A Very Unusual Dragon
In the mountain village of Pinewood, people often whispered about the dragon who lived in the hills. They imagined fire, smoke, and frightening roars. But this dragon, named Ember, was not fierce at all.
Ember loved to bake. His cave was filled not with treasure, but with mixing bowls, wooden spoons, and shelves of sprinkles and frosting. “Roar?” Ember chuckled. “I’d rather whisk!”
A Baking Secret Revealed
One afternoon, the children of Pinewood were playing by the river when they smelled something sweet drifting from the hills. “It smells like… vanilla!” said Mia, licking her lips. “Or maybe chocolate,” added her friend Tomas.
Curious, they followed the scent until they peeked into Ember’s cave. There he was—giant wings tucked neatly, apron tied around his middle, carefully spooning pink frosting onto a tray of cupcakes.
The children gasped. Ember froze. “Oh no! You weren’t supposed to see,” he said, nervously twirling a spoon.
Mia stepped forward. “Are those… cupcakes?” Ember nodded shyly. “But dragons aren’t supposed to bake. They’re supposed to scare.” Tomas shook his head. “Not anymore. These look amazing!”
Cupcakes for the Festival
That week, Pinewood prepared for its annual Harvest Festival. Stalls lined the square with apples, pies, and bread. But Ember sat alone in his cave, wishing he could join.
The children hurried to him. “You should bring your cupcakes!” Mia insisted. Ember’s wings drooped. “But what if the villagers laugh? What if they’re afraid?”
Tomas smiled. “Everyone loves cupcakes. Let us help.”
Together, they carried baskets of Ember’s creations down the mountain. Vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. Chocolate with shiny silver stars. Lemon cupcakes topped with little sugar moons.
At first, the villagers stepped back, whispering nervously. “The dragon!” someone gasped. Ember lowered his head. “I just… baked these. I thought you might like them.”
A Sweet Surprise
One brave child selected a cupcake and took a bite. Then another. Soon, the whole square buzzed with delight. “These are delicious!” cried the baker. “Better than mine!”
The mayor patted Ember on the shoulder. “You’ve given our festival something new, something wonderful.” Ember’s cheeks flushed as pink as strawberry frosting.
From then on, Ember was no longer just “the dragon in the hills.” He was Pinewood’s favorite baker. His cupcakes appeared at every birthday, holiday, and even rainy afternoons when people needed cheering up.
And Ember himself? He learned that being different was something to celebrate.
Late that night, as the village lights twinkled below, Ember frosted one last cupcake for himself. “Not bad,” he said with a grin. “Not bad at all.”
The End.
Discover how to celebrate what makes kids unique in this helpful PBS article. After that, read our story The Clockwork Dragon — and don’t miss our soft, snuggly dragon plush in Storytime Companions.
