One day Filka got into big trouble, or more precisely — into a big cup of ice cream. This happened right after he had swallowed some stars and had a sore throat for a whole week! Because of this, the little dragon slept poorly at night and walked around listless and distracted during the day.
So he fell right into this ice cream. And got stuck in it up to his neck. He couldn't get out of the sticky, cold cup at all. So he sat in the ice cream for half a day. All he could do was wait for help and eat. And cold is a deadly thing for fire-breathing dragons, even little ones!
Well, how could Filka have known that he shouldn't eat ice cream? He only ate a little — half a cup, but the consequences were severe!
No, he didn't catch a cold or get a sore throat, nothing like that. But now he could never become a real fire-breathing dragon! Actually, baby dragons can't breathe fire yet, like adults.
But if you try hard, you can blow smoke and even cheerful red sparks. After the ice cream, Filka completely lost these abilities.
He was terribly upset about his favorite activity — he couldn't make smoke or sparks anymore. His friend Freddy sympathized with him, Thomas also felt sorry for Filka, but there were those who openly mocked him. Felix never missed an opportunity to tease Filka.
Faye constantly lectured him and tried to send him to the medical center, and the adults didn't pay any attention at all. There was nothing to do but accept it, but from time to time he still felt very sad.
So one day he was sitting on a branch quietly feeling sad. And he saw something! The park was deserted, only one person was on a distant bench. "Looks like a child," —thought Filka. —"Is she crying or something?".
Indeed, a little girl was crying on the bench. She was sobbing so hard that Filka felt sorry for her. But he didn't dare fly closer.
Wow. A girl, no doubt. Listen to her wail.
Said Freddy, who appeared out of nowhere.
Never seen one so loud. Though there are plenty of them around here under the tree.
I've heard louder.
Said Felix, who flew up after Freddy.
Filka, what are you doing here? Still dreaming of blowing smoke? Or did you just find someone to cry with?
Filka puffed up, so tired of this Felix.
How strange they are, humans.
Faye spoke up. She also sat on their branch.
What huge monsters!
Yeah, definitely huge.
Freddy agreed.
Wish they were small like us. Then maybe I'd even help somehow... well, that one who's crying.
Filka listened and listened and couldn't take it anymore. He flew straight to the girl. He sat down next to this huge crybaby on the edge of the bench and immediately felt lost. What to say? How to comfort her?
So he just started looking carefully at the girl. She suddenly fell silent and looked at Filka with fear.
You... hic... who are you?
Understandable, cry that much — you can't help but hiccup.
I'm Phil. And you?
I'm Annie. Where are you from?
The girl answered.
Me? From the dragon tree, that one over there.
And Filka waved toward the house.
Wow! I didn't know anyone lived there. I live in a house, but you can't see it from here, it's far away.
Then why are you sitting here without a nanny, if your house is far away?
I don't have a nanny. I was walking in the park with my mom, and she got lost.
Filka saw that things were bad, she was about to start crying again.
Want me to give you something?
With these words, the dragon grabbed a leaf with a caterpillar from the ground and dragged it to his new friend. She jumped off the bench with a shriek and waved her hands at him.
Okay, okay, no gifts needed, I'm not crying anymore!
She sat back down and even smiled a little.
Better show me how you breathe fire! Dragons are all fire-breathing, right?
Now it was Filka's turn to look gloomy.
I can't.
He muttered.
Well, then don't, or you might burn the bench.
She reasoned. Suddenly the other baby dragons started flying toward them from all directions. Faye landed with a thud right on Annie's head.
Oh.
The girl got scared. And Felix flew right up to her nose and started demonstratively sniffing her.
What a giant. Though not as scary as she seemed from a distance!
Thomas drawled.
And what long fur she has on her head.
Tom tugged at her light strand of hair.
Ow!
The girl's lips pouted with offense and her eyes glistened again.
Why are you bothering her?
Filka protested. But none of his friends thought of stopping, they loudly discussed the girl, touched her hair, her nose and looked in her ears. She shrank back and started crying again. That's when Filka couldn't take it for the second time. He got angry and puffed!
But not with fire—from his throat suddenly burst a real snow whirlwind. A whole blast of snow hit Felix in the nose, and Freddy and Faye's ears got covered with frost.
Wow, that's amazing.
Freddy rejoiced. All the little dragons flew closer to the surprised Filka and started asking him to repeat the trick.
He gladly blew on them again, causing a light stream of snowflakes and cooling everyone's faces.
So that's why you couldn't breathe fire, you're snow-breathing!
Annie figured it out.
Oh, my mom's here. Mom! Bye, Filka!
And the girl ran to her mother. And the happy snow-breathing dragon waved after her.
