How to Train Your Dragon is the first book in the original series by Cressida Cowell. It was first released on February 1, 2003 in the UK, then May 1, 2004 in the US. The book is about the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the son of Stoick the Vast, a Viking chief.
Official Summary[]
“ | Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as "the Dragon Whisperer" ... but it wasn't always so. Travel back to the days when the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventures as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and becomes a hero! | ” |
— Back Cover, US paperback edition |
Synopsis[]
On the snowy hills of the Wild Dragon Cliff during the winter, ten boys of the Viking Hairy Hooligan Tribe intend to become full members of their tribe by passing the Dragon Initiation Program headed by the warrior Gobber the Belch. Hiccup, son of the Chief Stoick the Vast and Fishlegs, Hiccup's friend, are two of the smallest boys in the group. Everyone else is big, tough and manly like Vikings should be, but Hiccup and Fishlegs are what Vikings call runts - not as strong and much skinnier than most Vikings.
Gobber tells the Vikings-to-be that Hiccup is in charge to help prepare him for his future role of Chief. This causes much irritation among the other young Vikings. Gobber admits that Hiccup is useless too but still threatens the young Vikings with eating limpets for two weeks. Gobber then explains that they have to complete the first part of the Dragon Initiation Program: catching their own Dragon. Fishlegs awakes all the young dragons when he tries to get a Deadly Nadder, a respectable dragon to acquire. In a rush to escape, Hiccup gives Fishlegs his Basic Brown dragon and runs back to grab a different dragon. Gobber the Belch saves the boys from attacking dragons, but scolds them later.
Hiccup finds out he stole a tiny Common or Garden dragon, and Snotlout names the little dragon Toothless, as a joke. Toothless is finally trained, after many months, when Hiccup tells him jokes, rather than yell at him. During Thors'day Thursday, none of the boys pass the test required to join the Hairy Hooligans or the neighboring Meathead Tribe. This is due to Toothless making fun of Fireworm, Snotlout's Monstrous Nightmare, who wreaks havoc on the whole holiday. Stoick is forced to banish Hiccup and the rest of the boys of both tribes.
During the night, a violent storm washes two huge sea serpents onto the beaches of Berk. While the adult Hooligans and Meatheads argue about what to do, Thuggory, heir to the Meatheads, tells Hiccup to think of a plan. Hiccup finally comes up with a 'fiendishly clever plan': annoy the dragons, lead them to each other, and let them kill themselves. The plan kills one of the sea monsters, Purple Death, but the Green Death survives and chases Hiccup. Hiccup is swallowed but kills the Green Death from the inside by plugging its fire holes. Hiccup is saved by Toothless, the only dragon that didn't abandon his master.
Due to this heroic action, all of the boys are allowed to join their respective tribes after all.
Characters[]
Human Characters[]
- Agatha
- Badbreath the Gruff
- Baggybum the Beerbelly
- Clueless
- Dogsbreath the Duhbrain
- Fishlegs
- Gobber the Belch
- Goggletoad
- Hairy Scary Librarian
- Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
- Loudmouth the Gouty
- Mogadon the Meathead
- Old Wrinkly
- Professor Yobbish
- Snotface Snotlout
- Speedifist
- Squidface the Terrible
- Stoick the Vast
- Terrible Tuffnut
- Thuggory
- Tuffnut Junior
- Valhallarama
- Vicious Twins
- Wartihog
Dragon Characters[]
- Alligatiger
- Brightclaw
- Fireworm
- Green Death
- Hookfang
- Horrorcow
- Killer
- King Daggerfangs
- Newtsbreath
- Purple Death
- Ripperclaw
- Seaslug
- Toothless
- Unnamed Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus
Animal Characters[]
Dragon Species[]
- Basic Brown
- Common or Garden Dragon
- Deadly Nadder
- Flamehuffer
- Glow-worm
- Gronckle
- Monstrous Nightmare
- Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus
- Toothless Daydream
- Unknown Species
Locations[]
- Black Heart Bay
- Caliban Caves
- Cannibal Isle
- Cliff of Eternity
- Cliff of Forever
- Cowrie Beach
- Dark Harbor
- Death's Head Headland
- Dragon Nursery
- Forget Me
- Highest Point
- Hooligan Harbor
- Hooligan Village
- Inner Ocean
- Isle of Berk
- Isles of Doom
- Mainland
- Meathead Islands
- Pointy Point
- Puffin Point
- Roman Empire
- The Little Isles
- The Long Beach
- Wild Dragon Cliff
Objects and Practices[]
- Bashyball
- Big Drums
- Blood Feuds
- Dragon Basket
- Dragon Gear
- Dragon Initiation Program
- Dragonese
- Elder Huddle
- How to Train Your Dragon
- Pure Adventure
- Supper's Song
- Thors'day Thursday
[]
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