An aging warrior with a calm head on his shoulders backed by seasons of wisdom is summoned to his next job. Not too difficult a task, merely retrieve the kingdom's orb that belongs to the lady he loves and the treacherous kingdoms that want it for themselves. The real challenge is, steal it back from the small and insignificant dragon. After all, it's just another job.

Dragons have thrilled the imagination since the days of ancient Greece and Rome. From heroes like Hercules to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, from Frodo in The Hobbit to St. George, generations of heroes -- real and fictional -- have sought to slay the Great Worms and plunder their treasure troves. This volume collects 25 modern and classic works about dragons (plus a bonus short poem), from Beowulf to the Brothers Grimm, from Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" to modern tales great new writers like Michael Kurland and Gary Lovisi. Included are: SYMPATHY FOR DRAGONS, by John Gregory Betancourt THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS, by The Brothers Grimm THE FIFTY-FIRST DRAGON, by Heywood Broun THE SLAYING OF THE MONSTER, by R. H. Barlow and H. P. Lovecraft THE KING OF THE FISHES, by Joseph Jacobs THE STUDENT WHO WAS FORCIBLY MADE KING, by Anonymous OF MICE & DRAGONS, by Gary Lovisi THE DRAGON OF THE NORTH, by Andrew Lang THE RELUCTANT DRAGON, by Kenneth Grahame JOHN THE TRUE, by Joseph Jacobs VERNAN'S DRAGON, by John Gregory Betancourt HOW THE DRAGON WAS TRICKED, by J. G. von Hahn LILY AND THE LION, by the Brothers Grimm LILY AND THE DRAGON, by Michael Kurland THE PRINCE AND THE DRAGON, by Andrew Lang WHY THE RED DRAGON IS THE EMBLEM OF WALES, by W. Jenkyn Thomas JABBERWOCKY, by Lewis Carroll THE DRAGON'S TEETH, by Nathaniel Hawthorne THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY, by Henry Carey THE LAST OF THE DRAGONS, by E. Nesbit THE DRAGON OF LA TRINITA, by Mary Lovett Cameron THE LITTLE BULL-CALF, by Andrew Lang RICH PETER THE PEDLAR, by George Webbe Dasent THE TWO BROTHERS, by The Brothers Grimm THE MANDELBROT DRAGON, by Mary A. Turzillo THE TALE OF BEOWULF, by Anonymous (translated by William Morris) And don't forget to search this ebook store for "Wildside Megapack" to see more great collections, ranging from fantasy and science fiction to mysteries, westerns, adventure stories, and more! (View them by publication date to see the most recent additions.)

Interpretations of Beowulf brings together over six decades of literary scholarship. Illustrating a variety of interpretative schools, the essays not only deal with most of the major issues of Beowulf criticism, including structure, style, genre, and theme, but also offer the sort of explanations of particular passages that are invaluable to a careful reading of a poem. This up-to-date collection of significant critical approaches fills a long-standing need for a companion volume for the study of the poem. Larger patterns in the history of Beowulf criticism are also traceable in the chronological order of the collection. The contributors are Theodore M. Andersson, Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur, Jane Chance, Laurence N. de Looze, Margaret E. Goldsmith, Stanley B. Greenfield, Joseph Harris, Edward B. Irving, Jr., John Leyerle, Francis P. Magoun, Jr., M. B. McNamee, S. J., Bertha S. Phillpotts, John C. Pope, Richard N. Ringler, Geoffrey R. Russom, T. A. Shippey, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

For years, the inhabitants of Prali, a small Italian mountain town near the French border, lived in peace. They believed that danger would never come to them. However, deep within a mountain cave, a one-of-a-kind dragon feasts on rats and mice living within the cave. While he grows, he discovers this is not enough. He craves the taste of cow, oxen, and humans. The last of his kind, the dragon launches a brutal attack on the people of Prali. After the terrorizing havoc of the dragon. Bernard, a young Franciscan monk; Mary, a misplaced English girl; and the arrogant knight Leonardo. Join forces to eliminate the dragon and bring peace to the people of Prali. Only the courage and strength of the three dragon hunters will save the world from destruction. As they travel through the mysterious forests, and deep caverns of the region. They discover the secrets of the hidden lair and an underworld that time has forgotten. They journey to the farthest reaches of the dragons lair to face their ultimate destiny.

