ELIZABETH and the DRAGON

Once upon a time there was a land in heaven. There ruled a beautiful princess named Elizabeth. She was very rich and had a lot of clothes and jewelry but she wasn't haughty or mean but considered, just and had a brave heart. She was loved by her people but she lost her heart to prince Ronald who was the son of the earth-bound king.
They were going to marry when a huge dragon attacked the castle in the sky, smashed it and carried Ronald with him. Furious and angry, a feeling which she hadn't had before, Elizabeth was going to follow the dragon when she suddenly realized that her clothes were torn and that she didn't have any other clothes, because her castle had been smashed by the dragon . So she put on a paperbag which she had found in the ruins, spread her wings and followed the dragon down to earth.
It was easy to follow him, because the land and the forests were burned where he had flown and his way was full of dead horses and deer. The trace finally ended at a cave with a large door.Elizabeth took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
The dragon opened the door and recognized the princess. Most dragons loved eating princesses and he was one of those. But his hunger and bloodlust were satisfied. He said in a deep and hoarse voice:
"What is thy desire, heavenly princess. I am not hungry at this moment. I want thee to come back tomorrow."
"I've heard," said the princess without paying attention to what the dragon said "That you are strong enough to burn down fifty forests. Is that true?" answered the dragon pleased.
He flew up high in the air, took a deep breath and burned up fifty forests. Than he took a much deeper breath and burned up one hundred forests. He took again a deep breath but when he wanted to spit fire only a few smoke-clouds came out of his mouth. He landed and Elizabeth said enthusiastic:
"That was wonderful! But I also heard that you can fly around the world in only ten seconds. Is that also true?"
"Of course!" answered the dragon and rose up again.He flew around the world in only ten seconds and then he did it again but it took him twenty seconds now. He landed again and was so tired that he suddenly fell asleep. Elizabeth scrutinized him attentively and tried to wake him up but his sleep was so deep that he didn't react. Contended Elizabeth smiled, walked over the dragon and opened the door of the cave.

It was dark inside. Only a few torches burned and tried to lighten the huge cave. There were treasures all over the ground. But she passed them by without paying attention. Elizabeth searched for Ronald. She finally found him chained to a rock.
"Ron! Ron, are you okay?" she cried. Ronald looked up.
"Who ... who are you?"
"It's me! Elizabeth!" she said in tears.
"I don't believe you." He said "My Elizabeth is the most beautiful woman in the world. She wouldn't wear a ... a paperbag! Besides I am sure that the dragon ate her. She couldn't survive . I want to die so we can be united in the next world. "Elizabeth couldn't grasp it.Her love didn't recognize her.
"I don't think so." she said. "I rather think she goes to hell because she left her love in the dragon's cave."
And without saying a further word she went out of the cave. She spread her wings and flew back to her destroyed castle in heaven. There she cried and cried incessantly. And her tears fell on the earth as salty rain. She also closed the gate to heaven for any human being. No-one knows what happened to Ronald, if the dragon ate him or if he survived and actually it isn't important whether he died or not.
But the princess remained in heaven and nobody ever saw her face again.

END