The Reluctant Dragon
Encyclopedia
The Reluctant Dragon is an 1898
children's story
by Kenneth Grahame
(originally published as a chapter in his book Dream Days
), which served as the key element to the 1941 feature film
with the same name from Walt Disney Productions. The story has also been set to music as a children's operetta
by John Rutter
, with words by David Grant. In 1960, it was presented as a live-action episode starring John Raitt
as St. George, on the television anthology The Shirley Temple Show. In 1987, Cosgrove Hall Films
adapted it for Thames ITV.
The story takes place in the Berkshire Downs
in Oxfordshire
(where the author lived and where, according to legend, St George did fight a dragon). It is Grahame's most famous short story. It is arguably better known than Dream Days
itself or the related The Golden Age
. It can be seen as a prototype to most modern stories in which the dragon is a sympathetic character rather than a threat.
In Grahame's story, a young boy discovers an erudite, poetry-loving dragon
living in the Downs
above his home. The two become friends, but soon afterwards the dragon is discovered by the townsfolk, who send for St George to rid them of it. The boy introduces St George to the dragon, and the two decide that it would be better for them not to fight. Eventually, they decide to stage a fake joust
between the two combatants. St George harmlessly spears the dragon, and the townsfolk rejoice (though not all of them, as some had placed bets on the dragon winning). St George then reveals that the dragon is reformed in character, and assures the townsfolk that he is not dangerous. The dragon is then accepted by the people.
One scholar describes the book as "a story about language
", such as the "dialect
of the illiterate people," and the "literary aspirations of the dragon." The story also has an opening scene in which a little girl named Charlotte (a character from Grahame's The Golden Age) and a grown-up character find mysterious reptilian footprints in the snow and follow them, eventually finding a man who tells them the story of the Reluctant Dragon; two abridged versions (one by Robert D. San Souci
and illustrated by John Segal and another abridged and illustrated by Inga Moore) both omit this scene. A New York Times review by Emily Jenkins notes that this framework is somewhat long-winded and might cause some parents to worry about whether the story can keep kids' attention... however, she finds the unabridged version preferable to both abridgments (although she says that "Moore retains the pure joy of the author's descriptive passages").
Peter Green, in his 1959 biography of Grahame, writes that while the story can be viewed as a satire like Don Quixote, the characters can be seen on a deeper level as representing different sides of the author himself: St. George represents Grahame as a public servant who works for the Establishment while the Dragon represents his anarchic, artistic, anti-social side.
1898 in literature
The year 1898 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Elizabeth von Arnim - Elizabeth and Her German Garden*F. W. Bain - A Digit of the Moon*L...
children's story
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
by Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows , one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon; both books were later adapted into Disney films....
(originally published as a chapter in his book Dream Days
Dream Days
Dream Days is a collection of children's fiction and reminiscences of childhood written by Kenneth Grahame. A sequel to Grahame's 1895 collection The Golden Age , Dream Days was first published in 1898 under the imprint John Lane: The Bodley Head...
), which served as the key element to the 1941 feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
with the same name from Walt Disney Productions. The story has also been set to music as a children's operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
by John Rutter
John Rutter
John Milford Rutter CBE is a British composer, conductor, editor, arranger and record producer, mainly of choral music.-Biography:Born in London, Rutter was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the...
, with words by David Grant. In 1960, it was presented as a live-action episode starring John Raitt
John Raitt
John Emmett Raitt was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theater.-Early years:...
as St. George, on the television anthology The Shirley Temple Show. In 1987, Cosgrove Hall Films
Cosgrove Hall Films
Cosgrove Hall Films was a British animation studio based in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, that once was a major producer of children's television programmes. Cosgrove Hall's programmes are still seen in over eighty countries...
adapted it for Thames ITV.
The story takes place in the Berkshire Downs
Berkshire Downs
The Berkshire Downs are a range of chalk downland hills in southern England, part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
(where the author lived and where, according to legend, St George did fight a dragon). It is Grahame's most famous short story. It is arguably better known than Dream Days
Dream Days
Dream Days is a collection of children's fiction and reminiscences of childhood written by Kenneth Grahame. A sequel to Grahame's 1895 collection The Golden Age , Dream Days was first published in 1898 under the imprint John Lane: The Bodley Head...
itself or the related The Golden Age
The Golden Age (Grahame)
The Golden Age is a collection of reminiscences of childhood, written by Kenneth Grahame and originally published in book form in 1895, in London by The Bodley Head, and in Chicago by Stone & Kimball...
. It can be seen as a prototype to most modern stories in which the dragon is a sympathetic character rather than a threat.
In Grahame's story, a young boy discovers an erudite, poetry-loving dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
living in the Downs
Downs
-Places:In the 'hill' context, the word 'down' derives from Celtic dun "hill, hill fort".*Downland, a geographical feature*The North Downs and the South Downs, England, as a collective term*North Wessex Downs AONB, England...
above his home. The two become friends, but soon afterwards the dragon is discovered by the townsfolk, who send for St George to rid them of it. The boy introduces St George to the dragon, and the two decide that it would be better for them not to fight. Eventually, they decide to stage a fake joust
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
between the two combatants. St George harmlessly spears the dragon, and the townsfolk rejoice (though not all of them, as some had placed bets on the dragon winning). St George then reveals that the dragon is reformed in character, and assures the townsfolk that he is not dangerous. The dragon is then accepted by the people.
One scholar describes the book as "a story about language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
", such as the "dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of the illiterate people," and the "literary aspirations of the dragon." The story also has an opening scene in which a little girl named Charlotte (a character from Grahame's The Golden Age) and a grown-up character find mysterious reptilian footprints in the snow and follow them, eventually finding a man who tells them the story of the Reluctant Dragon; two abridged versions (one by Robert D. San Souci
Robert D. San Souci
Robert D. San Souci is a multiple award winning children's book author, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. He often works with his brother, Daniel San Souci, who is a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan,...
and illustrated by John Segal and another abridged and illustrated by Inga Moore) both omit this scene. A New York Times review by Emily Jenkins notes that this framework is somewhat long-winded and might cause some parents to worry about whether the story can keep kids' attention... however, she finds the unabridged version preferable to both abridgments (although she says that "Moore retains the pure joy of the author's descriptive passages").
Peter Green, in his 1959 biography of Grahame, writes that while the story can be viewed as a satire like Don Quixote, the characters can be seen on a deeper level as representing different sides of the author himself: St. George represents Grahame as a public servant who works for the Establishment while the Dragon represents his anarchic, artistic, anti-social side.
External links
- Full text of Dream Days at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
. The Reluctant Dragon is a chapter of Dream Days. - Spoken version of The Reluctant Dragon at Project Gutenberg