Once upon a time, in a land far away...



There lived a young lady who greatly desired to learn more about literature. She spent her free time reading and enjoyed talking about books, so she decided to enroll in graduate school to study literature.

She had a wonderful time attending classes, meeting new people, and discussing the finer points of a wide variety of works. She learned about Chaucer and Shakespeare, the difference between modernism and post-modernism, the effects of the Industrial Revolutions on the three volume novel, and the replacements and additions to the canon of learned authors. She decided the she really loved reading, analyzing, and assessing children's literature so she found a professor sympathetic to her cause and they joined forces.

As time passed and the shine began to wear off, this young lady realized that there was something haunting her footsteps. No matter what she did or where she went, she felt a large menacing presence, ready to pounce. She gradually began to lose sleep worrying about the presence, wondering if it would ever show its face.

Then, one late and unseasonably warm November day, the evil shadow finally showed its true face. A horribly large, ugly, and fire breathing dragon was now following her closer than ever. The dragon had red, bleary eyes, pointed books for teeth, and its scales were made of paper covered in writing. The young (formerly carefree) lady knew that her time had come, and that the PAPER DRAGON was there to eat her. She piled mounds of books and papers around her, hoping to slow down or distract the dragon. She drank gallons of caffeine in an attempt to be ever vigilant, and tried to put as much distance between the creature and herself.

It was no use. The dragon knew that the young lady would not be able to run any more and that he would triumph by midnight that night.

To Be Continued...