Chapter 1
“ Z ounds!” exclaimed Wiglaf as he ran out of the Dragon Slayers’ Academy castle. “We’re going to have a school picnic!”
In the yard, blue-and-white DSA flags flapped in the morning breeze. Brightly colored picnic cloths dotted the grass. A long banner stretched across the yard saying:
WELCOME TO DSA, LASSES!
“This is so cool!” exclaimed Janice. “At Dragon Whackers, we never had a school picnic.” She blew a big green bubble of Smilin’ Hal’s Tree Sap Gum.
Janice Smotherbottom was DSA’s newest student. After she came, Mordred decided to open DSA’s doors to all lasses.
“I cannot wait until the new lasses get here!” Erica said.
Erica had gone to DSA for some time. But until recently, she pretended to be a lad. Mordred never guessed that “Eric” was a lass— and a princess.
“The new lasses shall need a good example,” Erica went on. “Someone to show them what to do.” She patted the Future Dragon Slayer of the Month Medal hanging from a chain around her neck. “And I am the perfect one to show them how to do everything !”
“Look over there!” said Angus, who was plump and fond of food. He pointed to a long table heaped with meat pies, breads, cheeses, and bowls of apples.
Wiglaf’s stomach growled softly at the sight of so much good food. Breakfast that morning had been leftover eel. He had not been able to choke down much of it.
“It’s a feast!” Angus exclaimed.
“Indeed it is,” said Mordred’s sister Lady Lobelia as she stepped out of the castle. She wore a blue gown with a spray of yellow feathers at the throat. “Mordie spent a pretty penny on it, too. Yet he is sure to get his gold back ten times over when all the new lasses pay their tuition.”
Lobelia cupped her hands to her mouth. “Class I!” she called. “Come! Quickly!”
Class I gathered by Lady Lobelia. Wiglaf and his friends joined them.
“The Class II and III lads are still off in the Dark Forest collecting stones for building the new dorm,” Lobelia said.
“A dorm for us lasses!” exclaimed Janice.
Lobelia smiled. “So it is up to you, Class I, to show the new lasses the true DSA spirit!”
Erica raised her hand. “May we welcome them with the DSA cheer?”
“Oh, yes! Do!” exclaimed Lady Lobelia. “You shall each get—” She stopped. “Janice, are you chewing gum?”
Janice stopped chewing and swallowed. “Not anymore.”
Lobelia rolled her eyes. “You shall each pick a lass to be your buddy,” she went on. “First take your buddy to meet her teachers. Then take her over to Frypot’s feast table and help her fill her plate. Then sit with her at the picnic.”
“Oh, yummy!” cried Angus.
“The feast is for the new lasses, Angus,” warned Lobelia.
“No!” cried Angus. “You can’t mean—”
“I do,” said Lobelia. “Frypot will give each of you old students a delicious box lunch of chopped eel on a toasted loaf.”
A chorus of groans sounded.
“I don’t mind!” called Janice. “I’m growing to like eel!”
“Now I have a surprise!” said Lobelia brightly. “Erica and Janice? Come into the castle with me. We’ll be right back, lads!”
Erica and Janice followed Lobelia eagerly up the steps and into the castle.
“I shall pick a tiny lass for my buddy,” Angus said after they left. “One who does not eat much. One who likes to share her food.”
In a short time, Lady Lobelia was back.
“Preeeeee-senting!” she cried. “DSA’s new Lobelia Original lasses’ uniform!” She turned toward the castle. “Models! Appear!”
Erica and Janice stepped out of the castle.
Wiglaf gasped. “Oh, poor Erica!” he said to Angus. “Poor Janice!”
Erica and Janice stood before Class I wearing plum-colored tops that laced up the front and tied under the chin with a floppy bow. Their hands stuck out from huge, puffy plum sleeves. The matching plum skirts were fringed at the hem with tiny silver bells. Their helmets bulged out at the
“ Z ounds!” exclaimed Wiglaf as he ran out of the Dragon Slayers’ Academy castle. “We’re going to have a school picnic!”
