These reflections are inspired by my favourite photo in the archive (so far). Behold:
This photo was taken in 1963 at the Parc de Montsouris in Paris, at the moment when a puppet-dragon was slain by a puppet-warrior in (cognitive leap!) a puppet show. It was obviously an awe-inspiring and emotionally weighty time in these childrens' lives. This is their story.
Part 1: Kid in Beret on Far Left
"No. No, no, no. No, I can't believe it. No, I mean I CAN'T believe it! I can NOT; I reject this information; this is IMPOSSIBLE information. THIS. DID. NOT. JUST. HAPPEN.
Oh, no, no, no, I do not even want to hear anything any more. I REFUSE TO HEAR ANY MORE THINGS! I have a message for all audible things in the world: just try to get through my hands to my ears. You will fail! I HAVE STOPPED HEARING ANY MORE THINGS BECAUSE I HEARD A THING JUST NOW THAT WAS COMPLETELY INCONCEIVABLE!
Listen now. That was a DRAGON. A DRAGON. A giant monster made of scales and wings and teeth and hot, hot, hot fire-breath. WHAT WE CALL A DRAGON. And it created MAYHEM. And CHAOS. And total HAVOC and MANIA. And that was a human. Brave, but human. With SOFT FLESH and BREAKABLE BONES and nothing but a SHARP METAL STICK and a HEAVY METAL SHIELD to protect him from an UNSTOPPABLE FORCE OF EVIL!
Oh my God. THIS! DID! NOT! JUST! HAPPEN!"
Stay tuned for more Reflections on a Dragon Slain: French Child Edition...
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