Once upon a time, there was a small village called Elvira. It was situated in a valley surrounded by high mountains and thick woods. The people lived peaceful lives, helping each other, as if nothing big had ever happened.
In this small village lived a girl named Maleen. Although she was not very old, she had a very special character. Even as she grew up, her heart remained as pure and kind as a child’s. She was the daughter of the town shoemaker and had learned to make shoes from her father since she was young. Every morning, she would get up early to help her father organize the leather, sew the threads, and nail the heels. Her favorite part was watching her father transform ordinary leather into beautiful, sturdy shoes with his skilled hands. She believed that a good pair of shoes could help someone walk farther and bring them joy.
One day, this peaceful life was shattered. A huge dragon appeared over the village, breathing fire and setting houses on fire. It roared and flew everywhere, scaring all the villagers. Everyone panicked and didn’t know what to do.
That’s when Maleen stepped forward. She was young, but she was determined. She decided to protect her home and neighbors. She believed she could do it because she had a brave heart.
However, Maleen knew that she wouldn’t be able to fight the dragon alone. So, she went to an elderly witch in her village for help. The old witch was said to know a lot of magic and to have seen many strange things. The witch told Maleen, “To defeat the dragon, you need three things: a magic arrow, an herb to weaken its power, and a magical jewel.”
Maleen didn’t hesitate and immediately began her adventure.
She went to the forest first. The forest was huge and contained many secrets. After searching under the trees and rummaging through the grass for days, she finally found the herb that could weaken the dragon’s strength. She carefully put it away and moved on.
Next, she came to an ancient cave at the foot of the mountain. Legend had it that the gem was hidden inside. Maleen gathered her courage and walked in. The cave was dark, and strange noises echoed through it, but she didn’t flinch. She groped her way through, overcoming many obstacles, and finally found the sparkling gem.
The last task was the hardest—she needed to find a magic arrow. The arrow was kept by an archer who specialized in magic. He lived in a hut outside the village. Maleen found him and explained her plan. Impressed by her courage, the archer agreed to teach her how to use the bow and arrow.
Maleen studied hard and practiced archery every day. After a few days, she had finally mastered the skill and obtained the magical arrow.
With these three treasures, Maleen returned to the village. She stood in front of the crowd and faced the dragon in the sky. She took a deep breath, picked up her bow and arrow, and aimed at the dragon’s eyes. As she reflected on her journey, she pulled back the bowstring and released the arrow.
In that instant, a miracle happened. The arrow hit its target, and the dragon suddenly lost its strength and fell from the sky. It struggled a few times before finally flying away.
The villagers cheered and gathered around Maleen, thanking her for saving them. From that day on, she became a hero to the whole village. Her name spread throughout the town, and everyone said, “Don’t be fooled by her youth; she is a real warrior.”
Later, Maleen returned to her father’s shoe store and continued helping to make shoes. The difference was that, every time someone mentioned her name, they added, “That’s the girl who defeated the dragon!”
Maleen‘s story teaches us that, no matter our age, if we work hard and have the courage to take on challenges, we can overcome difficulties and achieve admirable things.
