The Sword of Darrow by Hal Malchow

could not hear, the boy froze. He looked down at the coins, as if they were a terrible curse. Then, with a grim expression, he stuffed them into his pocket and galloped back down the path.

    Thor could not bear to tell Babette that she would have to leave. And he could not bring himself to stop her trips with Moakie. Every afternoon, after work, Babette would climb on Moakie’s back for a ride across the mountain trails.
    One afternoon, on one such ride, Babette and Moakie arrived at an open meadow. There, Babette and Moakie launched into a game of hide-and-seek.
    Moakie, of course, had no talent for hiding. There was simply too much dragon to conceal. To help Moakie, Babette always counted slowly, loudly, and to at least twenty-five. But this time, when she reached the final number and opened her eyes, instead of Moakie’s bulk, she saw something much, much more terrifying.
    There, before her, stood two goblin soldiers on horseback.
    “What do you think?” asked the younger goblin with a smile.
    “Probably not,” answered the other. “But you never know.”
    Babette, eyes wide, began slowly stepping backwards toward the trees at the edge of the meadow. As she did, the two riders dismounted and moved carefully toward her.
    “Don’t be afraid, little girl. Just a quick trip to town and you’ll be back in no time,” said the older goblin, reaching out his hand to Babette. Babette kept moving, closer and closer to the trees.
    “Easy, girl. No one wants to hurt you.” The goblins stepped faster. Babette kept pace, peering over her shoulder, eyeing her escape.
    Babette was at the edge of the meadow, ready to run, but as she turned, her foot caught a root. She fell backwards into the brush.
    The goblins leaped forward. But before they reached the princess, they met a surprise. Moakie’s large green head appeared from behind the bushes. A great ball of fire exploded from her mouth. Seconds later, all that remained of the goblins were two piles of ashes on the burning grass.
    Babette staggered to her feet and for a few seconds only blinked at the spot where the goblins had stood. Then she turned and gave Moakie a great hug around the neck. “Moakie, you are my true savior! I was dead for sure,” cried Babette. Then she quickly mounted the dragon, and Moakie galloped down the trail to the blacksmith’s cabin.
    In the cabin, Babette explained what had happened and Thor shook his head in dismay.
    “We’ll need to find you a new home,” he told her in a low voice.
    Babette wanted none of this news. She loved her life in the mountains far from the cold palace walls. She pleaded with Thor to let her stay.
    “I will never leave the cabin,” she promised.
    “I will wear disguises.”
    “I will clean Moakie’s teeth every day!”
    Thor just shook his head sadly and continued with his work.

    A week later, Babette sat with Thor, sharing breakfast in his cabin. No more goblins had appeared. Thor’s words about leaving were almost forgotten.
    She looked up at the old dwarf.
    “Were you ever married?” Babette asked.
    Thor looked away and did not answer.
    “What happened to her?” she asked.
    “That’s a long story, child. Now, off to work for both of us.”
    “Please tell me.”
    Again, Thor was silent, but he could not refuse the little girl. He started slowly.
    “We lived in a village down the mountain, and in those days, I made swords. One day, I returned from the market with a lot of money. A robber followed me home. When I left to get firewood, he entered the house.”
    “And what happened?”
    “He robbed me. When my wife tried to resist him, he killed her with a sword made by my very own hands.
    “That’s when I moved here to the mountains. I swore that I would never make a weapon again.”
    Babette gave Thor a long hug.
    “You are right,” she said. “There is nothing good that can come from a sword.”

    That afternoon, Babette returned to the cabin. Thor was polishing a new pot. Babette hopped up