The Lizard and The Wizard

Herbert was an ordinary lizard. He was the same faded brown as the wood in any fence you might walk past. He was not even as long as your hand. He was very young. One day while he was resting on the fence a shadow darkened the sky above him. When he looked up he saw the shape of a dragon. The dragon was the same shape as he was except that it had wings!

Herbert called out to the other lizards “Do you see that? That is what I am going to be when I grow up!” The other lizards looked up at the giant form of the dragon and they all shook their heads. “Impossible” they said!

Herbert ignored them. He decided the best way to grow was to eat healthy food and to get lots of exercise. He constantly jumped and ran across the fence and rocks. The other lizards shook their head and slept. One of them even said “He’s going to get eaten by a bird-you watch!”

Herbert paid them no mind. He smiled and pictured himself flying through the clouds.

An old wizard walked past the fence one day. He saw Herbert running on the rocks. Wizards have special sight, they see us as we are in our hearts. He stopped. He looked at Herbert closely.

This lizard has the heart of a dragon! He was shocked.

The wizard did not see two men sneak up to where he stood. They grabbed his money and his arms. They threatened him! “Is this all you’ve got?” They asked. They were mean.

The wizard said “Give it back or you will regret taking it!”

The men just laughed.

One of them said “Who’s going to stop us? You are just a weak old man!”

The wizard smiled then. He was a weak old wizard. Wizards have a thousand tricks.

The wizard whispered a word then as he stared at Herbert playing in the rocks.

Herbert felt a tingle! Herbert felt a zap! Herbert grew and grew! Herbert felt wings sprout from his back! Herbert grew larger than a dog. Herbert grew larger than a house! Herbert was excited as he knew what he had become.

Herbert roared so all the lizards could hear “I AM a dragon!”

Herbert breathed fire into the sky. He was so happy he could fly!

The two thieves dropped the money pouch and ran away! The wizard waved at Herbert who had saved the day.

Little dragon who was once a big-hearted lizard, it was easy for your dream to come true because you were not afraid. Herbert went with the wizard and has traveled around the world.

On that fence the lizards tell their babies “Be brave, be strong, and work very hard! Herbert was his own lizard and he is a dragon now. Nothing is impossible if you work to find a way!”

A salamander dreaming looks like a lizard but is not!