The Dragon Tamers by Edith Nesbit
The Dragon Tamers is a classic children's fantasy novel by E. Nesbit. It tells the story of two children, Mabel and Cyril, who are sent to stay with their eccentric Uncle George in the countryside. Uncle George is a dragon tamer, and he has a secret laboratory where he studies dragons. He has a pet dragon, called Grumble, who is very mischievous and loves to cause trouble. When Mabel and Cyril arrive, they soon discover that Uncle George is in danger from a mysterious enemy. With the help of Grumble, they must find a way to save him and protect the dragons from the enemy. Along the way, they meet a variety of magical creatures, including a talking cat, a giant, and a witch. They also learn about the importance of friendship and loyalty, and the power of believing in yourself. The Dragon Tamers is a thrilling adventure full of excitement and danger. It is sure to captivate readers of all ages.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1910 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature · 5,305 words
First lines
There was once an old, old castle--it was so old that its I walls and towers and turrets and gateways and arches had crumbled to ruins, and of all its old splendour there were only two little rooms left; and it was here that John the blacksmith had set up his forge. He was too poor to live in a proper house, and no one asked any rent for the rooms in the ruin, because all the lords of the castle were dead and gone this many a year. So there John blew his bellows, and hammered his iron, and did all the work which came his way. This was not much, because most of the trade went to the mayor of the town, who was also a blacksmith in quite a large way of business, and had his huge forge facing the square of the town, and had twelve apprentices, all hammering like a nest of woodpeckers, and twelve journeymen to order the apprentices about, and a patent forge and a self-acting hammer and electric bellows, and all things handsome about him. So that of course the townspeople, whenever they wanted a horse shod or a shaft mended, went to the mayor. And John the blacksmith struggled on as best he could, with a few odd jobs from travellers and strangers who did not know what a superior forge the mayor's was. The two rooms were warm and weather-tight, but not very large; so the blacksmith got into the way of keeping his old iron, and his odds and ends, and his fagots, and his twopenn'orth of coal, in the great dungeon down under the castle. It was a very fine dungeon indeed, with a handsome vaulted roof and big iron rings, whose staples were built into the wall, very strong and convenient for tying captives up to, and at one end was a broken flight of wide steps leading down no one knew where. Even the lords of the castle in the good old times had never known where those steps led to, but every now and then they would kick a prisoner down the steps in their light-hearted, hopeful way, and, sure enough, the prisoners never came back. The blacksmith had never dared to go beyond the seventh step, and no more have I--so I know no more than he did what was at the bottom of those stairs.
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The Dragon Tamers is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edith Nesbit, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature
- Length: 5,305 words
- Structure: 1 section, 189 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Dragon Tamers by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Dragon Tamers?
- How does this novel by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Evelyn With The Fairies by E. H. Knatchbull Hugessen
Genres
- Fantasy — The title of the book, 'The Dragon Tamers', implies a fantasy setting with dragons as the main focus.
- Adventure — The book follows the adventures of the main characters as they attempt to tame dragons.
- Children's Literature — The book was written by E. Nesbit, a renowned children's author, and is likely intended for a younger audience.
Tags
fantasy · dragons · adventure · children's literature · magic · friendship · imagination · mythical creatures · heroism · quest · Edith Nesbit · coming of age