live briefs
Settle Stories – George & the Dragon
George & the Dragon
The brief
In the summer of 2025 I undertook a work placement at Settle Stories, a charity dedicated to using the power of storytelling to promote empathy and help people understand themselves and each other. One of their projects is Stories for Schools – short, illustrated videos for use in schools to teach morals and values.
One story that I illustrated for Settle Stories was George & the Dragon, for which I produced the final illustrations below.
My response
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a brave knight named George. He was known throughout the kingdom for his kindness, courage, and strength. Sir George had a big heart and always helped those in need.
One day, Sir George heard about a terrible dragon that was causing trouble in a small village. This dragon was enormous, with sharp teeth, fiery breath, and wings so wide they could block out the sun. The villagers were terrified because the dragon demanded that they give him food every day—lots and lots of food! If they didn’t, the dragon would become angry and breathe fire, burning everything in sight. The villagers were so scared that they gave the dragon all the food they had. Soon, there was nothing left for them to eat. The dragon still wasn’t satisfied, so he demanded that the villagers send him a young person each day to keep him happy. The villagers were heartbroken, but they didn’t know what else to do.
When Sir George heard about the dragon, he knew he had to help. He rode his white horse to the village and spoke to the people. “Do not worry” he said. “I will fight this dragon and free you from fear.” The villagers were hopeful but also scared for Sir George. The dragon was very powerful, and no one had ever dared to challenge him before.
Sir George rode to the dragon’s cave, where he saw the great beast resting. Without fear, Sir George called out to the dragon, “Come out and face me, dragon! I will not let you harm these people anymore!”
The dragon roared and came out of the cave, his fiery breath making the ground sizzle. But Sir George was not afraid. He raised his shield and charged at the dragon with his sharp sword.
The battle was fierce! The dragon tried to scorch Sir George with flames, but George’s shield protected him. He dodged the dragon’s tail and struck with his sword.
With one mighty blow, Sir George plunged his sword into the dragon’s heart.
The villagers were overjoyed! They cheered and thanked Sir George for his bravery. “You have saved us all!” they cried. From that day on, Sir George was known as a hero, and the people were free to live in peace.
Sir George continued to travel the land, helping those in need and spreading kindness wherever he went. But he always remembered the village where he had defeated the terrible dragon, and the people there always remembered him as their greatest hero.
And so, the story of St. George and the Dragon became a tale told for generations, reminding everyone that courage, kindness, and standing up for what is right can overcome even the greatest of challenges.