I Am The Mighty Elvin

“No- Papa, Elvin whined it’s too tight,” squirming and pulling his head away. He proceeded to twist and thrash around - undoing any progress his father had made getting him fitted into the tiny armor. He began to push his limits when he shoved his palm up into the helmet, knocking it to the floor.

"Elvin, that is enough sit still! " His father spun him around in his chair. "I need to get you into this armor so you will be presentable to sit in the audience of the King, the King, Elvin!” His father's tone becoming more elevated. “ELVIN, UGH... I give up -Nora!” he called out to the tot’s mother, throwing the tiny helmet across the room. “We don’t have time for these games, we are going to be late for the King’s event, THE KING’S EVENT, Nora.” He grumbled.

Nora smiled, picking up the tiny tin cap and twirling it on her fingertips -singing in a voice that could make the fiercest storms cease.

“Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, dragons fear the sound of my name. Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, I am strong, and sure and brave! I've captured the heart of my mother, with only the gleam in my eye, Oooh, I am the mighty Elviiiiiin. Cross me- if you wish to die!”

The young Elvin giggled and laughed as he ran to his mother, who tapped the top of the helmet into place. “There.” She giggled, “all ready to win the hearts of the royal family.”

“Nora," his father complained, "you spoil that boy. There is no reason for all of this drama,” he continued, as he gave Nora a wink and a kiss. “But that song sure can tame the savage beast,” he snickered, “Come on lad - get in the wagon.”

Nora handed Elvin an apple as he clanked out the door - in his father’s hand me down hunting armor, “be good to Lotty, boys, “she called behind them.

Alvin held his hand out, presenting Lotty with the golden apple his mother had given him. The apple assured a safe and steady passage from the loyal nag. The horse whinnied a thank you, as father clicked his tongue- beginning their adventure. With a jolt of the wagon, they were on their way.

Every year the King and royal family hosted and celebrated the end of season’s - good fortune harvest festival. During the celebration the King would choose and anoint a young child to join the royal family on the fall Dragon hunt. It was an honor, both in status, and financially, as the winner was given a satchel of gold coins. Elvin was the youngest boy in his family, and the last chance they had to be eligible to compete. His father-Torah had been chosen as a young boy and was determined to have his child chosen as well. For months he had been working with Elvin, preparing him for this moment, the ride to town was all he needed to go over what he’d learned.

As Torah looked over at Elvin, he was tapping a stick repeatedly on the face shield of his helmet, singing the song his mother made up for him. Shaking his head at the boy's lack of concentration, he interrupted “Ok, Elvin, that’s enough, put the stick down. We need to go over how you should behave in front of the King today.” TAP-TAP- TAPPITY TAP-TAP, Elvin continued, completely oblivious to his father’s request. Not wanting to succumb to the stress of the moment, Torah decided to forgo the struggle, and sit back and enjoy the beauty of the journey.

He began to imagine what winning this challenge would do for he and his family. They had struggled a lot this year, the weather had not been kind and the crops suffered. There was a sickness that took most of his sheep, and a heifer. And Lotty, the old nag, was the only horse to survive the harsh winter. He had put a lot of work into getting his youngest son ready, and he hoped that the fates would be good to them.

On the edge of the woods, just up the road a way, Torah noticed some movement in the shadows of the great trees. Elvin was still rhythmically tapping his head; unaware his father was reaching for his sword. However, as they entered the clearing of Hagetens forest, the shadows were gone.

Still uneasy, Torah kept his sword in hand. They hadn’t been in the forest long - when he noticed a group of horses approaching quickly from behind. Elvin’s father firmly told the boy to get in the back of the wagon, as he pressed the nag to go faster. Elvin, top heavy from the armor, fell into the bed, face first, shoving his helmet on even tighter. Grasping and tugging at it with no result, Elvin stood up to get a better position. As he stood, the wagon made a sharp turn, tossing him, head over heels, out of the wagon. His father, trying feverishly to stay ahead of the potential danger - never noticed his son bounce off the path, disappearing into the swamplands.

Elvin laid in the wet mucky grass, unable to get up. The ground was too soft, and his armor was so heavy that he began to sink. He made quite a ruckus, thrashing and clanking around, trying to get right side up. After a bit of grunting, groaning and panting he was finally able to pull himself up by tugging on a large root. As he found his footing, still struggling with his helmet, he felt the root pull away - out of his grasp. "Hey?' He exclaimed, as he fell back onto his rump. "Papa, that's not funny, please help me get up now, " he begged. "Papa?" He called again. "I can hear ya, ya know, you are not very clever. I can hear ya breathing, I can." he teased.

Elvin began to realize that the tumble he took was not his father being playful. As he listened carefully, he could no longer hear Lotty's hooves clicking on the path, or the creaking of the old wagon.

So, by deduction, the breathing he was hearing was not his father's.

He tugged harder at his helmet trying not to panic, after all, it could just be a deer, and he was the mighty Elvin.

The breathing got louder, definitely closer - and it was now - all around him. Elvin instinctively reached around his waist and drew his sword. Still unable to see, and completely covered in mud, he randomly thrashed it around in the air - pointing it in every direction. Suddenly, he felt his sword plucked right out of his grasp. He heard a soft voice giggling. "You really shouldn't be pointing that around blindly like that, it isn't polite," the delicate voice muttered. "You could have hurt me; you did pull my tail. My mum says you hafta be nice to others, on a count they might be needing some help. Are you needing some help, you look like you might be needing some." the voice continued.

