Filibert, the young dragon of Elderberry, is a selfish, insensitive dragon who delights in scaring the poor village children on their way to school each morning. Only after he becomes very ill and loses his fire, does he realize how miserable the village children must feel and how cruel he has been. "Always, as soon as they saw him coming, they ran away so fast he never actually felt their fear. Just then, tenderheartedness took hold of Filibert, and he did not feel mean anymore."