The dragon's scales would drop and turn to gold, and the village used it to make their coins. The one thing the dragon demanded was the village not get greedy about it.
The elders teach their children "Betray not the dragon that guards our homes, and allows us to live free. For if your heart grows cold and cruel, the dragon will forsake thee." -- Anon Guest
Welcome to Gilded Hills, here there be Dragon. Not a multitude. One is plenty.
Their name is Syntillus, and they have what might be called a shedding problem. Scales fall once a season as the stiffest winds blow. The people below their flights cheered their passing with baskets on their heads.
Dragon scales have interesting properties at the best of times, but the scales of Syntillus were unique. Sit them in the rain and wait a pace, and the scales would erode into flakes of gold. More than enough to keep a family through dire times. Enough to pay for needs to be met even in the neediest seasons.
Understandably, the realms below the flights of Syntillus were prosperous. Also understandably, there's always some who don't understand leaving well enough alone.
The great hero Melany Pergesce heard of the dragon that made gold fall from the sky and immediately thought of how much good could be done if the gold from Syntillus could be easily and reliably gathered. And of course distributed to those in need.
She wasn't the first to have this idea. Sadly, she may not yet be last.
She went directly to the source, braving the climb up to Syntillus' mountain lair. Navigating the labyrinthine tunnels to the gemstone hoard, that was also scattered through with the decaying scales of the Dragon themself.
Melany did her best to ignore the Dragon's treasure. Her fingers itched to pluck some of those loose scales from the Dragon's hide. She could do much more than murder, if she played things right.
She barely breathed in for a courtly introduction before a sapphire eye the size of a horse drew up with the rest of Syntillus' gilded head to glare at her.
"There's one every millennium," sighed the Dragon. "You have come to negotiate for my loose scales. For the good of the people who need them. According to you."
"Uh. Yes. It would be much easier for both of us," she began.
"You and your associates will devise mechanisms to scratch my scales from me, and ease my comforts," said Syntillus. "People will take them away and forge them into coins and call forth a great era of prosperity for the good of all."
"Uh. Yes?" said Melany.
"It never works like that. The lords putting finance into the mechanisms will want what they believe to be their fair share. The people running them will want to be paid. The people hauling them away will want to be paid. Though your intentions be good... the people who need it will not benefit."
"But times have changed," argued Melany.
"You'll do things differently. Gathered together people who want to do the same good you wish to perform. People willing to do it for love," said Syntillus. "They still need to eat. They still need to feed their families and repair their houses and pay for the things that need to be done because they are busy seeing to my scales instead of doing other work." The massive eye blinked. "I am not being selfish, little hero. I am being practical. Those who need will be willing to go out and gather what they can. Those who do not need will find other ways of getting gold."
A head the size of a small house retreated, and a gigantic claw held a gemstone towards Melany's hands. "Take this, and do what good you can with it. Learn how those who do not need will find ways to steal from those who do."
[Photo by Peter Olexa on Unsplash]
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