Sad Gronckle

The Sad Gronckle is a minor character appearing in How to Speak Dragonese, the third book in the How to Train Your Dragon Book series.

Capture, Work, and Release
The Roman Empire situated an outpost at Fort Sinister in the Barbaric Archipelago for Dragon Rustling - catching dragons and shipping most back to Rome for food and goods. Some stayed at Fort Sinister and were enslaved by the resident Romans. One such dragon was a sad Gronckle who was caged and used to power a Roman Observation Balloon.

During the events of Saturn's Day Saturday, Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Camicazi take over the Hot Air Balloon while escaping from Roman captivity. Hiccup speaks to him nicely in Dragonese, and the sad Gronckle operates balloon and flies them to safety.

"No problem," said the sad Gronckle. "It would be my pleasure. Nobody's bothered to ask me nicely before - they usually just hit me."

- Book 3

The balloon crash-lands aboard The Blue Whale and the sad Gronckle is freed.