gabbrothetroll

[gabbrothetroll]

The Dragon's Charm

The charm I wear around my neck has magic on the inside

it makes the wearers skin as strong as a dragon's hide

for me it means I can exist in day as well as night

without turning to Stone as other trolls might

but this charm also has a story and I'll tell it to you now

it starts in a far-off country in a long forgotten town

the townsfolk there all lived in fear of what lurked beyond their Gates

the manticores were frightening, as were the giant venomous snakes

but the thing they feared the most of all which lurked beyond their doors

was the dragon great and fearsome sitting on her mountainous hoard

the townsfolk all were restless. they needed someone to slay this dragon!

but heroes were expensive, and as for money, they simply had none

so they made a flyer and sent it all across the land

"help!" it said in stylish font, "we need an extra hand!"

"no experience necessary" it said, "must be willing to work for exposure"

the townsfolk were all anxious as their Doom was drawing closer

but soon a rumor was spreading that a troll was coming their way!

although such news would generally be met with nothing but dismay

the townsfolk were delighted "a troll!" they said, "that's what we need!"

"something big and strong that can break that dragon's knees!"

the problem with this matter, and of course by now you see

is the troll that came to their rescue was in fact no other than me

when I first strolled up to the gates they had hope behind their eyes

which soon faded to dread when they noticed my small size

"what's this?!" they cried, "a tiny troll? that's surely a sight to be seen!"

of course they didn't know that trolls are only as big as they are mean

"my name is Gabbro" I said, "if you want to know"

"and if you don't need my help I guess I'll go"

"wait!" they pleaded, "Gabbro the troll!"

"if you slay the dragon we'll reward you with gold!"

I thought of this for a bit, then I said "you're bluffing"

"but I haven't got much to lose so I'll do it for nothing"

I left the town's gates to hesitant cheers

and so started a journey that took me 4 years

just kidding it was only a 4 hour hike

unfortunately, they hadn't invented the bike

when I got to The hoard I was amazed by it all

it was wonderfully wide and amazingly tall

"thief!" said a voice that made me jump

"leave before I turn you into a smoldering stump!"

sitting atop the glittering mountain

hidden in Twilight, was a violet dragon

"I'm not here to steal" I said, "I have no use for gold"

"my true heart's desire can't be bought or sold"

"what is it?" Asked the dragon, "what is your wish?"

"To see sunlight" I said, "though I know it's quite foolish"

"what is your name, thief?" asked the dragon, intrigued

"Gabbro" I said, "may I ask what yours might be?"

"Carmen" she said as she got down from the pile

we sat there in the shade and talked for a while

"the problem with gold" she said after some time had passed

"is when all's said and done, its value just doesn't last"

"and besides, I only steal to take revenge on man"

"who have cut down whole forests and polluted the land"

"but, my friend!" I said, "aren't you beginning to see?"

"you don't need to steal! you just need poetry!"

I took out my notebook and showed her what I do

"I couldn't do that!" she said, "I'm nothing like you!"

"you don't have to be!" I said, "you don't even have to rhyme!"

"well, in that case" she said, "I guess I could try"

many a poem was composed that night

we worked through the darkness and almost to daylight

"thank you, my friend" she said when we were done

"you've given me something to cherish for years to come"

"and now that the night is almost through"

"allow me to make your wish come true"

she dug through her hoard, and pulled out a charm

then she drew in her breath, and much to my alarm

she blew out a flame and held the charm to it

she let it heat up for about a minute

"this charm" she said when the flame had stopped

"should give you the power which you have sought"

just then the sun began to rise

I put on the charm and much to my surprise

I hadn't become petrified!

then I looked up at the crimson sky

I said "what is this wondrous sight I behold?"

"it's better than anything I've ever been told!"

"that, my friend, is a sunrise" she said

then she lifted me up to the top of her head

I held on to her horns and away we flew

up into the sky with its brilliant hues

it took us a while, but we got to the town

people started running before we touched the ground

"wait! she's reformed!" I said to the crowd

"there's hardly a chance that she'll bother you now!"

"except" she said, "for a snack now and then"

then she gave the townsfolk a big, toothy grin

and so that's the story of the dragon's charm

now I have to go rest my writing arm.