How to be a Pirate's Dragon (Hiccup) by Cressida Cowell Page A
Authors: Cressida Cowell
Tags: General, Humorous stories, Historical, Juvenile Nonfiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, YA), Fantasy & magical realism (Children's, Children's Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Medieval, Animals, Dragons, Mythical, Treasure Troves, Pirates, Vikings
Ads: Link
dragon.]
"Please don't let it be Snotlout, PLEASE don't let it be Snotlout, please, please, PLEASE don't let it be Snotlout...."
113
11. THE TREASURE OF GRIMBEARD THE GHASTLY
Of course it was Snotlout who had found the treasure.
There he stood, chest stuck out, nostrils flaring, a big fat smile on his smug face. Fireworm, his dragon, had blown up to nearly twice her size with pride.
He was surrounded by a crowd of Vikings, who were giving him the Hooligan Hoorah: "SNOT-LOUT SNOT-LOUT SNOT-LOUT, UGH UGH UGH."
Snotlout grinned even more widely when he saw Hiccup trudging up, trying to look inconspicuous (difficult when you are attended by a friend carrying a gigantic limpet).
"Look what I've found, Hiccup," drawled Snotlout.
Snotlout had found a large wooden chest, very battered and scuffed and thoroughly gnawed by Skullions. It had the words " PROPERTY OF GRIMBEARD THE GHASTLY DO NOT OPEN" written on it in large golden letters.
Hiccup sighed. No chance of it NOT being the treasure, then.
114
"Righto then," said Stoick, rubbing his hands together in a businesslike fashion. "Let's open it."
Hiccup forgot about shutting up and keeping a low profile.
"Father," he whispered urgently, "we can't open it here. Look, it says 'DO NOT OPEN' on the front. Remember what happened last time?"
"NONSENSE," bellowed Stoick, who had never been more disappointed by his son. Why hadn't HE found the treasure? WHAT was his odd-looking friend doing carrying that ridiculously large shell?
Now Baggybum was going to start suggesting that Snotlout was the rightful Heir to the Tribe, and then Stoick would have to shut him up by fighting him, and it was all Hiccup's fault.
"Of course we open it NOW. What's the point of looking for treasure if you can't open the box when you find it?"
"Please," pleaded Hiccup, "you don't think a cunning old pirate like Grimbeard the Ghastly is going to leave a box lying around without there being some sort of trick to it? It'll be BOOBY-TRAPPED. Look what happened when Alvin opened the coffin in the first place -- it chopped off his hand -- and then
115
when we opened it later everybody nearly died of fright...."
Stoick finally lost his temper with his son.
"WHO is in charge here, anyway?" he roared. "I am the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, not you, you small boy."
Hiccup flinched.
"Those were coincidences, not BOOBY TRAPS.
[Image: A man and a dragon.]
116
And I am not going to lug a great heavy box like this one all the way home only to find it's full of stones."
Stoick's eyes were already bright with a strange greedy light that Hiccup had never seen before.
"Good point, Chief," said Gobber the Belch. "May I?" Gobber swung his axe way over his head and brought it down on the chains wrapped around the box, snapping them in two.
"Snotlout should open it, as HE found it," said Baggybum the Beerbelly.
Stoick sighed. "Okay then," he said.
Snotlout proudly stepped forward. This was his big moment.
He shot a nasty look at Hiccup.
"Not a good idea, NOT a good idea, NOT A GOOD IDEA," said Hiccup and Fishlegs to themselves as Snotlout reached out tattooed muscly arms towards the box....
HOT A G-G-GOOD IDEA," said Toothless, closing his eyes as Snotlout slowly lifted up the lid....
c r-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-a-k....
117
[Image: The door.]
118
12. ESCAPE FROM THE ISLE OF THE SKULLIONS
The chest was not full of stones.
It was full to the brim with a gorgeous treasure. Strings of jewels, golden cups, objects more dazzlingly bright than anything the Hooligans had ever seen before.
"Is it s-s-s-safe to look, n-n-n-ow?" asked Toothless, still with his eyes shut.
Hiccup opened his eyes. "I think so," he said uncertainly.
He had drawn his sword as Snotlout opened the chest, and now he peered in.
