Pip and the Smoky Hiccup

Amelia found a tiny green dragon asleep inside the teapot at the fair.

It was a very small dragon, no bigger than a pear. Its tail hung out of the spout, and a little puff of smoke rose from its nose.

"Oh!" said Amelia. "Hello."

The dragon woke up and went pink. "I'm Pip," it whispered. "Please don't tell. I have a secret."

Amelia loved secrets. She leaned close. "I won't tell. What is it?"

Pip looked around the striped tents. The carousel went round and round, as it always did. "I can't breathe fire," said Pip. "Everyone at dragon school can. I only hiccup."

"Show me," said Amelia.

Pip took a big breath. "Hic!" Out came one soap bubble. It floated up and went pop.

Amelia wanted to help. She wanted Pip to feel brave, and she wanted to see a real flame, just once.

"Try roaring," she said.

Pip roared. "Squeak!" A duck on the carousel looked over.

"Try thinking of something hot," said Amelia.

Pip thought of soup. "Hic!" Another bubble. Then three more, all in a row.

Amelia sat down on a barrel. She was a little stuck. Then she saw something. Each time Pip hiccuped, the bubbles came out round and shining, and the carousel horses turned their heads to watch.

"Pip," she said slowly. "Nobody here has bubbles like that."

"Is that good?"

"Do it again. Do it as fast as you can."

Pip gulped some air. "Hic, hic, hic, hic!" Bubbles filled the air, big ones and small ones, gold in the lantern light. They drifted over the tents and drifted over the carousel. The duck quacked. The horses seemed to smile.

A little boy ran up, laughing, and popped one with his finger. Pop! Then he popped another.

Pip's tail wagged. "They like it!"

"They do," said Amelia.

Pip took one more breath, and this time a tiny warm spark came out with the bubble. It glowed inside, like a small lamp. Pip stared at it.

"Oh," he whispered.

"Hic," said Amelia, and they both giggled as the glowing bubble floated slowly up to join the stars.