--- title: "A Dragon's Wish" description: "A moat dragon lives beside the castle and plays pranks whenever the royal family gathers without him. When the king and queen notice what he is trying to say, they invite him to dinner and help him find better ways to join in." tags: ["Castle Tales", "kindness", "friendship", "empathy", "acceptance", "preschoolers", "kindergarteners", "early-readers", "fairy-tale", "dragon", "loneliness", "sadness", "MoatDragon", "CastleMoat", "CastleFamily", "Kindness", "Belonging", "ReadAloud"] language: en source: "Stories for Kids" url: https://www.stories4kids.net/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish/ --- # A Dragon's Wish _The Moat Dragon Gets a Place at the Table_ A moat dragon lives beside the castle and plays pranks whenever the royal family gathers without him. When the king and queen notice what he is trying to say, they invite him to dinner and help him find better ways to join in. Category: Castle Tales Topics: Castle Tales, Kindness, Friendship, Empathy, Acceptance, Preschoolers, Kindergarteners, Early Readers, Fairy Tale, Dragon, Loneliness, Sadness, Moat Dragon, Castle Moat, Castle Family, Kindness, Belonging, Read Aloud ## Story ## Meet the Mischievous Dragon In a castle moat in a faraway land lived a dragon named Drift. He loved splashing, hiding behind reeds, and surprising people who crossed the drawbridge. ![Illustration: Meet the Mischievous Dragon](../../../assets/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish-1.png) One day, the king and queen walked around the castle grounds after breakfast. Drift popped up from the moat and sent a fountain of water into the air. Splash! The king's crown dripped. The queen's cloak dripped. Drift laughed, but the royal family did not. "That surprised us in an unkind way," said the queen. Drift sank lower in the water. He had wanted them to look at him, but now nobody was smiling. ## The King and Queen's Plan That afternoon, the king and queen sat in the tower room and talked about the moat dragon. ![Illustration: The King and Queen's Plan](../../../assets/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish-2.png) "We need a plan," said the king. "The kitchen towels are never dry." "We need to understand the plan he already has," said the queen. "He splashes most when we gather without him." So they watched from the balcony. When the family played croquet, Drift floated by the reeds. When the children ate buns on the lawn, Drift rested his chin on the drawbridge chain. When music began in the courtyard, Drift tapped his claws against the stones but stayed outside the gate. The queen's face softened. "He wants to be included." "Then we will invite him properly," said the king. "And we will explain the rules properly too." ## Inviting the Dragon for Dinner The next day, the king and queen walked to the edge of the moat with a folded card. ![Illustration: Inviting the Dragon for Dinner](../../../assets/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish-3.png) "Drift," called the queen, "would you like to come to dinner tonight?" The dragon's eyes grew round. "Inside the castle?" "Inside," said the king. "But no splashing at the table, no smoke near the curtains, and no hiding under chairs." Drift nodded so hard his ears flapped. "I can do that." That evening, the royal chef made roasted vegetables, warm rolls, and apple pie. A large cushion was placed beside the table so Drift's tail would not knock over the chairs. Drift sat carefully. He said please. He said thank you. He told a story about finding moon shells in the river caves, and everyone listened. ## Dinner with the Royal Family The dinner was set in the grand hall. Candles glowed along the table, and Drift watched the flames with great care. ![Illustration: Dinner with the Royal Family](../../../assets/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish-4.png) The dragon sat at one end of the table, nervous and pleased to be included. The king and queen sat beside him while the rest of the family passed bowls and plates. As they began their meal, everyone noticed how hard Drift was trying. He kept his elbows tucked in. He blew on his soup gently. He asked before reaching across the table. He talked about mermaids who sang under the moon and tiny traders who swapped smooth stones for shiny coins. The children leaned closer. During dessert, the youngest prince slid his extra apple slice onto Drift's plate. "For you," he said. Drift blinked fast. "Thank you." ## Playing Games with the Mischievous Dragon After dinner, the king and queen suggested that they all play games together. Drift brightened at once. ![Illustration: Playing Games with the Mischievous Dragon](../../../assets/stories/castle-tales/a-dragons-wish-5.png) The first game was hide-and-seek. Since Drift was large and had wings, he made an excellent seeker. It took him a while to find everyone because the hiding spots were clever. One person even hid in a suit of armor. Next came tag in the courtyard. Drift kept his wings folded and used only careful steps. Finally, they played a board game called "Dragon's Lair." Each player collected gold coins by moving through a castle maze. Drift loved the game because it reminded him of his own cave maps. Whenever someone landed on one of his spaces, he gave a tiny pretend roar that made everyone laugh. As bedtime approached, Drift walked back to the moat with a warm roll wrapped in a napkin and an invitation for breakfast. The dragon still loved a bit of mischief, but now he used it to make the family laugh. The castle felt warmer with one more place set at the table.