How to Train Your Dragon - The Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III - 1 - A Note from the Author

Oct 6, 2026

A humorous adventure set on the Viking isle of Berk follows Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III as he faces the Dragon Initiation Program. While dragons vanish and confusion spreads about their disappearance, the author frames the events as a remembered childhood tale. The story begins with a first test of courage and skill, where Hiccup is placed in charge despite others calling him useless, and the boys are sent to catch their dragons at Wild Dragon Cliff.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages139

Reading Time3 h 34 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

A Note from the Author

Chapter 1 First Catch Your Dragon

Inside the Dragon Nursery

Heroes or Exiles

How to Train Your Dragon

A Chat with Old Wrinkly

Meanwhile, Deep in the Ocean

Toothless Wakes Up

Training Your Dragon the Hard Way

Fear, Vanity, Revenge, and Silly Jokes

Thor'sday Thursday

Thor is Angry

The Green Death

When yelling doesn't

The fiendishly clever plan

The Battle at Death's Head Headland

The Fiendishly Clever Plan Goes Wrong

In the Mouth of the Dragon

The Extraordinary Bravery of Toothless

Hiccup the Useful

Epilogue by the Author

How to Train Your Dragon (The Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III \#1) Cressida Cowell CONTENTS A Note from the Author ........... l 1. First Catch Your Dragon....... 2 2. Inside the Dragon Nursery 14 3. Heroes or Exiles ............................................. 31 4. How to Train Your Dragon 46 5. A Chat with Old Wrinkly, 6l 6. Meanwhile , Deep in the Ocean ........ 67 7. Toothless Wakes Up 69 8. Training Your Dragon the Hard Way, 81 9. Fear, Vanity, Revenge , and Silly Jokes 89 10. Thor'sday Thursday 103 11. Thor is Angry 127 12. The Green Death.............................................145 13. When yelling doesn't.........................................156 14. The fiendishly clever plan................................. 166 15. The Battle at Death's Head Headland 177 16. The Fiendishly Clever Plan Goes Wrong ............... l82 17. In the Mouth of the Dragon 186 18. The Extraordinary Bravery of Toothless ... 190 19. Hiccup the Useful, 200 20. Epilogue by the Author 211 vi [Map: Isle of Berk] vii [Map: Meathead islands ] viii [Page Blank] 1 A Note from the Author There were dragons when Iwas a boy. There were great, grim, sky dragons that nested on the cliff tops like gigantic scary birds. Little , brown, scuttly dragons that hunted down the mice and rats in well-organized packs. Preposterously huge Sea Dragons that were twenty times as big as the Big Blue Whale and who killed for the fun of it. You will have to take my word for it, for the dragons are disappearing so fast they may soon become extinct. Nobody knows what is happening. They are crawling back into the sea from whence they came , leaving not a bone , not a fang , in the earth for the men of the future to remember them by. So , in order that these amazing creatures should not be forgotten, I will tell this true story from my childhood. Iwas not the sort of boy who could train a dragon with a mere lifting of an eyebrow. I was not a natural at the Heroism business. I had to work at it. This is the story of becoming a Hero the Hard Way. 2 Chapter 1 FIRST CATCH YOUR DRAGON Long ago , on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third , the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, had been feeling slightly sick ever since he woke up that morning. Ten boys, including Hiccup , were hoping to become full members of the Tribe by passing the Dragon Initiation Program. They were standing on a bleak little beach at the bleakest spot on the whole bleak island. A heavy snow was falling. " PAYATTENTION!" screamed Gobber the Belch, the soldier in charge of teaching Initiation. "This will be your first military operation, and Hiccup will be commanding the team." "Oh, not Hic-cup ," groaned Dogsbreath the Duhbrain and most of the other boys. "You can't put': Hiccup in charge , sir, he's USELESS." Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third , the 3 [Image: Gobber] 4 Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, wiped his nose miserably on his sleeve. He sank a little deeper into the snow. "ANYBODY would be better than Hiccup ," sneered Snotface Snotlout. " Even Fishlegs would be better than Hiccup." Fishlegs had a squint that made him as blind as a jellyfish, and an allergy to reptiles. "SILENCE!" roared Gobber the Belch. "The next boy to speak has limpets for lunch for the next THREE WEEKS!" There was absolute silence immediately. Limpets are a bit like worms and a bit like snot and a lot less tasty than either. " Hiccup will be in charge and that is an order!" screamed Gobber, who didn't do noises quieter than screaming. He was a seven-foot giant with a mad glint in his one working eye anda beard like exploding fireworks. Despite the freezing cold he was wearing hairy shorts and a teeny weeny deerskin vest that showed off his lobster-red skin and bul

FAQs

Why does the author tell this childhood story about dragons?

Dragons are disappearing rapidly and may soon become extinct, and no one knows what is happening. The author shares a true story from childhood so the creatures will not be forgotten.

What is the Dragon Initiation Program?

It is a test for boys to become full members of the Hairy Hooligans Tribe. The first and most dangerous part requires catching your dragon as proof of courage and skill.

Why does Hiccup end up commanding the team despite other boys’ objections?

Gobber orders that Hiccup will be in charge for the initiation operation. The group calls him useless, but tradition and Hiccup’s position as the chief’s son determine the assignment.

Oct 6, 2026

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