In this narrated excerpt from Chapter 9 of How to Train Your Dragon, Hiccup and his loyal friend Fishlegs stumble upon an unusually tiny dragon hidden in a basket. The passage blends humor with the series’ recurring theme of destiny, as Hiccup wrestles with the idea that even a minuscule dragon could signal his future as a hero. Fishlegs alternates between skeptical practicality and supportive encouragement, reminding Hiccup of his lineage and the expectations placed on him as the chief’s son. The dialogue is peppered with playful wordplay (e.g., “common or garden” dragon) and self‑deprecating jokes about the dragon’s size compared to the typical hunting dragons. Despite the comedic tone, the scene foreshadows Hiccup’s eventual transformation from an insecure youth into the legendary Dragon Rider, while also hinting at the social dynamics with other Vikings like Snotlout. The narrative concludes with Hiccup and Fishlegs heading back to the village, aware that the tiny dragon may both aid and embarrass Hiccup on his path to heroism.
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And now, here he was, a Viking warrior with a dragon. So on the whole, he was feeling quite pleased with himself. Things were looking up. You know, Hiccup, said Fishlegs a little later, as the wooden fortifications of the village appeared on the horizon, that sounds like fate. You sensing the dragon was there like that? This could be a meant to be. You could have some sort of wonder dragon in there, something that makes the monstrous nightmare look like a flying frog. You could have some sort of wonder dragon in there, something that makes the monstrous nightmare look like a flying frog. You are the son and heir of the chief Stoic after all, and it's about time fate came in with a sign about your destiny. The boy stopped, puffing with exertion. Oh, I'm sure it's just a common or garden that wandered away from the rest, said Hiccup, trying to sound careless but unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. He could have something marvellous in there! Maybe Old Wrinkly was right. Old Wrinkly was Hiccup's grandfather on his mother's side. He had taken up soothsaying in his old age, and he kept on telling Hiccup how he had looked into the future and that Hiccup was destined for great things. The Amazing Dragon could be the beginning of his transformation from Ordinary old Hiccup, who wasn't particularly good at anything, into Hero of the Future. Hiccup took the basket off his back and paused before opening it. It's very still, isn't it? said Fishlegs suddenly, less certain of the fate theory. I mean, it isn't moving at all in there. Are you sure it's alive? It's just very deeply asleep, said Hiccup. It was stone cold when I picked it up. Suddenly, he had a strong feeling that the gods were on his side. He knew that his dragon was alive. With trembling fingers, Hiccup unlatched With trembling fingers, Hiccup undid the latch, took off the lid of the basket, and peered in. Fishlegs joined him. There, curled up fast asleep in the bottom of the basket, in a tangled dragon knot, lay perhaps The most common, or garden common, or garden dragon Hiccup had ever seen. Absolutely the only extraordinary thing about the dragon was how extraordinarily small it was. In this, it was truly extraordinary. Most dragons that the Vikings used for hunting purposes were about the size of a Labrador dog. The adolescent dragons the boys were collecting weren't quite that big, but they were nearly full-grown. This dragon was more comparable to a West Highland Terrier. Hiccup couldn't think how he had overlooked this when he picked the dragon up He supposed miserably that it was rather a pressured moment, that what with 3,000 dragons trying to kill him at a time, and the dragon in the deep sleep coma do tend to weigh more than when they're waking up. Well, said Hiccup at last, that's a sign, if you like. You reach for a deadly natter And what do you get? A basic brown. I grab a dagger in the dark and what do I get? A common or garden. The thing is, the gods are telling us we're common or garden folk. Fishlegs, you and I, we're not meant to be heroes. It doesn't matter about me, said Fishlegs. But you are meant to be the hero! Remember, son of the chief and all that? And you will be one! I know you will! Fishlegs put the basket back on Hiccup's back, and they trudged towards the village gates together. At least, I sincerely hope you will. I don't want to be following Snotlout into battle. You've got more ideas about military tactics in your little finger than Snotlout has in his whole fat head! While that may have been true, not only was Hiccup not about to be the future star of the dragon training, but with this particular dragon, it was even going to be difficult for him to take his familiar place. Fading into the background. It was so small it was going to make him look ridiculous. It was so small that Snotlout was going to have some very unpleasant things to say about it.
