1a. How does the cobbler himself respond when the king offers the princess' hand in marriage and half of the kingdom or both to the person who can stop the dragon?
2a. How does the dragon respond to the youngest son when he recites the poem his father told him?
1b. Why do you think the cobbler responds this way while his sons decide to accept the offer? Why doesn't the cobbler follow his own advice and kill the dragon? What does this tell you about the cobbler?
2b. Do you think this is the response the cobbler had in mind when he advised his sons to recite the poem? Why, or why not?
3a. Compare and contrast the characters in this story to the same kinds of characters in traditional fairy tales. How are the knights in this tale different from the knights in traditional fairy tales? How is the wizard different? How would you describe the dragon?
3b. Why do you think Gardner has decided to present his characters this way? What significance does this have to what ultimately happens at the end of the tale? Do you like this kind of twist on the traditional fairy tale?
4a. Examine reasons that the cobbler's two eldest sons refuse to follow their father's advice. What kind of people do you think they are? How is the youngest son different from his two older brothers?
4b. Why do you think the author chose to have the two oldest sons disobey their father? What kind of point is the author trying to make? What do you think the two eldest sons would say to their father when they return?
Fairy Tale. Why do you think fairy tales are so popular?
Characterization. What technique(s) did the author use to create the youngest son?
1. Imagine that you are one of the cobbler's sons. Write a short paragraph explaining why you think it is wise to follow or not to follow your father's advice.
2. Imagine that you are the king and you want to convince people to attempt to stop the dragon. Design a short advertisement offering the princess' hand in marriage or half the kingdom to the person who can stop the dragon first.
3. Write a short dialogue between the eldest and the middle sons, discussing the dragon's reaction to their attempts to threaten him.
Writing Sentences. Write sentences for each of the Words For Everyday Use found in "Dragon, Dragon."
1. crane
2. lunge
3. plague
4. ravage
Using Vivid Verbs. "Dragon, Dragon" uses very vivid verbs to capture the attention of the reader and help him or her visualize what is happening in the story. For example, in the beginning of the story, when the wizard accidentally turns the queen into a rose, he "shut his eyes and racked his brain for a spell that would change her back." The author uses the verb racked instead of searched because it is more vivid. Look through the story and find five other places where the author uses a vivid verb that helps the reader visualize the action:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What alternatives can you think of for the following underlined verbs?
6. The sun was so bright it hurt my eyes.
7. The snow blew through the air so fast that we couldn't see anything in front of us.
8. On our hiking trip, we watched a beautiful eagle fly across the blue sky above.
9. After playing soccer all day, we were so hungry we ate dinner in no time.
Interviewing. Imagine that you are a reporter and you've just heard that the cobbler's youngest son has slain the dragon, rescued his older brothers, and returned all the lost treasures to the kingdom. Get together with a partner and role-play an interview between the cobbler's youngest son and a reporter. If you are the reporter, make a list of important questions you'd like this new hero to answer for the people of the kingdom. If you are the son, imagine how you feel now that you are a hero and how this might affect the way you answer questions. Will you brag or be modest with your answers? Record your questions and answers below.
Question:
Answer:
