36 pages • 1-hour read
Elmer and the Dragon
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Chapters 7-10Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary: “The Secret”
That evening, Flute wakes up Elmer and the dragon from their nap and they all walk back into the forest to see the King. At first the King does not like the dragon, but he then decides that he can stay, since everyone will soon know his family’s secret anyway.
He tells the three friends that there is treasure buried under his big tree, and he is so curious about what it could be. Being so tiny, the canary King could never dig it up and discover what it is. Elmer decides to help him get the treasure; he finds a shovel and begins to dig.
After many hours of work, he finally finds the iron treasure chest. Filled with excitement, Elmer, Flute, King and Queen Can, and the dragon all want to open the chest, but it is too dark, and so they must wait until the morning.
Chapter 8 Summary: “Treasure”
The next morning, Flute sings loudly, and all the island’s canaries gather around, excited to see what is in the treasure chest. Dragon uses his tail to lift the heavy chest out of the hole and set it on the forest floor. King Can reveals that his ancestor, the first Canary king, stole the chest’s key from the human settlers, and that he has it in his nest.
He gets the key and gives it to Elmer, who uses it to open the chest. Inside, he finds a note that explains that the chest was the property of the settlers Oliver and Sarah Hinckle, but if they do not return, it belongs to whoever finds it. Inside the chest there are plates and cutlery, seeds for crops, and precious items like a gold watch, sterling harmonica, and bags of gold coins.
King Can thanks Elmer by giving him three bags of gold coins. He also gives the dragon the gold watch to wear around his neck. Everyone is so overjoyed with their exciting discovery—and the end of their curiosity—that they feast on skunk cabbage and tangerines, and dance together.
Chapter 9 Summary: “Farewell”
Elmer thinks it is his father’s birthday and wants to go home. He and the dragon clean up the chest and rebury it with the plates and cutlery, while King and Queen Can keep their precious coins and silver spoon. Elmer packs his own bags of gold, as well as the sterling harmonica.
Elmer thanks all the birds for hosting them and promises to never reveal their secrets. Flute sits on the dragon’s shoulder while they walk away and says goodbye to Elmer. As a good-bye gift, Elmer gives him two pieces of chewing gum and some rubber bands. Flute gives them directions to Nevergreen City and says goodbye.
Chapter 10 Summary: “Elmer Flies Home”
With Elmer on his back, the dragon flies toward Popsicornia, feeling stronger thanks to all the skunk cabbages and ferns. Finally, the two friends see the Firefly Lighthouse on the coast. They pass over villages until Elmer recognizes Evergreen Park and tells the dragon to land on a wharf nearby.
Elmer thanks the dragon, feeling sad to say goodbye. Elmer gives the dragon four lollipops in exchange for the gold watch, and the two friends hope to see each other again. The dragon reveals that he will fly on to Blueland to look for his family in the mountains.
The dragon flies off to avoid being seen by other humans, and Elmer runs all the way home to his mother and father. His parents are relieved to see him and tell him how worried they have been. Elmer tells them that he had an important job to do, and notices his friend, the Alley Cat, who had first told him about the dragon. Elmer assures the cat that he did find and rescue the dragon, like the cat told him to.
He gives his parents his treasures and plays Happy Birthday to his father on the harmonica. His surprised parents wonder where all the gold came from, but Elmer says he can never reveal his secret.
Chapters 7-10 Analysis
In the final chapters, Gannett adds more depth to her theme on The Nature of Resilience and Adventure. The baby dragon’s ability to push through his doubts is an important part of the novel’s conclusion, as he must face his fears about flying over the ocean again when they take off for Popsicornia: “They flew and flew, the dragon trying hard not to look at, or think about, the wet, wet ocean” (76). The dragon’s determination to fly in spite of his fear shows the importance of being brave when overcoming challenges. Thanks to his resilience and determination, the dragon gets Elmer safely home and heads off to reunite with his own family.
The author also describes the challenges Elmer and his friends face when they are looking for Feather Island’s treasure chest. After six hours of digging, Elmer grows “tired and discouraged” (57) when nothing appears, but he listens to the King and continues to dig. The dragon is also hard-working and positive, as he agrees to help lift the heavy iron chest out using his tail. The author describes how he “grunted and strained and struggled and panted” (59) until he is finally successful at hauling the chest up. In refusing to give up, Elmer and the dragon achieve their goals and help their friends the canaries.
This triumphant discovery of the treasure chest also concludes the author’s theme on The Importance of Teamwork. By showing how the characters’ collaboration brings relief and happiness for all, the author deepens her message about the importance of working together for everyone’s benefit. By using their different strengths, Elmer, the dragon, King Can XI, and Flute are able to discover and divide the long-lost treasure chest and its riches. King Can XI must fight his feelings of ambivalence and guilt to share his family secret with the group, telling them, “It’s buried—it’s buried right under this tree—in a big iron chest” (53). The King acknowledges that he has been burdened with this secret for so long because he is too weak to dig up the treasure on his own. He tells them, “At least, I think it’s treasure, but I can’t find out without your help” (53). Elmer contributes his ability to measure and use the island’s old shovel, as he digs at the site of the treasure chest. The author explains, “Elmer carefully measured the distance and began to dig” (57). The dragon digs with Elmer, using his claws instead of a shovel. The illustration on page 56 shows Elmer and the dragon working together while the canary birds watch eagerly.
Their joint efforts pay off when they finally hit the treasure chest. However, they must still work together to haul the chest out of the hole. The canaries and Elmer rely on the baby dragon’s strength, and willingness to help his new friends, to access the chest: “The King looked at Elmer, and Elmer looked at the dragon. ‘Dragon, do you think you could put your tail through the ring and pull up the chest?’ ‘I’ll try,’ said the dragon” (59). By revealing the chest’s wonderful treasure of gold coins, a silver harmonica, and a gold watch, the author shows that working together was well worth it for everyone. The illustration of Elmer playing the harmonica while the canaries dance on their new plates and the dragon wears the gold watch shows the joyful results of their collaboration.
At the end of the novel, Elmer and the dragon’s bittersweet goodbye concludes the author’s theme on Bonding Through Shared Experiences. By showing how sad they are to part ways, the author emphasizes their strong friendship, which has been forged over just a few days of shared experiences, both good and bad. Elmer reminisces about his best times with the dragon, telling him, “Gosh, it was fun knowing you. I’m going to miss you and flying and everything” (78). The dragon tearfully replies, “It was fun, wasn’t it” (78). By revealing that the dragon will seek out his family in the mountains of Blueland and hinting that Elmer might also visit there one day, the author suggests that the new friendship could continue in the future, providing a cliffhanger for the next novel in the My Father’s Dragon trilogy.
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