Dragon's Boy Read Online Free PDF Page A

recesses of the cave. Then came strange scrabbling noises, as if the dragon were sorting through its various possessions, before the clanking resumed. When the claw returned, it dropped something at Artos’ feet.
    He looked down. It was a book, rather tatty around the edges. The cave light was so dim, he couldn’t read its title.
    â€œWisssssssdom,” hissed the dragon alarmingly, like a kettle almost out of water yet still on the boil.
    Artos shrugged. “It’s just a book. And anyway, I already know my letters. Father Bertram taught me.”
    â€œLetterssssss turn matter into ssssspirit.”
    â€œYou mean it’s a book of magic?”
    â€œAll books are magic, boy.” The dragon sounded a bit cranky and that made Artos begin to get very nervous again.
    â€œWell, I can read,” Artos said quickly, hoping to soothe the agitated beast. He stooped and picked up the book, very much aware of the claw near his head. Then, looking hopefully in the dragon’s direction and trying to pierce the darkness and read the dragon’s expression, he said, “Thank you.” Old thorns and old dragons, he reminded himself.
    â€œYou can read letters , my boy, which is more than I can say for your thick-headed castle contemporaries. And you can read words . But in order to gain wisdom you must learn to read inter linea , between the lines.”
    Edging backward toward the light of the cave entrance, but not so quickly as to alert the dragon, Artos opened the book and scanned the first page. His fingers underlined each word while his mouth formed them aloud. He turned the page, then looked up puzzled. “You must have given me a damaged book, sir. There is nothing written between the lines.”
    Something rather like a chuckle crossed with a cough echoed around the cave. The dragon was laughing.
    â€œThere is always something written between the lines, boy, but it takes great wisdom to read it.”
    â€œThen why me, sir? As you have already noted, I have very little wisdom.” He added uncertainly, afraid he might have issued an invitation to eating, “In fact, sir, I am very little all over.”
    â€œBecause…because you are here.”
    â€œHere?”
    â€œToday. And not back at Beau Regarde feeding the brachets or cleaning out the mews or sweating in the smithy or cowering before that pack of unruly, bulky, illiterate boys. You are here, Artos. For the getting of wisdom.” The dragon made stretching noises.
    â€œOh!” It was a temporizing sound. He’d originally thought that coming back to the cave was a mistake. Now he was beginning to wonder what had really brought him. Not fear of the dragon, surely. As long as the dragon was in a cave and he’d been at the castle, there was nothing to fear. Or so he thought. Could he really have come back to get the wisdom the dragon had promised? He liked knowing things, and knowing was certainly a part of wisdom. But at least Father Bertram wouldn’t eat him if he missed a word. The dragon might. The getting of wisdom from dragons could be a very dangerous game.
    There was a sudden tremendous wheezing and clanking and a strange Uh-oh from the dragon. Then silence.
    Artos peered nervously at the back of the cave. He could see nothing but blackness streaked with an occasional quick finger of fire. The silence lasted a long, long time. Finally Artos ventured, “Are you all right, sir?”
    An even longer silence followed in which he began to wonder if he should make his way through that awful blackness to the back of the cave. He wondered if this were another test and if he had enough courage to pierce that darkness. And he wondered if he had even the smallest amount of the wisdom necessary to help out if something really were wrong with the dragon. Then, just as he was about to try, the dragon’s voice came hissing back.
    â€œYessssssssss, boy.”
    â€œYes, what, sir?” He’d