by Holly Stacey –
Helgi gazed at the fire and nestled down into the thick fur rug in front. His grandfather was snoozing in the wooden chair, his long white beard mingled with the plate of freshly baked sliced loaf still sitting, half eaten on his lap.
“Who, wha…” Grandpa woke up with a start, kicking his left leg and reaching for his belt. “Where’s my sword?” he rumbled.
Helgi giggled. Grandpa often dreamed he was still adventuring and slaying beasties on the icy seas. The fact was, it had been many moons since Grandpa had been on an adventure. But since he was the oldest member of the Viking village, it also meant he was the best storyteller.
“Go on Grandpa,” said Helgi, smiling, “you were going to tell the story of the Ice Dragon.”
Grandpa wriggled in his seat, knocking the bread off his lap. “Huge beastie it was too,” he said. “Larger than any of our dragon ships – at least twice the size! And his icy breath…a frozen death for any who came too close!”
The fire crackled and Grandpa sounded like he was dozing off again, but when Helgi looked closer, he could see the old fire back in his Grandpa’s eyes. “I never got close,” he said, “but Ari claimed to have sliced one of the scales from its back. Only the very bravest Vikings seek out the Ice Dragon.”
Helgi knew who Ari was – he used to be the blacksmith. Now it was his son, Arison, who worked the forge. Ari was legendary among their village as not only wielding fire and sword, but also for being the fiercest warrior.
Later that night Helgi looked out the window of his longhouse and up at the cold winter stars. Somewhere, far up north, the Ice Dragon was probably sleeping in his nest under those same stars. He sighed, pulling the wooden shutter closed, just as a flurry of large snowflakes started to flutter down.
“Only the very bravest…” his Grandpa had said. Helgi hadn’t had much chance to be brave yet. He snuggled under his fur-lined blanket and dreamed about finding the Ice Dragon.
It was a frosty morning and Helgi knew what he was going to do. His older brothers were all out at sea with his father and uncles, while he was meant to stay home because he was only eight. Helgi might not have felt brave the first time he went on a Viking adventure (he got seasick), but he was feeling brave now. He packed his bag with shirts and trousers, winter hat and furry mittens, ate his Viking porridge, grabbed some dried fish and bread from the kitchen, and headed out the door.
“Where are you going?” asked Helgi’s mum as he left.
“I’m going to find the Ice Dragon and become the bravest Viking in the village.”
His mum smiled. “That’s nice dear. Make sure you bring back some winter berries while you’re out.”
And that was that. Helgi nearly raced to the forge – he needed a sword.
“Mornin!” shouted Arison as he squeezed the fire’s bellows, causing hot embers to fly about the forge. “What brings you here so early in the day?”
“I’m going to find the Ice Dragon!” Helgi shouted gleefully. “I need a sword!”
Arison stroked his black beard with scarred fingers. “You’ll need a very good sword if it’s for the Ice Dragon. My father only managed to take a scale from him…” Arison opened a heavy trunk and pulled out a gleaming sword. “Take this,” he said. “It has part of the dragon’s scale in the hilt and will help protect you on your travels.”
Helgi had never seen anything so beautiful. “Th – thank you! But how can I pay for it?” Everything in the forge always had a price.
Arison waved his hand casually in the air. “Just bring me back some more scales – they’re worth more than gold. The sword will be yours.”
Helgi took the sword and felt its weight. It wasn’t too heavy and it wasn’t too long—the balance for him was just right. He swished it twice through the icy air and it made a whistling noise.
Arison chuckled. “See? Looks like you two were made for each other! Now, off you go to get me more scales!”
Helgi grinned. But he still had one more place to visit before he left. The tanner had beautiful hides that could be turned into shirts, trousers, shoes, hats, gloves, and sword scabbards.
“Hello?” The tanner’s looked dark and empty. “Is anyone there?” Helgi frowned. The tanner had probably gone on the sea voyage with most of the men.
“Yes, come in!” A girl his age was tying a tanning apron on, but it was twice her size. Eventually, she gave up and threw it in the corner. “Anything here you like, just ask. My uncle is out, but I, Freya, am here to run things while he’s gone.”
Raising one eyebrow, Helgi looked about the tanner’s shop. Loads of skins were heaped up, already tanned and ready for cutting. “Do you have any scabbards? I need one for my sword.” He pointed to his hip, where the sword was hanging loose off his belt.
The girl’s eyes doubled in size. “Is that one of Ari’s swords?”
Helgi nodded. “Arison made it. But it has part of the Ice Dragon’s scale that Ari brought back.”
Freya looked like she was going to faint. Then she bit her lip and looked stern. “Nope, sorry, we don’t have any scabbards for that.” She half smiled. “However, I could make one for you.”
“But I’ve got to go NOW,” said Helgi.
“Take me with you and I can make it on the way.”
Helgi didn’t have much to argue with. He needed a scabbard and if having a girl around was the quickest way to get it, then that’s the way it had to be. He could send her back before they reached the Ice Dragon. “Done,” he finally said, holding out his hand to seal the deal.
She quickly got some things together – tools, leather, food, and a few extra layers. Before Helgi knew it, she was leading the way at a very fast pace.
They travelled for ages, past the boundary of the village, past the farthest pig farm, over the old stone bridge, past the traveler’s inn, into the forest and out again. The snowy terrain didn’t hinder them or the jutting rocks that came together more frequently as they approached the mountains. Only when the sun started to set did they pause to build a fire and eat.
“My feet hurt,” said Helgi, rubbing his toes by the fire. But Freya said nothing. Instead, she pulled out a sheet of leather and started measuring it to fit the sword.
