Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. Their children had grown up and flown away like birds from a nest. So it was just the two of them, with only their cat purring at their feet.
One day, the old woman was carrying a basket full of peas from the garden. She bent down to tie her shoe, and a few peas rolled out onto the path. She picked them up, but one big one the cat batted with its paw and chased around the house like a little ball. That pea rolled right under the stove — and suddenly there was a great rumbling! The walls shook, and the windows rattled.
"What was that?" cried the old woman in surprise.
Then out from under the stove stepped a little boy. He was chubby and curly-haired, with eyes that sparkled like stars.
"Don't be scared," he said. "I'm Kotyhoroshko! I grew from that pea the cat rolled under the stove. I'll be like a son to you!"
The old man and woman were overjoyed. Kotyhoroshko grew fast — not by days, but by hours. In a week, he could carry buckets of water and chop wood. In a month, he ran so fast that he lifted an oak log three men couldn't budge.
One morning, the old couple woke up to a silent house. No sounds at all. They went outside — the yard was empty, the garden was quiet.
"Kotyhoroshko!" called the old woman. "Where are you?"
No answer. Only the wind rustling the leaves.
They ran to the neighbors — same thing. All the children had vanished, as if someone had swept them away. The people wept.
"It's the Dragon," said an old grandfather. "For a hundred years he's flown over our villages. He takes children to his cave, beyond the high mountains."
When Kotyhoroshko heard this, his heart burned.
"Don't cry," he said. "I'll go and bring everyone home."
He took a strong stick he had carved from oak, packed a bag with bread, and set off.
He walked through dark forests and wide fields until he reached a steep mountain. In the mountain was a cave, big as a gate. Inside, he heard voices — the children were singing to keep from being scared.
Kotyhoroshko peeked in. Boys and girls sat there, all sad. By the entrance, the Dragon dozed — huge, scaly, with a long tail.
"Hey, Dragon!" shouted Kotyhoroshko. "Let the children go!"
The Dragon opened his eyes and hissed: "Who dares wake me?"
"It's me, Kotyhoroshko! Send the children home!"
The Dragon laughed: "You're so small, but your throat is big! I'll eat you up!"
But before he could finish, Kotyhoroshko swung his stick and struck so hard the ground shook. The Dragon gaped in surprise. No one had ever fought him like this!
They battled. The Dragon twisted, lashed his tail, tried to breathe fire — but Kotyhoroshko was quick and strong. He dodged, leaped like a goat, and hit with his oak stick.
Finally, the Dragon fell to the ground, gasping.
"Enough!" he wheezed. "Forgive me! I won't bother children anymore. Let them go home."
Kotyhoroshko stood over him, stick ready. "You promise?"
"I promise," sighed the Dragon. "I'll live in the mountains and hunt wild boars. I'll leave people alone."
So the Dragon freed all the children. Kotyhoroshko led them home along the long road. They sang songs, laughed, and told each other how scared they'd been and how happy they were now.
When they reached the village, the parents ran out, hugging their children, kissing them, crying with joy. The old man and woman couldn't take their eyes off Kotyhoroshko.
"You're our hero!" they said. "How could we live without you?"
Kotyhoroshko just smiled.
After that, he lived in the little house, helped the old folks, played with the children, and taught them to be brave and kind. And the Dragon never came back — he kept his word.
Every evening, as the sun set behind the hills, Kotyhoroshko sat on the bench by the house, looked at the stars, and listened to the old woman humming a gentle song. Everything was good.