then princess mary ann spoke up royally, and said, "don't be silly, because it's only in fairy stories and histories of england and things like that, that people are unkind and want to hurt each other. in rotundia everyone is kind, and no one has anything to be afraid of, unless they're naughty; and then we know it's for our own good. let's all go and see the dragon. we might take him some acid drops." so they went. and all the titled children took it in turns to feed the dragon with acid drops, and he seemed pleased and flattered, and wagged as much of his purple tail as he could get at conveniently; for it was a very, very long tail indeed. but when it came to the princess's turn to give an acid drop to the dragon, he smiled a very wide smile, and wagged his tail to the very last long inch of it, as much as to say, "oh, you nice, kind, pretty little princess." but deep down in his wicked purple heart he was saying, "oh, you nice, fat, pretty little princess, i should like to eat you instead of these silly acid drops." but of course nobody heard him except the princess's uncle, and he was a magician, and accustomed to listening at doors. it was part of his trade.