The Dragon Slayer

Long ago, in a distant land, there lived a king. The king ruled his kingdom with a fair and just hand, and life was good. However, after a period of stability throughout the region, an unsettling presence sought to disrupt the peace.

Enter the dragon... this was no friendly, PBS Kids Dragon Tales type of dragon, but a man eating, fire breathing dragon. After laying in slumber for many years, the beast was awakened, and seeking to devour all in its way.

Luckily, the noble king mounted his trusty steed, and rode out to confront the great winged creature. What happened next is the stuff legends are made of.

The king blindly rushed into battle, fearing not the threat of disembowelment. The beast was caught off guard, but quickly recovered, and drove the king back with a hideous screech and puff of flame. The king withdrew momentarily to formulate a better strategy (as opposed to bum rushing). After surveying the surrounding terrain, and weighing all the options, the king only had one strategy... to simply outlast the beast. If he could survive the dragon's initial attack, there was a chance that he could wear out the beast, swoop in, and pacify the giant.

A fierce battle ensued, but the king proved impervious to the tactics of the dragon. After fighting for many days, the beast finally retreated to it's cave to sleep once more.

The moral of the story: Persistence is key. When you think you are almost beaten, surely you're that much closer to victory.