Helgi shrugged and pulled out some bread. “Aren’t you hungry?” he asked after he’d eaten and had a drink from his waterskin.
Freya looked up and smiled. “I’ll eat when I’ve finished cutting out the leather.”
When the moon had risen higher and the fire died to a low ember, Freya put away her leather and tools and ate supper. Helgi was already fast asleep.
In the morning, Helgi woke to the sound of frying eggs. “Hello!” said Freya cheerfully. She handed him some toasted bread with an egg on it. “There was a bird’s nest,” she said, pointing, “down there. Dad used to show me how to choose the best eggs. We were fortunate; it’s very early for birds to start laying. Don’t worry, there are still two left to hatch.”
Helgi took the food and frowned. He hadn’t expected her to be this useful. But he was determined, when the scabbard was finished, he’d send her home.
They packed up their things and began walking again. Now the mountain looked much, much bigger and the snow was deeper, fresher. “Brrr! What an icy wind!” said Helgi, wrapping himself just a bit tighter.
“Walk faster, it will warm you up.” Freya seemed to be far too cheerful for someone carrying so much gear. “What will you do when you see the Ice Dragon?” she asked after a while. The ground was getting steeper and now they had to climb with their hands some of the way – holding onto jutting iced-over rocks. The gear on their backs felt heavier and Helgi’s sword kept scraping the stones. He wished the scabbard was finished. Just when the climb started to look too steep for them, it started snowing heavily.
“This way!” shouted Freya. She pointed to an outcrop of jagged rocks that created a natural shelter from the storm.
The snow came down so fast it looked like a wall of ice. “We may as well stay here,” said Helgi, frowning. “By the time it stops, it will be getting too dark to climb anyway.” But Freya was already putting dried twigs in a circle. Before she could strike flint and steel, Helgi jumped in and made the spark. For the first time since they set out, he was glad of the company.
The fire warmed their little shelter and as Helgi pulled out his dried fish, Freya continued to work on the scabbard. “There,” she said, handing him the finished item. “Try that with the sword.” He did, and it was perfect. Smiling, he hooked it onto his belt. “Now it won’t be bashed by the rocks!” she said with a half-smile.
Snow raged harder and the ground began to shake. Helgi and Freya looked at each other. They knew they were close to the Ice Dragon. They had no idea just how close.
“Quick! Put the fire out!” shouted Helgi. They gathered the snow and heaped it over the flames, smothering it quickly. In a flash, the snow cleared and they saw a white form glide past them in the air. Its wings were half the length of the village; its claws were as long as Helgi’s sword. Suddenly, finding the Ice Dragon didn’t seem like a very good idea.
“It’s so…so…beautiful!” Freya was gazing up at the sky where the dragon had been, an odd look in her eye. “Did you see? It went that way…to those caves.”
Helgi had to admit it was a sight to behold. He steeled himself. He’d come all this way to seek out the Ice Dragon, and that was what he’d do. He put his hand over the dragon scale hilt and felt reassured. He no longer wanted to fight it. That would have been madness. Instead, he just wanted to seek it out. Maybe gather some scales to pay for his sword.
“This way! This way!” repeated Freya, tugging at his arm. “Leave the supplies. We’ll come back for them. It’s only a three hour walk at most. C’mon!” She half dragged him, half shoved him out of the shelter and into the fresh snow. “Look! It’s even closer than it looked!”
Helgi bit his lip and followed Freya. There was some sort of path that made it easier to walk – doubtless carved out from many eager Viking children ready to find the Ice Dragon of legend. How many, he wondered, actually made it home? His bed was sounding pretty nice right now.
Before long, they were at the mouth of a cave littered with shining scales. “This is it!” shouted Freya. “We’re rich!”
“Freya, shhhhh!”
But it was too late. The Ice Dragon had heard them. In seconds, the ground was shaking with his enormous claws. Helgi looked around, but escape was impossible. They would be caught in his frozen breath and trapped in ice forever.
“Who comes to my cave?” boomed the voice of the Ice Dragon.
“Freya the Tanner’s Daughter and Helgi the Brave,” said Freya boldly. The Ice Dragon loomed over them, making them shake in their boots. He lowered his massive head and looked with frosty eyes at the two children.
“What brings you to my cave, Freya the Tanner’s Daughter and Helgi the Brave?”
Freya’s eyes glazed over and with a dreamy smile she said, “Your magnificent scales, Ice Dragon. Only the ones you don’t want.”
The dragon laughed deeply and the cave rumbled. Helgi gripped his sword by the hilt and stepped in front of Freya to protect her from the dragon’s jaws.
“And what’s this?” asked the Ice Dragon, taking a closer look at Helgi’s sword. “My old scale given to my friend Ari. Well, well, that is interesting.” The dragon then sat and looked at the two. “Take my scales, my brave little friends, but you must give me something in return.”
This time, Helgi spoke up. “What is that, great dragon?”
“You must tell the most wonderful and adventurous stories about me. I want every Viking child quaking in their beds. Only the bravest must seek me out and only the bravest may have my scales. Now go, children, and remember your task!”
Together, Freya and Helgi returned home. In the end they only took three scales each – it was all they needed. They talked constantly of what stories they would tell and just before they reached the Viking village, Helgi remembered to gather some winter berries. For even the bravest of Vikings always listened to their mothers.
the end
Question Time:
1. Why did Helgi decide to search for the Ice Dragon?
2. Why did Helgi let Freya join him?
3. What did the Ice Dragon tell the kids to do?
4. What did Helgi remember to do at the end?
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