Laylay to the Rescue was a little girl with bright yellow boots. She lived near the Iron Fortress. The fortress was very big. It had silver walls, round towers, and a red door that went CLANG! when it closed.
Laylay was small, but she was brave. She carried a tiny blue bag. Inside were a snack, a soft scarf, and a shiny bell.
One morning, Laylay heard a sad sound.
“Boo-hoo. Boo-hoo.”
It came from the Iron Fortress.
Laylay tapped on the red door. Tap, tap, tap.
The door opened a little. There stood the Illusionist. He wore a purple hat with stars. He could make funny things appear. A carrot could become a trumpet. A sock could become a dancing fish.
But today, his hat was droopy.
“Hello, Laylay,” said the Illusionist. “My little light friends are gone.”
“Light friends?” asked Laylay.
“Yes. Tiny golden sparkles. They help my magic make happy pictures. Without them, I only make sneezing clouds.”
The Illusionist lifted one hand. Poof!
A gray cloud appeared.
“Achoo!” said the cloud.
Laylay giggled. Then she saw the Illusionist’s sad face.
“Do not worry,” she said. “Laylay to the Rescue!”
They walked into the fortress. Clink, clink went Laylay’s boots. The hall was dark. On the floor were little golden dots.
“Look!” said Laylay. “Sparkle footprints.”
They followed the dots past a room of old shields. They followed them past a room of round drums. Boom, boom, went the drums when the wind blew.
At the end was a small iron gate.
Behind it sat a Dragon.
The Dragon was huge. He had green scales, sleepy eyes, and a long tail. His tail was wrapped around a pile of golden sparkles.
Laylay held the Illusionist’s hand.
The Dragon gave a tiny roar.
“Rrrr... excuse me,” he said. “I am trying to sleep.”
Laylay looked carefully. The Dragon did not look mean. He looked tired. Very, very tired.
“Dragon,” said Laylay in a soft voice, “those sparkles belong to the Illusionist. He needs them.”
“I know,” said the Dragon. “But my cave is too dark. The sparkles are warm. They make a little night-light.”
The Illusionist nodded. “I did not know you were scared of the dark.”
The Dragon lowered his big head. “I am not scared,” he whispered. “Just a little bit scared.”
Laylay understood. Sometimes she did not like dark rooms either.
She opened her tiny blue bag. First, she took out her snack.
“Would you like half my apple?” she asked.
The Dragon blinked.
“For me?”
“For you,” said Laylay.
Crunch! The Dragon ate the apple half. He smiled a little.
Then Laylay took out her soft scarf. “This can be your sleepy blanket.”
The scarf was small for a Dragon. Very small. It covered only the tip of his nose.
The Dragon laughed. “It is a nose blanket!”
The Illusionist laughed too. “I have an idea!”
He waved his purple hat. “Twinkle, twinkle, gentle glow! Make a lamp for Dragon’s toe!”
Poof!
A little moon lamp appeared beside the Dragon’s toe. It glowed soft blue. It did not sneeze at all.
The Dragon looked at the lamp. “Oh,” he said. “It is nice. It is not too bright.”
Laylay rang her shiny bell. Ting-ting!
The golden sparkles woke up. They floated into the air. They swirled around the Dragon’s head like tiny fireflies.
“Thank you for keeping us warm,” said the sparkles.
Then they flew back to the Illusionist’s hat.
The purple hat stood tall again. Its stars began to dance.
“Thank you, Laylay,” said the Illusionist. “You were brave and kind.”
“And thank you,” said the Dragon. “You gave me an apple and a nose blanket.”
The Dragon pushed a loose stone in the wall. Click!
A secret little box opened.
Inside was a treasure: a golden badge shaped like a boot. It had a tiny blue jewel in the middle.
“For Laylay,” said the Dragon. “The Rescue Boot Badge.”
Laylay put it on her coat. It shone, shine, shine.
The Illusionist made one more spell. Poof!
A rainbow picture appeared on the fortress wall. In the picture were Laylay, the Illusionist, and the Dragon. The Dragon wore the tiny scarf on his nose.
Everyone laughed.
That night, the Iron Fortress was warm and bright. The Dragon slept by his moon lamp. The Illusionist made soft star pictures. Laylay went home in her yellow boots, with her golden badge shining.
“Goodnight, Dragon,” she called.
“Goodnight, Laylay to the Rescue,” called the Dragon.
And Laylay smiled all the way home.