Dealing with Dragons

Dealing with Dragons
Cover of first edition
Author(s)	Patricia C. Wrede
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Fantasy novel
Publisher	Harcourt Brace / Jane Yolen Books
Publication date	1990
Media type	Print
ISBN	0-15-222900-0
OCLC Number	20492360
Followed by	Searching for Dragons

Dealing with Dragons is a young adult fantasy novel written by Patricia C. Wrede, in which the princess Cimorene escapes her tediously ordinary family to be a dragon's princess. It is the first book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles series.

Plot summary

Cimorene, the youngest princess of the Kingdom of Linderwall, is frustrated by her cloistered, sheltered life. Unlike her petite, blonde, blue-eyed sisters, who can "gaze up through their long eyelashes" at their various suitors, Cimorene, tall, dark-haired and intelligent, is not satisfied with the stifling and close-minded interests of her parents and their kingdom. She is bored with her "proper" lessons in etiquette, embroidery, dancing, and how loudly to scream when being carried off by a giant. Cimorene persuades the castle staff to teach her fencing, magic, cooking, Latin, and other interesting subjects that are considered "improper" for princesses to learn. When Cimorene reaches the age of 16, her fairy godmother and parents decide that something needs to be done about her.

The King and Queen take Cimorene on a state visit to Sathem-By-The-Mountains, a neighboring kingdom. Cimorene learns that they plan to arrange her marriage to Therandil, the handsome but slow-witted prince of the realm. Faced with the prospect of marriage to a man she dislikes and has nothing in common with, Cimorene decides to run away. Acting on the advice of a talking frog, she travels to the Mountains of Morning. There she meets a group of dragons, and volunteers to become the "captive" princess of the dragon Kazul. Kazul assigns Cimorene to cook for her and organize her library and treasure hoard.

Unlike most princesses, Cimorene likes her position and becomes good friends with Kazul. Unfortunately, Cimorene finds she must constantly deal with all the well-meaning knights and princes (including Therandil) who want to rescue her. On the advice of Kazul's friend, the witch Morwen, Cimorene decides to put a warning on the path to Kazul's cave. She hopes that a sign saying "Road washed out" will keep would-be heroes away.

While posting the sign, Cimorene encounters the wizard Zemenar. Cimorene tells Kazul about her meeting with this suspicious character, and Kazul explains that the dragons and the wizards disagree about the wizards' access to the Caves of Fire and Night. These caves are controlled by the dragons. They hold many magical secrets, and the wizards are always hoping to explore more than what the dragons will permit.

The wizards do not possess their own magic naturally, like the dragons. Instead they have staffs that absorb magic from any magical objects nearby - including dragons. Dragons react badly to having their magic absorbed. They suffer violent allergy attacks which often involve sneezing balls of fire when they come in close contact with wizard's staffs.

One day Cimorene and her friend Alianora, princess to the less kindly dragon Woraug, find Antorell, the son of Zemenar, gathering herbs near the dragon caves. Cimorene brings a sample of the herb back to Kazul. The dragon is shocked when she sees what Cimorene has, and burns it up immediately. Yet even this brief exposure to the herb causes Kazul to fall ill for several days. The plant is dragonsbane, and it is poisonous to dragons. Kazul sends Cimorene to tell another dragon that the wizards are gathering dragonsbane. This news comes too late, as Tokoz, the King of the Dragons has already been fatally poisoned with dragonsbane.

Although Kazul is still ill, she must leave immediately to compete in the trials with Colin's Stone, a rock that magically chooses the next King of the Dragons. Cimorene hurries through the dragon caves on various important errands for Kazul. In the caves, Cimorene meets the Stone Prince. He is a would-be hero who was turned into a living statue during a failed quest.

Based on information from the Stone Prince, a wanderer lost in the Caves of Fire and Night, and Alianora, Cimorene realizes that the wizards poisoned King Tokoz with the help of the dragon Woraug. The wizards plan to interfere with the magic of Colin's Stone to allow Woraug to win the title of King. In exchange, Woraug will give them access to the Caves and magical items held by the dragons.

Alianora also accidentally discovers a way to melt wizards (similar to the witch-melting process in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz): Soapy water mixed with lemon juice. With the help of Morwen, the Stone Prince, and Alianora, Cimorene foils the wizards' plan. Meanwhile, Kazul wins the trials fairly and becomes the King of the Dragons. She ends the dragons' treaty with the wizards and promotes Cimorene to the position of King's Cook and Librarian. Woraug turns into a frog, much to Cimorene's shock. Kazul tells her that's what happens when dragons don't act like a dragon any more.

Followed by

• Searching for Dragons

Citation

• Wrede, Patricia C. Dealing with Dragons, Jane Yolen Books, 1990, OCLC 20492360 (1st edition). Published in the UK as Dragonsbane.