'No, no, no!' squeaked Wonse, clutching his head. 'I didn't mean that! Believe me! This way is better, that's all! Better and safer!'
None can defeat me!
'This is certainly the case…'
None can control me!
Wonse flung up his finger-spread hands in a conciliatory fashion. 'Of course, of course,' he said. 'But there are ways and ways, you know. Ways and ways. All the roaring and flaming, you see, you don't need it . . .'
Foolish ape! How else can I make them do my bidding ?
Wonse put his hands behind his back.
'They'll do it of their own free will,' he said. 'And in time, they'll come to believe it was their own idea. It'll be a tradition. Take it from me. We humans are adaptable creatures.'
The dragon gave him a long, blank stare.
'In fact,' said Wonse, trying to keep the trembling out of his voice, 'before too long, if someone comes along and tells them that a dragon king is a bad idea, they'll kill him themselves.'
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