FIRE AND STONE

Once upon a time there was a country that lived in fear of a dragon." When he flies over, breathing fire and bellowing "RRRAAAHHX!", the local populace flee to a pond to wait with only their noses out—till a couple of children realize that the dragon may be saying "rocks" and feed him some; enthusiastically eager for more, the dragon is gradually weighted down and turns to stone, over which grass grows. Le Guin deftly brings out the humor in her ironical story; Marshall, with a remarkably sure hand for a first book, uses authoritative line and perspective and rich, bright color to bring Le Guin's imaginary world to dramatic life.