Eric Lights the Oven by B. Steadman©1997

Eric sat up, flapped his stubby little wings, and stretched his small green arms as high as he could. Brrr it's not very warm, he thought, and he gave a little shiver. "If only I could breath fire I could warm my cave up, other dragons can breath fire why not me. It's just not fair". Eric continued mumbling, and grumbling to himself for several minutes, as he collected the leaves that the wind had blow all over the floor of his cave. In fact he was so busy mumbling and grumbling he didn't notice he had moved into a different part of his cave. A part where the roof was much, much lower. He stopped grumbling and stood up. His head hit the roof of the cave with a very loud donk, "Ow, Ow Ow" he squealed. " Oh! My poor head". He reached up and very very gently touched the top of his head. "I've got a great big lump right on the top." He sat down and felt very sorry for himself, and tried hard not to cry. Good morning Eric, are you well?" Eric turned towards the voice; it was Tim his friend from the village.
"No I am not well, I am cold, and can't breath fire to warm up, and I've banged my head on the roof of the cave." He bent forward, grabbed Tim's hand and put it near his head.
"Feel the lump I have on my head." Tim laughed. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh but you looked so funny when I came in, sitting holding your head like that, because your arms are only just long enough to reach." Before Eric could protest at his friend making fun of him, Tim continued, "The sun is shining, and it's warm outside so you don't need to breathe fire. In fact it is so warm I am meeting George and Simon and some of the other children from the village by the pool for a swim, and we wondered if you wanted to come along."
Eric pondered for a moment or two, "Yes, why not, perhaps the sunshine will make the bump on my head go away."
The two friends set off for the walk to the pool and although it was only half a mile away it took nearly an hour for them to get there. When they finally reached the pool Mr. Passey the baker was just leaving. "Hello you two," he said. "I have just brought all the cakes I couldn't sell yesterday for a picnic. There should be enough for at least two each."
He looked at Eric; "Do little dragons eat cakes?" he asked. Eric had a great big grin on his face as he replied. "Yes especially big soggy cream cakes, with great big dollops of jam on the top." Mr. Passey laughed, "I don't think you will find any of those. They're the ones my wife likes." A picture of Mr. Passey's very large wife came into Eric's head and he thought he had better be polite and not say what he was thinking. Eric sat on the grass to watch as Tim divided up the cakes. He was very happy for the time being just lying in the sunshine so he volunteered to look after them while the others went swimming. It wasn't long before everyone was back and they were soon sitting on the grass devouring cakes. Eric made friends with an inquisitive squirrel and put little piles of crumbs for it to eat. The rest of the day was spent swimming or just lying in the sunshine on the grass. As Eric didn't really like water he spent quite a lot of time giving rides on his back to the other children, or sitting on the bank letting them slide down his tail into the water. Every one was having such a good time, but it was all too soon time to go home. It was a very weary troop that set off on their way back home. Tim invited Eric home for tea, as long as this time he did not knock all his mothers ornaments off the mantle shelf with his tail.

One of the boys who lived on the outskirts of the village had just left them when they saw Mr. Passey sitting on the doorstep of his shop, he looked very sad. "What ever is up?" asked Simon. "All the rain we had the other day made the wood too wet for me to light, and I can't get my ovens going. The village will not have any bread for tomorrow." Eric took a great big breath, held on to it as long as he could and blew. He blew so hard his eyes started to water and the scales on his cheeks started to rattle, he was just about to give up, when he could feel his tongue getting quite warm. Just before he ran out of breath altogether a few cinders and a puff of smoke came down his nose. Without saying a word Eric looked at Mr. Passey , took another great big breath, held it as long as he could, and blew harder than the last time.

This time his tongue became very warm and the smoke started before he ran out of breath.
"Again, again", chorused his friends, while Mr. Passey held his fists very tightly clenched in front of his chest , and screwed his face up until his eyes were just little slits, as he willed Eric on. Eric took another big breath, very quickly, before his tongue could cool down. He held it , until his head buzzed, and blew. Almost immediately his tongue became very hot, his lips made a little tube, then, at first it was a few sparks, which became a plop and phut, a couple of times. Soon there was lots of smoke, then a long thin flame appeared, blue near his lips and bright yellow as it got further away. Every body cheered, Mr. Passey jumped up and down waving his arms in the air "Hooray for Eric." he shouted, "I might get my oven going after all." Eric tried to play down all the fuss. "Can we go and try to light the ovens before my mouth gets cold again?" He asked. Mr. Passey took hold of Eric's scaly green hand and led him though his shop. He did not even notice when Eric's tail knocked a jar of jam from a shelf, mading a sticky mess on the floor.
"Shall I take all the wet wood out first," someone said. "No let's not waste any time at all", they all answered.He took a deep breath, held it as long as he could, and blew into the fire box of the oven. A great gush of hot air came out but no flames. "Just practising," he laughed.
Then he took the biggest breath he had ever taken, he held as long as he could, he screwed his eyes up tight and he blew. Almost immediately , with a whoosh, a great big flame appeared. It went into the fire box, where it touched every log, and on up the chimney, clearing all the soot as it went. When he stopped blowing the fire was burning perfectly. Mr. Passey closed the door, and set the dampers. It was a very proud Eric that asked Mr. Passey if he would like his log pile dried out. "Well if it's not too much trouble for you." Eric turned , but this time with a lot more control, he took a breath and blew towards the log pile. Just a stream of very hot air came out, he did the same again a couple of times. Soon the logs were all dry enough to go into the fire under the oven.
"To say thank you to you, if you come by my shop tomorrow morning I will make you the biggest cream cake you have ever eaten, with the biggest stickiest dollop of jam on top you have ever seen."

All the people in the village were still talking about what Eric had done at bedtime, and, because Eric could now keep his cave warm Tim's mother said he could spend the night with his friend in his cave. Really, I think it was because she was frightened of Eric sneezing and setting Tim's bed on fire, if Eric stayed in Tim's bedroom.

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