The Sleeping Dragons
Y Dreigiau sy’n Cysgu
A gentle Welsh legend for young children, with English storytelling and simple Welsh words on the same page.
Welsh Words to Learn
Say Together
Story Sounds
Heavy Stones
Clomp, clomp, clomp.
Falling Wall
Crash! Bang! Wallop!
Dragon Roar
ROAR!
Chapter 1: The Wobbly Castle
Castell KAS-tell — Castle
Brenin BREN-in — King
O Na! oh nah — Oh no!
Long ago, there was a king called Vortigern.
He was a very busy Brenin BREN-in — a king.
He wanted a strong stone house.
He wanted to build a Castell KAS-tell — a castle.
The builders lifted the heavy stones.
Clomp, clomp, clomp.
Up, up, up went the walls.
But the next morning, the King looked outside.
“O Na! oh nah Oh no!” cried the King.
The walls had fallen down.
Crash! Bang! Wallop!
“Why does my castle keep falling down?” asked the sad King.
Chapter 2: The Clever Boy
Bachgen BACH-gen — Boy
Call kall — Clever or wise
Mynydd MUN-ith — Mountain
The King asked everyone for help.
No one knew why the walls kept falling.
Then a little Bachgen BACH-gen came to the mountain.
His name was Myrddin.
Myrddin was call kall — clever and wise.
He looked at the broken stones.
He looked at the grass.
He put his ear to the ground on the Mynydd MUN-ith — the mountain.
“Shhh,” whispered Myrddin. “Listen.”
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
It sounded like a giant heart under the ground.
“Something is moving under your castle,” said the clever boy.
Chapter 3: Digging Deep
Dŵr door — Water
Twll tool — Hole
Mawr mawr — Big
“We must dig,” said Myrddin.
The King’s men brought their shovels.
Dig, dig, dig!
They made a twll tool — a hole.
Then they made a twll mawr tool mawr — a big hole.
Suddenly — splosh!
They found dark, deep dŵr door — water.
“Look at the water,” said the King.
But Myrddin pointed carefully.
“Look! Bubbles!”
Bloop, bloop, bloop.
Something very big was waking up.
Chapter 4: Two Dragons
Draig dryg — Dragon
Coch kokh — Red
Gwyn gwin — White
The water splashed everywhere.
Whoosh!
Out came a Draig dryg — a dragon.
It was a Draig Gwyn dryg gwin — a white dragon.
It had shiny scales and a long tail.
Then — ROAR!
Out came another dragon.
It was a Draig Coch dryg kokh — a red dragon.
The Red Dragon had bright wings and big eyes.
The dragons had been sleeping for a long, long time.
Now they were grumpy.
The White Dragon hissed.
The Red Dragon roared back.
They flew into the sky.
Chapter 5: The Red Dragon Wins
Cymru KUM-ree — Wales
Hwre! HOO-ray — Hooray!
Ennill EN-ill — Win
The two dragons danced in the sky.
The White Dragon was strong.
But the Red Dragon was faster.
The Draig Coch dryg kokh flew high.
He breathed a little puff of smoke.
Then he gave one big push.
The Red Dragon won. Ennill! EN-ill
The White Dragon flew away to find a new place to sleep.
The Red Dragon landed on the Mynydd MUN-ith — the mountain.
He looked at the people and smiled.
“This is the dragon of Cymru KUM-ree — Wales,” said Myrddin.
The King built his castle again.
This time, the walls stayed standing.
And that is why, even today, there is a Draig Coch dryg kokh on the Welsh flag.
Hwre! HOO-ray Hooray!
Mini Games
Build the Castle
Dig for Water
Red Dragon Wins
One-Page Printable Activity
Colour the Red Dragon, trace the Welsh words, and draw a castle on the mountain.