The little knight of the castle

At Greenkeep Castle, Adam was the smallest of all the knights, so small that his armor rattled with every step like an empty pot. The other knights laughed at him a little, without meaning any harm, before riding off to fight dragons far more impressive than they were. Adam never fought anything at all.

Until the night a terrible howl started echoing from the north tower, every night, at the same hour. The great knights, one by one, found a good reason not to go. It was Adam who raised his hand. "I'll go," he said, his voice a little shaky but quite decided.

He climbed the stairs of the north tower with a candle in hand, his heart pounding harder than his footsteps. The howl grew closer, terrible enough to freeze the blood. Adam pushed open the heavy dungeon door, ready to face any beast — and found, trembling in a corner, a tiny black puppy, lost, howling at the moon through a broken window.

The castle's terrifying monster was only a stray puppy, hungry and shivering with cold. Adam took off his cape and wrapped it around him before carrying him down to the kitchens for warm milk. The puppy stopped howling at once and started licking his hand.

The next day, the whole castle was retelling how the smallest knight had defeated the monster of the north tower. Adam never corrected the story — he knew that real courage hadn't needed a sword, just showing up when no one else would. The puppy, now his faithful companion, sleeps at the foot of his bed every night.