Read Online How to Twist a Dragon's Tale (Hiccup) by Cressida Cowell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cressida Cowell
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, YA), Fantasy & magical realism (Children's, Children's Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic
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excellent Bardiguard. Even when you were trying to kill me, you did a wonderful job of saving me from yourself. Will you shake hands?"
Humungously Hotshot's sad face lightened. He smiled.
They shook hands.
128
Time is ticking my way
The Volcano is shaking me daily
One day it shall shake me
Right out of my shell and them I shall BLAZE FORTH with scorching red talons and then...
Flames shall lap like water
Down the moun tainsides
The trees will be crackling candles
Stroking the sky with fiery fingers
And I shall turn all the flowers and Small things
In to cinders and beautiful dust.
[Image: A ferocious animal.]
129
9. HOW DO YOU TAKE ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN A VOW OF SILENCE?
Old Wrinkly's hole was a dried-up old well about six feet wide and really quite deep. Hiccup had been visiting him every day anyway, bringing him food.
Hiccup carefully climbed down the ladder. It was quite a relief to get away from the clammy heat, and the further you went down, the cooler it became. His grandfather was already awake and smoking his pipe on a small stool.
"I must say," said Hiccup, as he sat down beside his grandfather, "you have been very lucky in the weather. Most summers this hole would be ankle deep in water and mud at this time of year." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I just found out about Humungous ... and the Fire-Stone ... and the Volcano ... and everything that happened fifteen years ago."
His grandfather turned his face away from Hiccup's.
"Now, why would Alvin the Treacherous want to have me killed?" wondered Hiccup aloud. "He could
130
131
just sit tight on Lava-Lout Island, waiting for the Volcano to explode. He must think I'm going to do something to spoil his plans ... but what CAN I do? I can't stop a volcano from exploding!"
Old Wrinkly stopped smoking for a second, picked up one of his books, and rifled through the pages. He stopped on one page and pointed with a bony finger.
THE RIDDLE OF LAVA-LOUT ISLAND, read Hiccup.
Through the open window came the clear sound of a bugle, calling all Vikings to a meeting of The Thing. A meeting at which no one was allowed to speak unless they were holding the Fire-Stone ... the very same Fire-Stone that Stoick the Vast had stolen from the Volcano in order to win the hand of Valhallarama the Mightily Beautiful, fifteen long years before.
"THE FIRE-STONE!" shouted Hiccup. "Maybe if we RETURN the Fire-Stone to the Volcano we can stop it from erupting! Don't worry, Grandpa," said Hiccup, "I'll make it all right."
And Hiccup climbed the ladder back up to the real world.
132
The Riddle of Lava-Lout Island
[Image: The Riddle of Lave-Lout Island.]
133
10. A MEETING OF THE THING
The Thing was a real step forward for the Viking Tribes.
It took place in a gigantic circular dip on the slopes of Huge Hill. Steps had been cut into the dip to make an enormous amphitheater, and heather grew on the steps, which normally made them springy and comfy to sit on, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond the organizers' control, this heather had recently been burned to a cinder.
Everybody had to leave their weapons in a large heap before they entered the amphitheater, just in case discussions got heated.
There was Madguts the Murderous, deep in discussion with Mogadon the Meathead, and his son Thuggory Norbert the Nutjob, Chief of the Hysterics, fiddling nervously with his beard because he'd had to leave his axe outside so he didn't know what to do with his hands.
Grabbit the Grim was there, trying to hide from Big-Boobied Bertha because he'd rustled some of her reindeer a couple of months ago, and the sledgehammer fists and breathquenching breasts of Big-Boobied Bertha were the Terror of the Archipelago.
134
There was Deadlydog Dullard getting into a fistfight with Megalugs Mountain because Megalugs had laughed at his rather bright yellow leggings.
And there was Camicazi, Big-Boobied Bertha's tiny, tangle-haired daughter, gently pouring Itchyworms
Humungously Hotshot's sad face lightened. He smiled.
They shook hands.
128
Time is ticking my way
The Volcano is shaking me daily
One day it shall shake me
Right out of my shell and them I shall BLAZE FORTH with scorching red talons and then...
Flames shall lap like water
Down the moun tainsides
The trees will be crackling candles
Stroking the sky with fiery fingers
And I shall turn all the flowers and Small things
In to cinders and beautiful dust.
[Image: A ferocious animal.]
129
9. HOW DO YOU TAKE ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN A VOW OF SILENCE?
Old Wrinkly's hole was a dried-up old well about six feet wide and really quite deep. Hiccup had been visiting him every day anyway, bringing him food.
Hiccup carefully climbed down the ladder. It was quite a relief to get away from the clammy heat, and the further you went down, the cooler it became. His grandfather was already awake and smoking his pipe on a small stool.
"I must say," said Hiccup, as he sat down beside his grandfather, "you have been very lucky in the weather. Most summers this hole would be ankle deep in water and mud at this time of year." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I just found out about Humungous ... and the Fire-Stone ... and the Volcano ... and everything that happened fifteen years ago."
His grandfather turned his face away from Hiccup's.
"Now, why would Alvin the Treacherous want to have me killed?" wondered Hiccup aloud. "He could
130
131
just sit tight on Lava-Lout Island, waiting for the Volcano to explode. He must think I'm going to do something to spoil his plans ... but what CAN I do? I can't stop a volcano from exploding!"
Old Wrinkly stopped smoking for a second, picked up one of his books, and rifled through the pages. He stopped on one page and pointed with a bony finger.
THE RIDDLE OF LAVA-LOUT ISLAND, read Hiccup.
Through the open window came the clear sound of a bugle, calling all Vikings to a meeting of The Thing. A meeting at which no one was allowed to speak unless they were holding the Fire-Stone ... the very same Fire-Stone that Stoick the Vast had stolen from the Volcano in order to win the hand of Valhallarama the Mightily Beautiful, fifteen long years before.
"THE FIRE-STONE!" shouted Hiccup. "Maybe if we RETURN the Fire-Stone to the Volcano we can stop it from erupting! Don't worry, Grandpa," said Hiccup, "I'll make it all right."
And Hiccup climbed the ladder back up to the real world.
132
The Riddle of Lava-Lout Island
[Image: The Riddle of Lave-Lout Island.]
133
10. A MEETING OF THE THING
The Thing was a real step forward for the Viking Tribes.
It took place in a gigantic circular dip on the slopes of Huge Hill. Steps had been cut into the dip to make an enormous amphitheater, and heather grew on the steps, which normally made them springy and comfy to sit on, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond the organizers' control, this heather had recently been burned to a cinder.
Everybody had to leave their weapons in a large heap before they entered the amphitheater, just in case discussions got heated.
There was Madguts the Murderous, deep in discussion with Mogadon the Meathead, and his son Thuggory Norbert the Nutjob, Chief of the Hysterics, fiddling nervously with his beard because he'd had to leave his axe outside so he didn't know what to do with his hands.
Grabbit the Grim was there, trying to hide from Big-Boobied Bertha because he'd rustled some of her reindeer a couple of months ago, and the sledgehammer fists and breathquenching breasts of Big-Boobied Bertha were the Terror of the Archipelago.
134
There was Deadlydog Dullard getting into a fistfight with Megalugs Mountain because Megalugs had laughed at his rather bright yellow leggings.
And there was Camicazi, Big-Boobied Bertha's tiny, tangle-haired daughter, gently pouring Itchyworms
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