This took so long to write :)

I doubt there will be many tales like this in the novel: it takes more time to think them up than to write 'em :)  Also fixed a typo where 'king of beasts' was rendered as 'king of beats' 

"You're travelling with Reynard Fox," Bess said, her voice terribly calm and gentle as her knife vanished into the depths of her cloak.  "You said you had no memories of yourself or the world. I believe you now."

"Thank you?" Boy said. "But I don't know why. He told me he tricks people sometimes, but –."

Bess cut him off with a sharp gesture, her voice dropping into a low cadence as she spoke. 

"A long time ago there were dragons in the world, and they were fierce and terrible, with bellies of fire and scaled skin that could turn back claws and teeth with easy. They were proud and mighty and could fly through the air like birds, swim like fish and stride the world like giants: even the king of beasts feared them and dragons were given many treasures and wonders to remain in their homes and not venture into the world.

"Eventually man came to the world and we had weapons that could pierce hides and fly through the air. We sought the wonders of the dragons and slowly pushed them back from hills to mountains and further regions because we were many and dragons always few. But even then there was one dragon who resisted all the weapons and spells of men: So powerful was the magic of the dragon that it had discarded the scales of it's brethren save for his tale and taken on the body of a lion, with terrible wings and breath that burned as hot as the sun itself.

"The king of beasts could not abide such an insult and one day called the cleverest fox in all the world to deal with Gryphon, for such was the name of the greatest of dragons. Reynard Fox was promised a place in the court of the king if he could deal such an insult to Gryphon that the dragon would never dare show itself to the world again. And so Reynard Fox journeyed far and wide to the lair of the dragon.

" "Mighty dragon," said he, for the Gryphon was all that and more, "I have heard stories that you claim a body not your own, and I would wonder why this is so."

" "I am Gryphon," the dragon roared, and mountains quailed at the sound. "I can do all things."

" "It is true," said Reynard Fox, 'that you are the master of the sea and sky, and the land itself is your domain. But what about under it, O dragon? Has your legend reached the mighty caverns and tunnels under the world?"

" "No," Grypon admitted, "It has not."

" "It is a simple thing," said Reynard Fox. "You need only take on your true form, discard your wings and burrow deep into the earth. There you will find many new challenges and your legend will grow all the greater."

"And so the first and mightiest of the dragons discarded legs and wings and fur and slunk deep into the bowels of the earth and was never seen again though some claim all the snakes that ever were are his children, each trying to reclaim a world he has lost."

"And that's bad?" Boy said.

"No. But he does not confine his tricks to the deserving. Many a farmer or inn has lost chickens and far worse things to his tongue," she said.

"But you put your knife away," Boy pressed.

"Reynard Fox has cheated Death many times, and always extracted revenge on those who killed him. You travel with a monster out of legend, Boy."