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The Reluctant Dragon
I’velotsoffriends,andnoonecansayI’minthehabitofshovingmyselfinwhereI’mnotwanted!”
“No,no,don’tgooffinahuff,”saidthedragon,hastily;“factis,—I’mashappyuphereastheday’slong;neverwithoutanoccupation,dearfellow,neverwithoutanoccupation!Andyet,betweenourselves,itISatrifledullattimes.”
TheBoybitoffastalkofgrassandchewedit.“Goingtomakealongstayhere?”heasked,politely.
“Can’thardlysayatpresent,”repliedthedragon.“Itseemsaniceplaceenough—butI’veonlybeenhereashorttime,andonemustlookaboutandreflectandconsiderbeforesettlingdown.It’sratheraseriousthing,settlingdown.Besides—nowI’mgoingtotellyousomething!You’dneverguessitifyoutriedeverso!—factis,I’msuchaconfoundedlylazybeggar!”
“Yousurpriseme,”saidtheBoy,civilly.
“It’sthesadtruth,”thedragonwenton,settlingdownbetweenhispawsandevidentlydelightedtohavefoundalisteneratlast:“andIfancythat’sreallyhowIcametobehere.YouseealltheotherfellowsweresoactiveandEARNESTandallthatsortofthing—alwaysrampaging,andskirmishing,andscouringthedesertsands,andpacingthemarginofthesea,andchasingknightsallovertheplace,anddevouringdamsels,andgoingongenerally—whereasIlikedtogetmymealsregularandthentopropmybackagainstabitofrockandsnoozeabit,andwakeupandthinkofthingsgoingonandhowtheykeptgoingonjustthesame,youknow!SowhenithappenedIgotfairlycaught.
