It was early Christmas morning as Johnathan, Joseph, and Hannah entered from the outside cold into the barn to do their chores. The force of the night's storm had ebbed into a beautiful, light snowfall. As they entered the barn they were unaware of the visitor who laid buried at the top of the haystack above them and felt relief to escape the bitter outside cold. The thick walls of the barn were packed solidly with straw, which insulated the barn well and made it so the body heat of the animals alone was enough to keep the barn sufficiently warm in the wintertime. The boys each lit a lamp and began their chores by feeding hay to the cows while Hannah placed grain in the feeder troughs for the milk cows. The cows moved into their stanchions and the boys locked their heads in place. Then Johnathan and Joseph settled onto their milking stools to begin their milking duties.
Together they milked six cows. The cows produced enough milk and cheese for their family as well as for several neighbors. As the boys milked, Hannah fed grain to the chickens, ducks, and geese and then gathered the fresh warm eggs. She loved the sounds of the swish, swish, swish and to see the froth rise in the milk buckets as her brothers milked the cows. However, she sensed the cows were unusually nervous this morning and she began to sing a low and soothing song to help them feel calm. As the cows calmed they more easily released their milk to the gentle pressure of the boys hands into the waiting buckets below.
Steam from the milk filled the air. Its warm rich smell created a sensation that all was good, wholesome, and well in the world. Joseph and Johnathan each had very strong hands and as they milked, a few kittens came out of their hiding places and lined up for a swish of milk. The boys were excellent marksmen and would direct streams of milk into the mouths of the waiting kittens. It was always fun to watch the their faces become soaked in milk as they hungrily and greedily lapped at the streams of milk. Their little tongues licked joyfully until the boys returned to their duties, then the kittens licked each other clean.
This morning while squirting milk into the kittens mouths, Joseph purposely squirted too far and some milk landed on Johnathan's face. Johnathan squealed and then squirted Joeseph and almost got Hannah too, but she was too quick and jumped just in time to escape a milk dowsing. The children loved the farm, feeding the animals, and feeling life and strength flow through their bodies. While they pranked one another and had fun, they always did it with loving mischievousness and never to hurt one another.
The children were very excited to finish their chores this morning. After the chores were complete, mom would have hot chocolate and a hearty and festive Christmas breakfast ready for them. After breakfast the family would gather by the Christmas tree and hearth and Dad would recite the Christmas story. Then each family member would share fun memories and would relive fun pranks, kind acts of service to one another, and retell the many adventures they had enjoyed together during the past year.
Each would then take turns unwrapping presents from under the Christmas tree. This was never a hurried affair; but time was taken to enjoy the excitement of each gift before opening other gifts. Sometimes the opening of presents would last all day. For example, the previous Christmas, each of the children received beautifully crafted homemade sleighs. The children were so excited that before opening another gift they each dawned their snow clothing and went sledding for a few hours. Then they returned inside to enjoy a festive Christmas lunch before opening the rest of their presents. The pattern of excitement, gifts, fun, and food repeated itself unhurriedly until evening, when the last presents opened were soft, thick homemade pajamas. Then mom and dad would tuck them in and dad would relate a story until each was fast asleep. All was enjoyable, natural, and filled with love.
Hannah loved to feed the barn animals while the boys milked the cows. She gave each of the cows an extra portion of oats this morning; then she also gave the sheep, goats, and horses a little more than usual. She also gave the chickens extra grain before beginning her favorite chore--the gathering of fresh, warm eggs. The chickens had been so nervous because of the presence of the unknown visitor, that they had laid only a few eggs. Hannah searched hard to find the usual allotment of eggs; she could not understand why there were so few to be found as she searched all the usual hiding places.
As she searched, she told her brothers that she couldn't find where the chickens had laid their eggs and that the usual places were empty. Her brothers were nearly done milking and volunteered to help her. They each worked there way around and over the haystack until together they met at the top of the haystack. Joseph said, "Somebody has moved the hay about up here; it is not the way I left it last night when we did the chores." Then, they each spied something beneath the hay, and there protruding from the hay was the nose of an animal, the likes of which they had never seen before.
Daniel slept soundly as his body recovered from his long, cold, wintry flight; he breathed deep, weary breaths and his sides rose and gently fell with each breath. Then Joseph said, "An animal must have come into the barn to escape the storm during the night." Johnathan said, "Hannah, this is why the chickens did not lay eggs and the cows were so nervous when we began milking this morning." The children agreed and each was excited to learn who their new guest was. No hungry person or animal was ever turned away from their farm. The children were tempted to awake their visitor, but instead decided to let him sleep and to make him feel welcome.
