How to Write Dragonese
Cressida Cowell's legacy is assured.
The author of "How to Train Your Dragon" series turns 49 on April 15. Luck isn't the reason why she found literary fame at a young age. Cowell, who attended Keble College, Oxford, would credit her family's summer holiday in Scotland.
The native of London couldn't forget her trip to Inner Hebrides, an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. The uninhabited isles hardly changed after a millennia, which made her recalled the dragon. She wanted to ride on one, and she didn't outgrow it. "How to Train Your Dragon" series was the outcome, which made her a household name in Children's literature.
The series revolved around Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, a Viking hero. But he wasn't the burly lad with hair all over his body. When the youngsters reached their thirteenth year, they would go through a rite of passage. They journey to Dragon Cliff, find the tunnel that leads to the Dragon Nursery, and pick one small dragon. But they must do it quickly. And choose the right animal. Either they get burned or torn into pieces. How would a skinny lad do it?
Notes from the hero
"It is important to get one the correct size. This will be the dragon that hunts fish for you, and pulls down deer for you. You will catch the dragon that will carry you into battle later on, when you are much older and a Warrior of the Tribe."
Many readers will recall the Inheritance Cycle, about Dragon Riders sworn to protect Alagaësia. Christopher Paolini was barely into his teenage years when he started writing "Eragon", the first in the cycle. The critics's reaction to the epic tale was lukewarm, as it reminded them of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea. But the cycle was a commercial success. Paolini lived out his fantasy - and he wasn't the only one. (How we wished the enchanted continent was real.) The young author could be forgiven for the melodrama, even the feudal backdrop that reminded them of Beowulf. (The Old English epic poem was one of Paolini's inspirations.) Cowell thought of something else.
Dragons were fearsome creatures, and so were the Vikings. These seafaring people ruled most of Northern Europe and North America during the Middle Age. Maybe Cowell find a connection. Perhaps she wouldn't be convincing if she told Hiccup's tale in a serious tone. If the name was good enough to make readers snicker, then what more if it was the entire series. It would give kids something to think of.
"How to Train Your Dragon" can empower children. In Hiccup's case, never judge a book by its cover. Some would be reminded of the (fairy) tale of the ugly duckling, who turned into a beautiful swan. Hiccup would learn that anything is possible if he's brave enough to look ahead.
