In the Land of Nod lived Mickey the Dragon. When he was not asleep Mickey liked eating lots of lovely jam tarts. He liked the ones with strawberry jam best. One day, after a long sleep, he woke up and stretched himself and said: 'I will go and see if there are any more of my favourite jam tarts.' So off he went to the little shop which sold jam tarts.

On the way he met old Mr Lolly. Mickey had not seen old Mr Lolly as he was so busy thinking of jam tarts. Mr Lolly called to him. Mickey looked up and saw Mr Lolly standing right beside him.

'Oh, hello,' said Mickey the Dragon, 'I am sorry I did not see you there.'

'Did you like your long sleep?' asked Mr Lolly.

'Yes thank you,' said Mickey the Dragon, feeling rather hungry by now. 'I'm just off to the shop for some of my favourite strawberry tarts.'

Mr Lolly looked very sad when Mickey said this because he knew that the shop had shut down for a weeks holiday. He looked at Mickey and told him that he would not be able to get any of his favourite jam tarts. 'Mr Bun has gone on holiday to Raspberry Land.'

'Oh what will I do?' asked the dragon feeling more hungry than ever.

'There's old Madam Dainty over the hill, she sells nice cakes too.'

The sleepy dragon thanked Mr Lolly and started on his way. He had not gone very far when he came to a brook. Looking into the brook who did he see but Mr Jumper the frog.

'Hello Mickey, where are you going at this time of day?'

'I'm off to see Madam Dainty to see if she will sell me some jam tarts. You see I am so hungry and Mr Bun has gone on holiday to Raspberry Land.'

'Oh there's Miss Tart she lives a little way down the lane not far from here. You can get some jam tarts there.'

'Thank you very much,' said the dragon and followed Mr Jumper's directions. As Mickey the sleepy dragon walked towards Miss Tart's shop he looked all around and watched the birds flying. To wish I could get my jam tarts as easily as those birds get their food,' he said.

'You can,' chirped the birds in chorus. 'We know where you are going. Not far now,' chirped the birds to a very hungry and very sleepy dragon. 'Look, there is Miss Tart's shop.'

'Oh thank you very much.' Mickey came to the door and gave it a push. It opened easily. He saw a very funny little figure sitting there on a stool.

'Excuse me,' said the dragon, 'but do you sell jam tarts?'

The little figure got off the stool and looked at the dragon. I do sell jam tarts. How many do you want?'

'You don't happen to have an awful lot do you please?' asked the dragon, feeling very hopeful.

‘I have twenty-five,' said Miss Tart.

'That will do nicely,' Mickey said. 'How much do I owe you please?'

'Ten new pennies please,' said little Miss Tart. Mickey gave Miss Tart the money and left the shop feeling very pleased with himself and wandered off to find a nice shady spot to sit. He walked along the lane and saw all the birds singing.

'Hello,' chirped the birds, 'did you get the jam tarts?'

'Oh yes, thank you,' Mickey said and started to eat them. They were lovely. He finished the last one.

'Now I am too full to move. It's no use now I will have a sleep.' So he lay down and went fast asleep and dreamed of lovely strawberry jam tarts.

Many hours later he woke up and looked around. Then he got up and started to walk back to the place where he lived. He had not gone far when he saw a big tree and in it sat a squirrel.

The squirrel looked at Mickey and said, 'What are you?'

'Oh I'm a dragon,' said Mickey, looking very pleased with himself.

'Oh are you, well I'm a squirrel. I eat nuts, what do you eat?'

'Jam tarts,' said the dragon.

'Jam tarts, that sounds funny,' said the squirrel.

Mickey the Dragon did not like this so he began to puff little clouds of smoke at the squirrel. The squirrel ran straight up the tree.

'Oh,' said the sleepy little dragon. I didn't mean to hurt you. I only gave little puffs of smoke.'

'Well you did,' said a small voice somewhere in the grass.

Mickey looked around him and saw a funny little duck.

'My name is Gully. I live here. I think it's the fire in your mouth that made him run up the tree to his house. I think it comes when you are a bit cross.'

'Do you know how I can stop it then,' asked the dragon.

'Yes,' said Gully the little duck. 'It seems to me you do not eat enough.'

'Do you really think that if I eat plenty I will not blow smoke and fire at anyone?'

'Yes,' said Gully the little duck. 'I think that will help you.'

So Mickey the sleepy dragon thanked Gully the little duck and went on his way towards home in the Land of Nod.

He always made sure that he didn't forget to eat plenty so that he would not frighten the little creatures any more. He lived for a long time and told all the young dragons to eat plenty, and in the end that is how dragons stopped blowing fire and frightening small animals and people.

                                                                by  Anne Knight