Flár

a story about a dragon named Flár.


once upon a time,there was a dragon who was not able to breathe fire.
how ever hard he huffed and puffed,
nothing came from his mouth.
not a single flame.
not even a wisp of smoke.

at first he was a little worried,
but his parents told him it was not so bad.
"you're still young,no need to fret,
soon it will come,and you'll be glad!"
but his worries turn into sadness,
as the other tease about his strangeness.
worst was his brother Grath,with his friend Clob and Writh.
together when they were bored,they would make fun of Flar,
oh! pity him.

"watch Feuerne!how we burn this tree,
u couldn't ever do it,not even in a century."
they called him names,as a Feuerne means a dragon that is weak,
such as that cannot fly or breathe fire,and many more so to speak.

Flár was very sad,and wished that he really could,
breathe a flame of fire and show his brother,
that he can do it too.
so he tried various ways,methods to enable to breathe fire.
but all was in vain,
until one day,his brother spoke in disdain,
"Feuerne fool,all your methods are doomed to fail,
only i know how to remedy your state."
so Flár asked Grath,what could it be,
for he was at his wits end,
and would follow every advice,
as long as he can be like Grath and his friend.

"you must fly over this mountain,into the woods,
there's a small water pond there.drink from it you should."
not wasting a moment,Flár arrived at the pond,
where the water was so clean and clear,
that he can see in it,his own horn.

a gulp,
and suddenly!
out of the bushes jumped Grath,
followed by Writh and Clob,
bursting with laugh,
rolling on the earth,they could not stop.

"Feuerne certainly you are Flár,
havent you heard the story ever?
the Esig lake that turns the breathe cold,
preventing even the Elder from breathing fire,
you should have wait you little dole,
but now it shall come to you never.
you'll never breathe fire,
never Flár,ha ha ha..

they was laughing,but he was crying.
tricked and humiliated,he flew away,
away until the jeers were only whisper.
he flew away,until his wings can bat no more.
so he land near a river,to rest his beaten wings.
tho he did flew away,
the tears didnt stop to pour.

suddenly a soft voice spoke to him
"why are you crying?"
so Flár turn to see who it was,
to his surprise it was not a dragon,
initially appeared like a dwarf,
but actually it was a human son.
"why are you crying?"
again he asked.

prompted,Flár told the boy all,
and the boy told him his story,too
that they played along the river,
but the other boys ran home,
as they saw a dragon came from the sky.
limped as he was,the boy was left behind.

"but why was you crying?
even when you lost fire breathing,
you can still fly,
cant you?
obvious i think,
for a reason u cant cry."

spurred,Flár jumped and hovered,
he twirled and swirled,
circled above the lad,
before finally landing with a thud.
the boy laughed to see such sport,
it invoked the dragon thought,
forgetting his sadness
turning into bliss happiness,
when suddenly..

Grath came forth,
out of nowhere he appeared,
furiously he bellowed,
"how dare you Flare!
we searched for you everywhere,
but here you are,
playing with a humanling,
one that has killed our kind for nothing,
one that drove on our death for glory,
one that..
but here you are,
sitting with them,being merry"

with those words,Grath approached menacingly.
"i'll let you eat him then,
and u shall be forgiven,
for to kindle our breath,
it's said their heart we must have."

"NO!!i will not,
he comfort me,he had,
something a brother should do,but you did not."

enraged,Grath blew at Flár,
who cowered and crouched,
to protect the boy,his wings spread.

"how dare you say that,
you'll burn here,of your arrogant act.
Writh!Clob!
blew until your flame scorch."

though his scales were thick,
the flames did the trick.
hopes fail,whispered Flár to the boy,
"forgive me to cause this,
a death of fire..

but the boy answered
"falter not Flár,
you are a dragon still,
fight them,blow them,
flight and twirl,
i know u can.."

so Flár jumped,and twirled,
escaping to the open sky.
alas.Writh was faster,
for quickly towards Flár he jumped after,
he gripped Flár's foot,
and the rest quicken to grab his wings.

Three dragons chasing one,
one with a boy in his care,
he turned and tried,
futile as it seems,
blew as hard as he could,
not even a smoke brewed.
but he blew ice instead!

Three dragons chasing one,
three were frozen,face aghast,
fell to the ground,breaking to bits,
the last tale of Grath,Clob and Writh,
death brought by their bad deeds.
instead Flár's,it was theirs instead.

so Flár lived and the legend exist,
instead of burning he can freeze.
wide and far,famous for his feats.
and there was the boy;
who cant walk without a limp,
let alone run,so he tried,
but when the sun began to dim,
you can see him riding through the sky.

a silhouette of Flár,
the ice dragon
who huffed and puffed,
and no fire came from his mouth.
not a single flame.
not even a wisp of smoke.
only icicles.

the end

illustrations are work of Amir Safwan:



artist's imagination of Flár





artist's imagination of..the chase?