As he approached the city, he saw a small peaceful lake, with reeds growing around its edge. Tired from flying over deserts in the hot sun, he descended and lit on the shore to lap at the clear waters within.
He was thirsty and the cool water satisfied. He stared into the sun and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.
When he opened his eyes again, he realized he was not alone. A woman was seated cross legged at the edge of the lake amongst the reeds. She had flowing blond locks, and seemed to be peacefully meditating. The dragon kept quiet and still, so as not to disturb her, or let her know she was only a few feet from an enormous invisible dragon.
This had never happened before. The invisible dragon found himself looking around, to see if perhaps she was speaking to some other invisible dragon... but there was only him. He looked closely at her.
Her eyes were closed. Was she really speaking to him?
Before he had made up his mind, she spoke again. “Have you ever met anyone who knows how to tame an invisible dragon?” She opened her eyes and looked directly at him.
This time the dragon knew - she was speaking to him. Her eyes were so clear. He felt like she was looking into his soul. He caught his breath a moment, then answered. “No." Then an afterthought... "Why would anyone tame a dragon?”
She broke out into a broad smile, that seemed to light up the already sun-drenched desert. “Something tells me you are not likely to be tamed by anyone!” She laughed, and then reached out a hand to him. “Namaste, my friend.”
The beating heart of the invisible dragon spoke at once. Trust her. He craned his neck forward, and nuzzled her hand in friendship. “I’m very glad to meet you.”
She rubbed his enormous invisible nose. “Likewise.” Then she closed her eyes again, and appeared to return to her meditation.
He was still curious about what she had said earlier. He waited a few moments, unsure of whether to speak. Then his curiosity got the better of him. “If I’m not interrupting... What did you mean by 'tame an invisible dragon'...?”
She answered his question with a question. “What is it... to tame something?”
The dragon thought for a moment, then a memory came to him from years before. He blurted it out. “My father the magician told me a story once, called 'The Little Prince'. The Little Prince meets a fox, who says he wants to be tamed by the Prince. I can’t remember exactly... The fox said he was nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes, and the Prince was nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And they have no need of each other. But if the Prince tamed the fox, then the fox would feel so much more, than empty days. They would need each other. They would be unique to each other in all the world.”
He waited for a few moments. A feeling in him grew, like he needed her to answer. After what seemed like an eternity, she opened her deep clear eyes. “You are unique to me, great dragon.”
The dragon had never met anyone like this woman with flowing blond locks, so filled with light and love, sitting peacefully by the lake. “You are unique to me, too.”
The sun was sinking toward the horizon. The dragon wanted to stay, but had to continue his journey. She spoke again, seemingly reading his thoughts. “Will I see you again, good dragon friend?”
The dragon knew he would return to her, in some unknown future. “Yes ...good friend.”
With a beat of his enormous invisible wings he gently rose again into the sky. As he flew he craned his neck back to watch her from above, still peacefully seated amongst the reeds by the lake. Finally she disappeared in the glare of the setting western sun, and he flew on into the night.
The invisible dragon tamer is alive and well and living in New Mexico.
The Little Prince is by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
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