It's a message I entirely approve of!
A mother tells her son about two dragons. She uses "you," placing him in the role of adventurer who takes a journey. Tropes and archetypes are called upon. During both journeys, the boy encounters a wise, old woman. One shares with him the fiery dragon from Beowulf and other Western mythology. The other shares with him the sublime and majestic dragon of Asian mythology.
"And some who cannot travel more than one path, may demand that you choose between the clouds and the caves," the mother says.
"But my darling, by bao bei, this is the precious secret...both worlds are yours to discover."
I so agree! In the exploration of fairy tales, the reader can embrace all of it. "Either/or" is a logical fallacy, not a reality.
The text is touching. The images are gorgeous. And, in a general contradiction of my position re: fiction, the message is worth hearing.
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