Digory The Dragon Slayer

SURPRISE!’ shouted Betsy, scrubbed pink and clean as a newborn babe.
    ‘BRAVO!’ cried his father, sat up on the shoulders of Arthur, Tom and Ethelburg.
    ‘THREE CHEERS FOR THE PRINCE!’ boomed King Paunch. ‘HIP, HIP, HOORAY!’ And all the villagers of Batty-by-Noodle clapped and whooped and whistled.
    Sure enough, they had travelled, every one, by horse, cart and farm wagon to celebrate the crowning of young Digory the Dragon Slayer, and none of them was prouder than Betsy the blacksmith.
    ‘Ooh, I’ve come over all rusty red,’ she beamed as she burst forward and hugged him tight. And Digory was so pleased to see her that a tear rolled down his cheek and sizzled on hers.

TIME FOR A HAPPY ENDING?

    And so it was that an ordinary sort of boy with lanky legs, ginger hair and a nose like a chipolata turned out to be not so ordinary after all. He became Prince Digory of Widget Castle. But best of all he became a true knight and he found a true friend.
    On Saturdays Digory did useful things for the King and on Sunday afternoons Enid pretended to be a Princess in Peril and Digory saved her.
    One day, while fooling around, Digory discovered that if he made a wish and then dropped Burdock’s sword the wish would come true - as if the magic took a bit of a nudge to warm up.
    ‘Magic sword, eh?’ muttered King Widget admiringly. ‘Jolly useful sort of thing for... um... for a... you know... a what-next-and-all-of-a-sudden! ’
    Digory didn’t know. With a sigh he took a guess. ‘Is it a game, Your Majesty?’ ‘No, no, no!’ chuckled the King. He picked up the hem of his cloak and began to gallop around the courtyard on an imaginary charger, waving the sword wildly in the air. ‘You know, Diggers...’he cried, ‘... danger and daring... with lots of, urn, danger...’
    ‘You mean an adventure, Your Majesty?’ suggested Digory.
    ‘Exactly!’ cried the King. ‘Usual sort of thing for a Prince. Sure to come up now and then. Won’t be any trouble for a boy like you.’
    ‘Oh dear!’ groaned Digory. ‘I thought I was having a happy ending.’
    But I don’t think it was quite time for that yet, do you?

A NOTE ON THE AUTHOR

    Angela McAllister is the author of over fifty books for children, several of which she has illustrated herself. Angela has two children who are fantastic bookworms and a brilliant inspiration. She lives with her family in a crumbly 16th Century cottage with an unruly garden on the edge of Cranborne Chase. This is Angela’s sixth book for Bloomsbury.

A NOTE ON THE ILLUSTRATOR

    Ian Beck is the author and illustrator of several books for children. He is well known for illustrating many wonderful and familiar nursery rhymes as well as winning gold with three of his books in the Right Start Best Toy Awards. He lives in London with his wife and children. This is Ian’s first book for Bloomsbury.