Enemies to lovers and second chances seem almost beyond reach, but with the help of a meddling dragon, true love might just prevail over the evil that has shadowed Loralie all her life. A woman of mystery…and danger… The hereditary Guardian of the Citadel, Loralie, has a lot to answer for. She has done terrible things with her power on behalf of evil men who kidnapped her daughter. Loralie’s powerful magic is being used against her will, and the protections she’s been bred to uphold are failing, one by one. A man she once loved and thought lost forever… Detlif is Captain of the Guard of the fair folk enclave that guards one of the Gates to the Citadel. He gave up on love when Loralie left suddenly, without so much as a goodbye. When she showed up nine months later and gave him his infant son, then disappeared again, he imagined all sorts of cruel things about her. But there’s a lot he didn’t know about his former lover. A lot that stands between them, including a twin daughter that he has only just learned about. A meddling dragon… When the red dragon offers a chance to break the magical chains binding the girl, Loralie sends her precious daughter to be with her twin…and their father. With her daughter safe, Loralie can focus on revenge and stopping the evil plot that threatens all the lands. But she doesn’t count on Detlif having a say in her activities. Loralie believes only her death will make up for the misery she has caused. She’d thought she was reconciled to her fate, but seeing Det again makes her wish for more time. With him. With their children. Det knows Lora has done awful things, but as he begins to understand why, he tries to find a way to create a happy ending for her…for their children…and for himself, as well. It’s going to be tricky, and very, very dangerous, but he must not fail. He wants Loralie for keeps this time, and nothing will stop him from achieving that goal.

The Faradays' new assignment is in Ancient Rome.

"We can’t let a dragon interfere with our plans!" Greedy for wealth and power, Grosnez, a magician of dubious abilities living on the Island of Angur, is determined to get hold of an ancient turtle shell used to predict the future. But the shell is in Old Mauger’s cave. A friendly dragon, he even uses his hot breath to help washerwomen dry their laundry. To get the dragon out of the way, Grosnez’ servant suggests a dragon hunt to celebrate the High Elder’s Flint Jubilee. The prize: much sought-after residency in the island plus a new dolmen! But Grosnez’ scheming hasn’t gone unnoticed, and Gastelois, the dolmen-builder, reckoned without the interference of the Planning Committee and the machinations of the head of the local Union...

The Dragon-of-War is a story about the darkness that prevents us from uniting with one another to honor, trust, and obey the one true God. Selac, a young man, is called to expose this darkness so that he and others may understand what is hindering them from serving their purpose in life. Instinctively, he recoils from this calling because his personal belief of live-and-let-live counters mandating any behavior. Understanding the assertion that only by divine providence is anyone able to serve the one true God, Selac goes forth to grow in faith in order to accomplish his purpose. Through a series of experiences he learns that there will be deterrents to performing his mission. Selac teams with young male and female troopers to assist him in accomplishing his purpose. The team learns that their youth has become a hindrance. The one who was expecting him was expecting more experienced individuals and a larger force. Together, the young team encounters established traditions and values that generate deviations to their course of action for witnessing about the truth. Selac and the team meet an individual who provides instructions that will keep them focused on their mission. Focused on the true Rock of salvation, Selac and the team go forth to witness about the truth to both friendly and hostile audiences. Selac is accused of performing illegal acts that will endanger the unity of the Empire in which they are to assist. As such, the troop is now sought for imprisonment or destruction by the elites of the ruling social and religious classes. With that realization, the young team continues to adhere to the guidance of the Spirit of God to witness about the only begotten Son of God.