The Legend of the Golden Apple

Once upon a time, in a faraway land there was an apple tree that bore golden apples. These apples were said to hold a magical power that was capable of bringing happiness and prosperity to whoever ate them. The tree was guarded by a ferocious dragon that would only allow those who were deemed worthy to approach it.

One day, a young boy who lived in a nearby village decided to try his luck and approach the tree. He climbed over the dragon's den and managed to pluck a golden apple from the tree. However, the dragon soon noticed his presence and began to chase after him.

The boy ran as fast as he could, but the dragon was hot on his heels. Just as the boy thought he would be caught, he tripped and the golden apple fell from his hand. To his surprise, the dragon stopped chasing him and instead began to sniff at the apple.

The dragon picked up the golden apple and examined it closely. Suddenly, a look of contentment filled his eyes and he began to eat the apple. As he consumed it, a strange transformation occurred. The dragon's scales became brighter and his eyes became more vibrant.

The boy watched in amazement as the dragon slowly morphed into a man. The man then thanked the boy for bringing him the golden apple, explaining that he had been cursed to live as a dragon until someone gave him a golden apple to eat. With the curse lifted, the man promised to ensure the apple tree would be protected and that anyone deemed worthy could approach it.

From that day on, the people of the village were able to eat the golden apples from the tree, bringing them good luck and prosperity. And the man who had once been a dragon came to be known as the protector of the golden apple tree.