Johnny suggested they haul a trough to the top of the hay and fill it with warm milk. They did so and Hannah also made a small pile of apples next to the trough. She didn't know that apples were one of Daniel's favorite foods, but she did know that all the farm animals loved apples. They quickly finished their chores and excitedly returned to the house.
Before breakfast even began the children shared their morning experience with their mother and father. Curiosity was so great that a decision was made to check on the new animal before they began their traditional Christmas breakfast. Mother then shared a dream she had the night before, about a beautiful city and of a golden-haired boy with blue eyes that she believed would become a part of their family. She wasn't sure how this could happen because her child-bearing years were over.
Dad and each of the children were stunned, for they too experienced the dream. They wondered aloud together what it might mean. As they did so, Daniel awoke in the barn to the smell of rich milk and apples. He looked about and could tell someone had left food for him and knew from this kindness shown to him that he had come to a place where there were kind humans.
Just then, the barn door opened and in walked the first people Daniel had every seen. They were startled to see him for they had never seen an animal quite like him before. He shimmered and sparked; his face was both terrible and wonderful. Although it was obvious that he was still young, his body was muscular and as he stretched forth his wings and then folded them back to his sides each family member gasped in amazement. Then, before their already astonished eyes, his appearance changed and standing before them upon the haystack stood the golden-haired boy from their dreams. As in the dream, he appeared to be even younger than Johnathan, Hannah, or Joseph.
There was a silent and somewhat confused and fearful pause; sensing their fearm= Daniel said, "Fear not." Father was the first to speak. He welcomed the special visitor and asked him who he was and where he had come from. Daniel then said, "My name is Daniel; I am the last wild and free dragon in the world and the first to seek to befriend humans in more than a thousand years." "My mother is the oldest dragon alive in the world, but is not free; she is held captive by cunning men who seek her treasure."
"She has been a protector of special humans who have lived at various times upon the earth." "Although she is imprisoned, she speaks to me in my mind and heart and visits me in my dreams." "She sent me to serve, teach, and protect your family as you learn the ways of the longest living humans the world has ever known."
There was stunned silence and thoughts swirled even more rapidly until Mother said, "Welcome to our farm Daniel; would you like to come into our home and join us for our Christmas Breakfast?" Daniel smiled and thanked her, and then took his first steps in his human form. He broke the awkward silence and confusion further as he tumbled down the hay to rest at their feet, a pile of grass landing upon his head. His boyish and sheepish grin caused everyone to relax for the first time since he had been discovered.
Hannah laughed and helped him to his feet. Daniel then walked with the family out of the barn, through the snow, and then into the house. It wasn't a cave, but was warm, comfortable, and loving shelter unlike any he had ever seen before. The aromas were delicious; the decorations were beautiful, and he was even more astonished than the family. Suddenly, the months away from his mother, the memories of times with his forrest friends, and all that he had learned in such a short time, as well as the extraordinary nighttime wintry flight each weighed upon him heavily and he began to sob the tears of a boy who was far too young to have experienced so much so very soon in his life.
Although he missed his mother terribly, his new human mother had the same kind and gentle heart. She placed her arms around him and lifted him onto her lap. He laid his head against her and let the strain and weariness of the past months ebb from his body as he wept. As he did so, a special connection was formed between Daniel and his new mother and family. As his memories played out in his own mind, they each saw in their mind's eye much of the short life that Daniel had lived, how he had survived without his mother, and why he was there in their home. Together with his help they would one day become a part of the beautiful city from their nighttime dream. Daniel had come to help them prepare themselves for this purpose. The whole family gathered around Daniel and hugged him as if he had always been one of their own.
Then, they enjoyed Christmas breakfast and each of the family ate their breakfast through the eyes of their new son and brother who had never eaten with humans before. Daniel relished his first Breakfast Veggie Omelet and his hearty Breakfast Porridge (click on links and ask your mother to learn how make this breakfast so you too can learn to eat like Daniel). Daniel knew he had come to just the right home; he was being fed just the way his mother had taught him that he must eat, if he wanted to grow to be a strong and noble dragon and if he wanted to enjoy sufficient health to fulfill his life's mission.
His human mother had creatively mixed nutritious vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, and grains into the two delicious dishes. As he ate, Daniel felt the strength that had been exhausted during his nighttime flight, being restored to his body. His mission had begun and he was at peace!
Be sure to ask your mother to feed you the breakfast Daniel enjoyed so you will be ready to learn what happens next in Daniel's Adventures!
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