Once upon a time, the great bard Richal came to a town that lived near a desert. The people in the town told her that a great blue dragon lived out in the desert, and that he demanded sacrifices of meat and water. The people had little meat and water left, and now there were goblins attacking the town as well. Richal promised to help them. She said, "All I need is a pot, a broom, and an old mule." They gave her these things.
Richal put the pot on her head, held the broom, and got on the donkey, and she sang her song:
Broom is a lance
Mule won't fright
Pot is a fine helm
Make me a knight!
And it appeared to all that she was a fine warrior riding a bold charger, with a shining helm. Then she rode out to the dragon.
The dragon rose up out of the sands when he heard Richal coming, and called, "Lady Knight, why have you come? To fight me? I will roast you in your armor!"
Richal called back, "No, Lord Dragon. I come to offer you a challenge. I wish to see which of us is the better warrior. Will you fight with honor?"
The dragon was very proud and very honorable. "Of course, Lady Knight. But I will eat you if you fail!"
"That is fine," said Richal. "There are goblins attacking the town where you take sacrifices. I heard that they were being led by Richal the Bard. I will fight Richal, and you fight the goblins, and whichever of us finishes first is the stronger warrior. Do you agree?"
The dragon agreed, and flew off toward the town. Richal followed on her mule, and as the dragon fought the goblins on the north side of town, Richal sat down on a rock to rest. Soon enough, the dragon finished off the goblins, and he flew over. He was astonished to see the knight resting and eating. "Where is Richal?" the dragon asked, and cast a spell of truth.
"The bard came just as I arrived," Richal said, with no lie in her voice. "But she didn't feel like fighting me, and so here I am. It looks like I won before you did."
The dragon gnashed his teeth and flew back to the desert. He was so angry that he became hungry, and demanded more sacrifices from the town. Again the townsfolk came to Richal, desperate. She told them not to worry, but told each of them to hold a kitchen knife and put a pot on their head in the morning. The next morning she went out on her donkey, with pot and broom, and sang:
Broom is a lance
Mule won't fright
Pot is a fine helm
Make me a knight!
Again she became a fine knight in the eyes of everyone -- and each of the people in town looked like a fierce warrior, too, as the magic came over them as well. The pots on their heads looked like great warrior's helms, and their kitchen knives looked like heavy hooked swords.
She rode out to the dragon on her mule. "Still tired from yesterday, Lord Dragon?" she asked. "I feel as though I didn't fight at all!"
"What do you want, Lady Knight?" the dragon growled. "I think maybe I will eat you."
"I thought you might want a rematch," said Richal. "The town has hired Richal the Bard to protect it now, and there's a group of mercenaries as well. Would you like to test your strength against mine again?"
"Yes, Lady Knight" said the dragon, thinking quickly, "but this time, I shall fight Richal, and you shall fight the mercenaries."
"That sounds hard," said Richal, "but it's only fair."
The dragon flew to the town and began looking for Richal. And Richal rode back and stood before the townsfolk, who all looked like warriors, and said, "Kneel," and they all did.
When the dragon couldn't find Richal, he roared in frustration, and then saw that the Lady Knight had already beaten the mercenaries, for they knelt before her. "It's not fair!" the dragon complained. "I couldn't find Richal, or I would surely have defeated her before you stopped the mercenaries!"
"That Richal is pretty crafty," said Richal. "I will make you a deal. I will tell you where Richal is, if you promise not to harm the town anymore, or demand sacrifices."
The dragon laughed. "I agree to that. I will not harm the town as long as I live, nor demand sacrifices from it." He would find Richal and eat her, he thought, and then eat this pesky Lady Knight.
Richal looked concerned. "Wait. How do I know you won't eat me as soon as I tell you where Richal is? You might be shamed for having been beaten by me."
The dragon looked offended, though that was indeed what he had planned. "I swear by the Stone," he said, "that I will not hurt you until a year after I have eaten Richal. You can expect no more from a dragon."
"Agreed," said Richal, and sang:
Helmet's just a pot
Horse is just a mule
I am Richal,
And you are a fool!
And her illusion went away, and she was revealed to the dragon.
Now the dragon roared in frustration, for if he ate Richal, he would be breaking his promise not to hurt the Lady Knight until a year after he had eaten Richal the Bard. He could not attack her without breaking his oath, and he flew back into the desert with his tail between his legs, and he was never seen again.
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