Elvin didn't know what to say. He stood still, silent for a moment, trying to think.

The stranger began to speak again. "Are you lost? I have never seen you here before, I don't think you are supposed to be here, are you?" Elvin began to get anxious, pulling at his helmet, trying to figure out what he should do next. In a whisper the voice said, "oh, please don't take your head off, is that what you are trying to do? I'm not going to hurt you, I just didn't like you pulling my tail, please don't pull your head off." the little voice pleaded.

Elvin answered sharply, "no, I am not taking my head off, don't be silly. It's my helmet, I can't get it off. Who are you? Where am I? I want my mama," he began to cry, but still trying to sound tough. He began to sing the song his mama taught him to calm him down.

“Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, dragons fear the sound of my name. Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, I am strong, and sure and brave! I've captured the heart of my mother, with only the gleam in my eye, Oooh, I am the mighty Elviiiiiin. Cross me- if you wish to die!”

Elvin heard footsteps moving away from him. He could hear the leaves rustling as the wind began to blow harder. Then he heard tapping. Tap, tap tappity tap - on his armor. "Hello?" He could barely muster the words, are you still there, can you help me? He cried. Still stuck in the mud, he stood there sobbing in the swamp, in the rain - like a stump. "Help me, please," he whimpered, "Mama...?"

It was still, and darker than he had ever known. "Papa, Lotty...someone?"

He continued singing his mama's warrior song, digging deep inside to find his courage.

“Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, dragons fear the sound of my name. Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, I am strong, and sure and brave! I've captured the heart of my mother, with only the gleam in my eye, Oh, I am the mighty Elviiiiiin. Cross me- if you wish to die!”

From out of nowhere another voice spoke to Elvin, it was closer and gruffer, like when his papa was making a point. "That is not a very nice song to be singing little one, it is not nice to threaten someone, especially someone trying to help you!" Elvin felt scolded, he put his face towards the ground and mumbled under his helmet. The voice spoke again, lifting his chin -it is ok to be brave, but be careful not to be bigger than you can defend. Don't ever bow your head in shame for doing what is right, or learning to be better."

Elvin had always been taught to be polite, so he answered with shaky confidence, "Yes, Ma'am, If I may sing the song the way my mama does?"

"By all means," the voice replied.

Elvin cleared his throat, and sang like a bird through his muddy helmet.

“Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, dragons love the sound of my name. Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, I am strong, and sure and brave! I've captured the heart of my mother, with only the gleam in my eye, Oh, I am the mighty Elviiiiiin. Lets be friends forever, you and I”

Elvin finished singing, smiling proudly, unseen under his helmet.

"Now, that was a much nicer song, why didn't you sing it that way before?" the voice asked sweetly. As he was about to answer - "POP!" off came his helmet.

Elvin blinked hard, he could see clearly, standing right in front of him, a giant red-winged dragon, along with her young - and she was holding his helmet. Her claw poking through the visor, like a unicorn horn.

She introduced herself as Pyralom and her daughter Nilth. "Nilth saved you, for sure. She came to me, telling me a wild story about a little piece of talking tin, pulling on her tail -stuck in the swamps, crying. Of course I had to see what kind of game she was playing, and I found you, singing. We aren't normally on this side of the woods - this time of year, there are too many humans hunting us. I am so glad we could help you, your mama would be so proud at what a brave and gentle soul you are."

At that precise moment, hundreds of the King's soldiers and Torah surrounded the dragon. Seeing Elvin's helmet impaled by her claws enraged the men, and they blew their horns to attack.

Fearlessly, Elvin ran up the dragons scales and began to sing his mother's warrior, not so warrior song.

“Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, dragons love the sound of my name. Oh, I am the mighty Elvin, I am strong, and sure and brave! I've captured the heart of my mother, with only the gleam in my eye, oh, I am the mighty Elviiiiiin. These dragons saved my life, we will be friends until I diiiiiiieee!"”

His mother and father fell to their knees before the King, begging him to halt the attack.

The dragon knelt, placing her head on the ground allowing Elvin to climb down safely to his parents. She then backed away shielding her daughter, her mighty wings spread wide. As Elvin was carried out of harm's way, the King drew his sword, vowing in front of his men to slay the beast who had taken the child.

Elvin tore away from his father and approched the King - screaming at the top of his lungs. "It is not nice to threaten someone, especially someone trying to help you!" Repeating the hard lesson the dragon had taught him earlier. The King, in shock, stopped in his tracks and looked down at the small boy. Elvin continued, lifting the chin of the King -"it is ok to be brave, but be careful not to be bigger than you can defend. Don't ever bow your head in shame for doing what is right, or learning to be better."

The boy took a deep breath and lifted his wooden sword to protect the dragons, even against the King. Chin held high he stood his ground.

The King returned his sword into it's sheath and knelt before the boy. "You truly have the courage of a warrior, and the heart of a King, this King. I appoint you now: Lord of the Redwings. No man shall hunt nor harm another beast, while in your protection."

Elvin turned and smiled at his new friends.

Pyralom and Nilth nodded and flew off into the dense woodlands.

Elvin grabbed his helmet, larger now - thanks to the dragon sized vent, and slid it onto his head. With his mother and father by his side, Lotty proudly escorted the tiny dragon slayer home.