The dragon and the Prince is the last podcast I illustrated for Legends Myths and Whiskey.

It went out in April but I actually forgot to post this:(

We’re having a pause with the illustrations by the way, but the podcasts are still going on as usual.

Anyway, this story is about the three sons of an Emperor.

The first two sons had the misadventure of running into a nasty dragon while hunting in the forest.

The third, youngest brother then decides to investigate their disappearance and leaves home to find clues.

He follows the steps of his brothers to a mill, by which is sitting an old woman.

She reveals that the prince’s brothers have been eaten by the dragon, and that she herself is being held captive, with no way to escape.

The prince offers his help to the woman, and they agree she will try and trick the dragon into revealing his weaknesses, so that the prince could try and ride the land of it for good.

As it turns out, the source of the dragon’s strength is a long way off, in another kingdom.
In that kingdom there is a lake, and in the lake a dragon, in the dragon a boar, in the boar a pigeon, and in the pigeon the dragon’s strength.

The next day the old woman tells the prince the dragon’s secret, so the young man leaves immediately in search of the lake.

He disguises himself as a shepherd, and after much roaming he finally reaches the far-away kingdom.

He speaks to the emperor asking for work, and the emperor agrees to give him some sheep to
keep, warning him not to let them wander around the lake, for no one ever returned from the fields around it.

The prince understands that’s where the dragon strength is, so he buys two hounds and a falcon, gathers the sheep and leaves for the pastures around the lake.

Once there he shouts at the waters, challenging the dragon to a wrestling match.

The dragon bursts out of the water and accepts the challenge.
For an entire day they wrestle, their skills evenly matched, until the dragon withdraws under
the waters to rest.

The illustration obviously depicts the struggle and, obviously, it was made in Krita.

Two more times the two face each other, but since this is turning into a big wall of text I have to cut it short!

You can listen to the whole story narrated properly here.

by Paolo Puggioni