
“Thank you, brave Princess,” Barnaby rumbled happily. “How can I ever repay you?”
“Well,” Clara grinned, “it is a very long walk down the mountain…”
That afternoon, the King and the knights looked up at the sky in shock. Flying over the castle was the giant green dragon. And sitting comfortably on his back, waving to the crowd, was Princess Clara.
From that day on, Oakhaven never feared the mountain again. And everyone knew that the bravest person in the kingdom wasn’t the one with the biggest sword, but the princess with the kindest heart.
The End.