"It seems," he said suspiciously, "it seems to be just a box full of treasure."
"OF COURSE it is," said Stoick. "What did I tell you? No BOOBY TRAPS. You have too much imagination, my boy. Sometimes you
"Please don't let it be Snotlout, PLEASE don't let it be Snotlout, please, please, PLEASE don't let it be Snotlout...."
113
11. THE TREASURE OF GRIMBEARD THE GHASTLY
Of course it was Snotlout who had found the treasure.
There he stood, chest stuck out, nostrils flaring, a big fat smile on his smug face. Fireworm, his dragon, had blown up to nearly twice her size with pride.
He was surrounded by a crowd of Vikings, who were giving him the Hooligan Hoorah: "SNOT-LOUT SNOT-LOUT SNOT-LOUT, UGH UGH UGH."
Snotlout grinned even more widely when he saw Hiccup trudging up, trying to look inconspicuous (difficult when you are attended by a friend carrying a gigantic limpet).
"Look what I've found, Hiccup," drawled Snotlout.
Snotlout had found a large wooden chest, very battered and scuffed and thoroughly gnawed by Skullions. It had the words " PROPERTY OF GRIMBEARD THE GHASTLY DO NOT OPEN" written on it in large golden letters.
Hiccup sighed. No chance of it NOT being the treasure, then.
114
"Righto then," said Stoick, rubbing his hands together in a businesslike fashion. "Let's open it."
Hiccup forgot about shutting up and keeping a low profile.
"Father," he whispered urgently, "we can't open it here. Look, it says 'DO NOT OPEN' on the front. Remember what happened last time?"
"NONSENSE," bellowed Stoick, who had never been more disappointed by his son. Why hadn't HE found the treasure? WHAT was his odd-looking friend doing carrying that ridiculously large shell?
Now Baggybum was going to start suggesting that Snotlout was the rightful Heir to the Tribe, and then Stoick would have to shut him up by fighting him, and it was all Hiccup's fault.
"Of course we open it NOW. What's the point of looking for treasure if you can't open the box when you find it?"
"Please," pleaded Hiccup, "you don't think a cunning old pirate like Grimbeard the Ghastly is going to leave a box lying around without there being some sort of trick to it? It'll be BOOBY-TRAPPED. Look what happened when Alvin opened the coffin in the first place -- it chopped off his hand -- and then
115
when we opened it later everybody nearly died of fright...."
Stoick finally lost his temper with his son.
"WHO is in charge here, anyway?" he roared. "I am the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, not you, you small boy."
Hiccup flinched.
"Those were coincidences, not BOOBY TRAPS.
[Image: A man and a dragon.]
116
And I am not going to lug a great heavy box like this one all the way home only to find it's full of stones."
Stoick's eyes were already bright with a strange greedy light that Hiccup had never seen before.
"Good point, Chief," said Gobber the Belch. "May I?" Gobber swung his axe way over his head and brought it down on the chains wrapped around the box, snapping them in two.
"Snotlout should open it, as HE found it," said Baggybum the Beerbelly.
Stoick sighed. "Okay then," he said.
Snotlout proudly stepped forward. This was his big moment.
He shot a nasty look at Hiccup.
"Not a good idea, NOT a good idea, NOT A GOOD IDEA," said Hiccup and Fishlegs to themselves as Snotlout reached out tattooed muscly arms towards the box....
HOT A G-G-GOOD IDEA," said Toothless, closing his eyes as Snotlout slowly lifted up the lid....
c r-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-a-k....
117
[Image: The door.]
118
12. ESCAPE FROM THE ISLE OF THE SKULLIONS
The chest was not full of stones.
It was full to the brim with a gorgeous treasure. Strings of jewels, golden cups, objects more dazzlingly bright than anything the Hooligans had ever seen before.
"Is it s-s-s-safe to look, n-n-n-ow?" asked Toothless, still with his eyes shut.
Hiccup opened his eyes. "I think so," he said uncertainly.
He had drawn his sword as Snotlout opened the chest, and now he peered in.
"It seems," he said suspiciously, "it seems to be just a box full of treasure."
"OF COURSE it is," said Stoick. "What did I tell you? No BOOBY TRAPS. You have too much imagination, my boy. Sometimes you
Similar Books
