"The Dragon" is a
short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...
by American writer
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...
, originally published in 1955 in the magazine ''
Esquire
Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title.
In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
''. A limited edition (352 copies, signed and numbered or lettered) of the story was published by Footsteps Press in 1988.
It appears in ''A Medicine for Melancholy'' (1959), ''R is for Rocket'' (1962), ''Classic Stories 1'' (1990), and ''Bradbury Stories'' (2003).
Plot
The story concerns two knights who have a mission to slay a
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
. They describe the dragon as huge, fire-breathing, and horrific, having only one eye. They charge the dragon but fail, presumably dying in the attempt.
The "dragon" is then revealed to be a steam train, and its single eye is the train's headlight. The operators discuss the encounter but continue on without attempting to find the knights.
Sources
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External links
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1955 short stories
1988 books
Fantasy short stories
Short stories by Ray Bradbury
Works originally published in Esquire (magazine)
Trains in fiction
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