One day Filka got into a right pickle, or more precisely — into a large tub of ice cream. This happened just after he'd swallowed some stars and had a sore throat for a whole week! Because of this, the little dragon slept poorly at night and wandered about during the day feeling sluggish and distracted.
So he tumbled straight into this ice cream. And got stuck in it up to his neck. He couldn't get out of the sticky, cold tub no matter how hard he tried. So he sat there for half the day in the ice cream. 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 was Filka supposed to know he shouldn't eat ice cream? He only ate a tiny bit — half a tub, but the consequences were serious!
No, he didn't catch a cold or get tonsillitis, nothing like that. But now he could never become a proper fire-breathing dragon! Actually, young dragons can't breathe fire yet, like the grown-ups.
But if you try hard enough, you can puff out smoke and even cheerful red sparks. After the ice cream, Filka completely lost these abilities.
He was terribly upset about his favourite pastime — he couldn't manage any smoke or sparks at all. His mate Fedka felt sorry for him, Foma also pitied Filka, but there were those who openly made fun of him. Felix never missed an opportunity to tease Filka.
Faya was always lecturing him and trying to send him to the medical centre, and the grown-ups didn't pay any attention at all. There was nothing to do but accept it, though from time to time he still felt very sad.
So one day he was sitting on a branch feeling quietly miserable. And he spotted something! The park was deserted, with only one person on a distant bench. "Looks like a young one," thought Filka. "Is it 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.
Bloody hell. A girl, no doubt about it. Listen to her wail.
Said Fedka, who'd appeared out of nowhere.
Never seen one this loud. Though there's heaps of them around here under the tree.
I've heard louder.
Said Felix, who'd flown up after Fedka.
Filka, what are you doing here? Still dreaming about breathing smoke? Or have you just found someone to cry with?
Filka puffed up completely, he was so sick of this Felix.
They're so strange, humans.
Faya piped up. She'd also perched on their branch.
What massive scary creatures!
Yeah, right, massive.
Fedka agreed.
Wish they were small like us. Then maybe I'd even help... well, that one who's bawling.
Filka listened and listened and couldn't stand it anymore. He flew straight to the girl. He perched next to this enormous crybaby on the edge of the bench and immediately felt lost. What should he say? How could he comfort her?
So he just stared intently at the girl. She suddenly went quiet and looked at Filka in fright.
Who... *hic*... who are y-you?
Fair enough, cry that hard and you're bound to get the hiccups.
I'm Filka. And you?
I'm Annie. Where did you come from?
The girl replied.
Me? From the dragon tree, that one over there.
And Filka waved towards the house.
Wow! I didn't know anyone lived there. I live in a house too, but you can't see it from here, it's far away.
Then why are you sitting here without your minder, if your house is far away?
I don't have a minder. I was walking in the park with my mum, and she got lost.
Filka could see things were bad, she was about to start crying again.
Would you like 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.
No, no, I don't need presents, I'm not crying anymore!
She sat back down and even smiled a little.
You'd better show me how you breathe fire! Dragons are all fire-breathing, aren't they?
Now it was Filka's turn to look gloomy.
I can't.
He muttered.
Well, that's alright then, you might burn the bench.
She reasoned. Suddenly the other young dragons started flying in from all directions. Faya crash-landed right on Annie's head.
Ow.
The girl said in fright. And Felix flew right up to her nose and started demonstratively sniffing her.
What a giant. Though not nearly as scary as she looked from a distance!
Fedka drawled.
And what long fur she has on her head.
Foma tugged at her fair strand of hair.
Ow!
The girl's lips pouted with hurt and her eyes started glistening again.
Why are you hassling her?
Filka protested. But none of his mates thought about stopping, they loudly discussed the girl, touched her hair, her nose and peered into her ears. She shrank back and started bawling again. That's when Filka couldn't stand it for the second time. He got angry and let rip!
But not with fire—from his throat suddenly burst a real snow whirlwind. A whole blast of snow hit Felix in the nose, and Fedka and Faya's ears got covered in frost.
Wow, that's amazing!
Fedka cheered. All the little dragons flew closer to the surprised Filka and started asking him to repeat the trick.
He happily blew on them again, creating a light stream of snowflakes and cooling everyone's faces.
So that's why you couldn't breathe fire, you're a snow-breather!
Annie worked it out.
Oh, I've found my mum. Mum! See ya, Filka!
And the girl ran to her mum. And the happy snow-breathing dragon waved goodbye to her.
