A Change Of Seasons
By Michele Avanti 

In the land of Kwondon, in a deep cave near the top of a mountain there lived an ancient dragon. He had lived in this cave for more than seven thousand years.

Four times each year the people of the village Changdun, at the foot of the mountain, would celebrate the change of seasons. The townspeople would send a small group to the dragon's cave with offerings of sweets and fancy fruits. This was the way the people of the town thanked the dragon for his protection.

The dragon whose name was 'Time Forgot' loved the townspeople and always looked forward to their visits. He loved the little sweet rice cakes, almond cookies and gingered orange slices they left for him. The people were always humble and respectful of the dragon and he appreciated their love for him.

Time Forgot respected the townspeople too. He never frightened them with fire or a display of power. He was gentle and wise. Time Forgot just waited and listened to every word they said from the moment they began their journey up the mountain. He enjoyed the stories they told about him. They always told the story of how he had fought another angry dragon and saved the village a thousand years ago. They repeated the story of how Time Forgot had terrified a band of Mongols who would have destroyed the village six hundred years ago and how he had honored them by appearing in the sky when the Emperor came to their village just two hundred years ago.

Time Forgot felt his heart swell with pride as the townspeople told these stories on their journey up his mountain. The people were very proud of Time Forgot. He was one of the only dragons left in all of China and Changdun was a very lucky town to have him as their protector.

Time Forgot smiled warmly as he thought about all the wonderful gifts the townspeople had brought him over the centuries. Sometimes they left rubies and emeralds; golden cups and copper mirrors. Often they left silver lockets with portraits of family members for him to protect. Time Forgot treasured everything the people of Changdun brought to him.

Time Forgot experienced doubters from time to time over the centuries and he was always very careful not to terrify them. He remembered the last time a young man had climbed his mountain in between the seasons. Time Forgot had listened as the adolescent stood at the foot of his mountain telling a group of townspeople that he would prove there was no dragon. When the young man reached the entrance to the cave, the dragon gently blew smoke rings out to him. The adolescent started screaming and ran back down the mountain telling everyone that there definitely was a powerful dragon on the mountain.

Life had always been good to the dragon and he was content.

Then one year as leaves turned to gold and trees became bare, Time Forgot felt a shift in his world. He could not identify what was changing but he knew something was. And he knew it would be a very big change. This disturbed the dragon. He was not sure what to do, but knew from millennia of experience, that in time this change would become clear. So patience was the wisdom to which he must subscribe.

As the days of darkness grew longer and winter's longest night approached, Time Forgot became anxious for the Change of Seasons celebration. He looked at his calendar and thought, 'The townspeople must be cooking delicacies and creating beautiful fruits just for me right now.' He became excited at the thought of all the wonderful foods he would receive. He thought of his favorite almond cookies and licked his enormous mouth. Time Forgot whispered out loud, 'I know all those delicious foods are a great expression of love for me. I'm so glad the Change of Seasons is nearly here. It is the perfect distraction from this unsettling feeling I have inside.'

At the beginning of each day, Time Forgot checked his calendar. Finally the day of celebration arrived.

Time Forgot got up early to tidy the entrance to his cave. He looked at all the boulders that stood there and rearranged them several times. Finally satisfied with the arrangement, he lay down in the entry and gazed at the sun. It must be three hours past daybreak, he thought. The townsfolk are probably bundling up their offerings right now and getting ready to come to the foot of my mountain.

Time Forgot anxiously waited for the moment when the townspeople would touch his mountain. Even before they had settled in his valley four thousand years ago, the dragon had always known when anyone touched his mountain. It was as though the mountain was part of him. No beast or human could come near it without Time Forgot knowing they were there. Now he looked forward to the touch of human life. It was a caress of love he desired.