“Mitchell Jonathan Cartwright!”, Adam Cartwright yelled.
The boy who listened to that name looked up. But he wasn’t the only one. The father of Adam, Ben Cartwright, let his work for what it was for a second.
“What is the matter?”, Ben asked amazed.
“My son is enormously pestering me all the time” , Adam explained.
“How do you mean?”, asked the rancher.
“He asks for attention which I cannot give him now. That’s why he keeps on walking in my way”, answered Adam.
Mitch looked at the ground and knew that he would get punishment. Hoss, the younger brother of Adam, came to stand by them and looked at his nephew.
“Adam, I will go and ride with your son”, Hoss offered.
Adam gesticulated that it was alright by him and continued with his work, Uncle and nephew mounted on and left the yard.
After having rode a while Hoss said, “Mitchy, I must tell you something.”
“What then?”, asked the boy.
“Before you were born here in the area I have fought with a dragon. He was seventeen meters high and spit fire. But I came riding on Chub and he blocked the road. I asked kindly if he wanted to go away but he refused to. So I had to fight him. He hit me hard but I perforated him with my strong fists. This hurt him so much that he started to run and disappeared trackless”, said Hoss.
“That cannot”, said Mitch.
“What cannot?”, his Uncle asked amazed.
“That you have fought with a dragon because they don’t even exist here. Daddy has told me himself”, replied the boy.
Hoss looked at his nephew amazed.
“Are you doubting the truth of my adventure?”, he asked.
Mitch nodded.
“Let me tell you then of that one time that I saved a princess out of the water”, said Hoss.
Mitch looked at him with a look like he saw Lake Tahoe burning down.
Hoss began to tell, “On a sunny spring morning I rode way past the lake of Washoe when a beautiful lady fell in. I didn’t hesitate for a second and jumped from my horse to rescue the young lady. She was me very thankful and asked me to marry her. She turned out to be princess Sheila the second of a country far away from here named Washolski. But yes, your grandpa was against it and your father and Uncle made sure that she stayed away for good.”
“It might be so”, Mitch said dry.
When Hoss and Mitch came home the youngest went straight to his father.
“Daddy, I must tell you something”, said the boy.
Adam sat down and pulled his son near him.
“Do dragons exist in this area?”, asked Mitch.
“No, why?”, Adam asked amazed.
“Does a country with a name like Washolski exist?”, was the following question.
Again Adam gave a negative answer. Suddenly he saw the light.
“Kid, has your Uncle make you believe that?”, asked Adam.
“Yes, he also told that he has rescued a princess out of the lake of Washoe. She wanted to marry him but grandpa was against it. You and Uncle Joe made sure that she disappeared for good”, said Mitch.
“Your Uncle has just told you something. Go and wash yourself because we can eat so. I am going to give your Uncle a treatment”, said Adam.
They got up. Mitch went inside and Adam went to look for his brother. Hoss was in the stable busy with the horses.
“What have you made my son believe about dragons being in the area and that you ever rescued a princess from Washolski out of the Washoe lake?”, Adam asked at a furiously tone.
Hoss looked at his brother amazed.
“Because you happen to have no time for your son I have done that for you. I just wanted to cheer him up. You always tell him stories too”, reacted Hoss.
“Stories yes, but no bullshit like you have told him this afternoon. If Mitch gets nightmares tonight about fire spitting dragons you may comfort him”, replied his brother.
“Adam Poindexter Cartwright, this afternoon you agreed yourself that I took Mitchy along. And now you don’t. Apparently it is never good. From now on you go and take him for a ride yourself”, Hoss said insulted.
Adam groaned something unhearable. He realized that he had gone too far and had to make his apology with his brother.
“I am sorry that I fell out against you”, said Adam.
“I am sorry too. I can notice that Mitchy is your son because he didn’t believe me for a yard”, said Hoss.
“That doesn’t surprise me because I raise him as good as possible”, reacted Adam.
They left the stable as best friends but Hoss now also knew that Mitch would never believe his stories.