In the yard, blue-and-white DSA flags flapped in the morning breeze. Brightly colored picnic cloths dotted the grass. A long banner stretched across the yard saying:
WELCOME TO DSA, LASSES!
“This is so cool!” exclaimed Janice. “At Dragon Whackers, we never had a school picnic.” She blew a big green bubble of Smilin’ Hal’s Tree Sap Gum.
Janice Smotherbottom was DSA’s newest student. After she came, Mordred decided to open DSA’s doors to all lasses.
“I cannot wait until the new lasses get here!” Erica said.
Erica had gone to DSA for some time. But until recently, she pretended to be a lad. Mordred never guessed that “Eric” was a lass— and a princess.
“The new lasses shall need a good example,” Erica went on. “Someone to show them what to do.” She patted the Future Dragon Slayer of the Month Medal hanging from a chain around her neck. “And I am the perfect one to show them how to do everything !”
“Look over there!” said Angus, who was plump and fond of food. He pointed to a long table heaped with meat pies, breads, cheeses, and bowls of apples.
Wiglaf’s stomach growled softly at the sight of so much good food. Breakfast that morning had been leftover eel. He had not been able to choke down much of it.
“It’s a feast!” Angus exclaimed.
“Indeed it is,” said Mordred’s sister Lady Lobelia as she stepped out of the castle. She wore a blue gown with a spray of yellow feathers at the throat. “Mordie spent a pretty penny on it, too. Yet he is sure to get his gold back ten times over when all the new lasses pay their tuition.”
Lobelia cupped her hands to her mouth. “Class I!” she called. “Come! Quickly!”
Class I gathered by Lady Lobelia. Wiglaf and his friends joined them.
“The Class II and III lads are still off in the Dark Forest collecting stones for building the new dorm,” Lobelia said.
“A dorm for us lasses!” exclaimed Janice.
Lobelia smiled. “So it is up to you, Class I, to show the new lasses the true DSA spirit!”
Erica raised her hand. “May we welcome them with the DSA cheer?”
“Oh, yes! Do!” exclaimed Lady Lobelia. “You shall each get—” She stopped. “Janice, are you chewing gum?”
Janice stopped chewing and swallowed. “Not anymore.”
Lobelia rolled her eyes. “You shall each pick a lass to be your buddy,” she went on. “First take your buddy to meet her teachers. Then take her over to Frypot’s feast table and help her fill her plate. Then sit with her at the picnic.”
“Oh, yummy!” cried Angus.
“The feast is for the new lasses, Angus,” warned Lobelia.
“No!” cried Angus. “You can’t mean—”
“I do,” said Lobelia. “Frypot will give each of you old students a delicious box lunch of chopped eel on a toasted loaf.”
A chorus of groans sounded.
“I don’t mind!” called Janice. “I’m growing to like eel!”
“Now I have a surprise!” said Lobelia brightly. “Erica and Janice? Come into the castle with me. We’ll be right back, lads!”
Erica and Janice followed Lobelia eagerly up the steps and into the castle.
“I shall pick a tiny lass for my buddy,” Angus said after they left. “One who does not eat much. One who likes to share her food.”
In a short time, Lady Lobelia was back.
“Preeeeee-senting!” she cried. “DSA’s new Lobelia Original lasses’ uniform!” She turned toward the castle. “Models! Appear!”
Erica and Janice stepped out of the castle.
Wiglaf gasped. “Oh, poor Erica!” he said to Angus. “Poor Janice!”
Erica and Janice stood before Class I wearing plum-colored tops that laced up the front and tied under the chin with a floppy bow. Their hands stuck out from huge, puffy plum sleeves. The matching plum skirts were fringed at the hem with tiny silver bells. Their helmets bulged out at the
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