The Paper Bag Princess

Elizabeth was beautiful princess. She lived in a castle and had expensive princess clothes. She going to marry a prince named Ronald.

Unfortunately, a dragon smashed her castle, burned all her clothes with his fiery breath and carried off Prince Ronald.

Elizabeth decided to chase the dragon and get Ronald back. She looked everywhere for something to wear, but the only thing she could find that was not burnt was a paper bag. So she put on the paper bag and followed the dragon.

He was easy to follow, because he left a trial of burnt forests and horses’ bones.

Finally, Elizabeth came to a cave with a large door that had a huge knocker on it. She took hold of the knocker and banged on the door.

The dragon stuck his nose out of the door and said, “Well, a princess! I love to eat princess, but I have already eaten a whole castle today. I am a very busy dragon. Come back tomorrow.”

He slammed the door so fast that Elizabeth almost got her nose caught.

Elizabeth grabbed the knocker and banged on the door again

The dragon stuck his nose out of door and said, “Go away. I love to eat princess, but I have already eaten a whole castle today. I am a very busy dragon.  Come back tomorrow.”

“Wait,” shouted Elizabeth. “Is it true that you are the smartest and fiercest dragon in the whole world?”

“Yes,” said the dragon.

“Is it true,” said Elizabeth, “that you can burn up ten forests with your fiery breath?”

“Oh, yes,” said the dragon, and he took a huge, deep breath and breathed out so much fire that he burnt up fifty forests.

“Fantastic,” said Elizabeth, and the dragon took another huge breath and breathed out so much fire that he burnt up one hundred forests.

“Magnificent,” said Elizabeth, and the dragon took another huge breath, but this time nothing came out.

The dragon did not even have enough fire left to cook a meatball.

Elizabeth said, “Dragon is it true that you can fly around the world in just ten seconds?”

“Why, yes,” said the dragon, and jumped up and flew all the way around the world in just ten seconds.

He was very tired when he got back, but Elizabeth shouted, “Fantastic, do it again!”

So the dragon jumped up and flew around the whole world in just twenty seconds. When he got back he was too tired to talk, and he lay down and went straight to sleep.

Elizabeth whispered, very softly, “Hey, dragon.”

The dragon did not move at all.

She lifted up the dragon’s ear and put her head right inside. She shouted as loud as she could, “Hey, dragon!”

The dragon was so tired he did not even move.

Elizabeth walked right over the dragon and opened the door to the cave.

There was Prince Ronald. He looked at her and said, “Elizabeth, you are a mess! You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess.”

“Ronald,” said Elizabeth, “your clothes are really pretty and your hair is very neat. You look like a real prince, but you are a bum.”

They did not get married after all.