The Inventive Dragon by Oliver Herford
A legend tells of a Princess imprisoned in a lonely tower by a dreadful Dragon, who waits at the gate and devours every would-be rescuer: kings, princes, poets, pages, troubadours, and knights. Yet the tale conceals the truth: there is no Princess at all. Having missed several dinners and grown thin, the Dragon remembered that rescuing ladies was fashionable in fairy tales. He rented a tower and invented the story, spreading it throughout the nations. Ever since, chivalrous visitors have supplied him with daily meals, and his romantic deception ensures that he will not go hungry.
By Oliver Herford · First published 1899 · Genre: Humorous Poetry, Parody, Fairy Tale · 399 words
First lines
In a very lonely tower, / So the legend goes to tell, / Pines a Princess in the power / Of a dreadful Dragon's spell.
There she sits in silent state, / Always watching -- always dumb, / While the Dragon at the gate / Eats her suitors as they come --
What this Textopian page supports
The Inventive Dragon is listed on Textopian as a short story by Oliver Herford, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Oliver Herford
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humorous Poetry, Parody, Fairy Tale, Satire, Fantasy
- Length: 399 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Inventive Dragon by Oliver Herford
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Humorous Poetry — The work is a light, rhyming narrative poem whose central effect comes from its witty reversal of the familiar dragon-and-princess tale.
- Parody — It parodies romantic fairy-tale and chivalric conventions by revealing that the imprisoned princess is an invented lure created by the dragon to attract knights.
- Fairy Tale — Its setting and imagery use classic fairy-tale elements: a lonely tower, a princess, a dragon, princes, knights, and a rescue quest.
- Satire — The poem gently satirizes unquestioning chivalric heroism, romantic clichés, and the eagerness of adventurers to pursue a conventional heroic narrative.
Tags
children's literature · fantasy · humorous verse · illustrated book · nonsense poetry · mythical creatures · imagination · whimsical · Victorian literature · Edwardian literature · fairy tale · adventure