El dragón

A kindhearted dragon lived with fish near the ocean. They played all day along and dreamed of playing at night while they slept. One day, a young boy came to the beach and asked to join them. The dragon opened his mouth and out poured flowers instead of flames. The dragon, the fish, and the boy became good friends but as the child grew older, he visited the beach less and less, eventually never to return. Much later on, the dragon spotted the boy down on the beach, fishing. The boy simply said that fish tasted good. Shocked and betrayed by such cruelty, the dragon left the beach to go to a place where children never grow up.

Farideh Khalatbaree is an esteemed Iranian author and editor of books for both adults and children, including Tú no me asustas. Ali Namvar is the illustrator of many children's books, including the prize-winning work The Angel and the Moon.