“A voice from the creature, smooth as buttered oil. "He-llo," is said. "Ding-dong. You look remarkably like dinner."I'm Charlie Nancy," said Charlie Nancy. "Who are you?"I am Dragon," said the dragon. "And I shall devour you in one slow mouthful, little man in a hat."Charlie blinked. What would my father do? He wondered. What would Spider have done?...Er. You’re bored with talking to me now, and you’re going to let me pass unhindered,” he told the dragon, with as much conviction as he was able to muster.Gosh. Good try. But I’m afraid I’m not,” said the dragon, enthusiastically.Actually, I’m going to eat you.”You aren’t scared of limes, are you?” asked Charlie, before remembering that he’d given the lime to Daisy.The creature laughed, scornfully. “I,” it said, “am frightened of nothing.”Nothing?”Nothing,” it said.Charlie said “Are you extremely frightened of nothing?”Absolutely terrified of it,” admitted the Dragon.You know,” said Charlie, “Have nothing in my pockets. Would you like to see it?”No,” said the dragon, uncomfortably, “I most definitely would not.”There was a flapping of wings like sails, and Charlie was alone on the beach. “That,” he said, “was much too easy.”

“You aren't scared of limes, are you?" asked Charlie.The creature laughed, scornfully. "I," it said, "am frightened of nothing.""Nothing?""Nothing," it said.Charlie said, "Are you extremely frightened of nothing?""Absolutely terrified of it," admitted the Dragon."You know," said Charlie, "I have nothing in my pockets. Would you like to see it?""No," said the Dragon uncomfortably, "I most definitely would not.”

“I am frightened of nothing.""Nothing?""Nothing.""Are you extremely frightened of nothing?""Absolutely terrified of it.""I have nothing in my pockets. Would you like to see it?""No, I most definitely would not.”

“So, she said. You met your brother.You know, said Fat Charlie, you could have warned me.I did warn you that he is a god.You didn't mention that he was a complete and utter pain in the arse, though.”

“He said, “Charlie isn’t like us, you know?” and I knew what he meant, but somehow it was that not-like-us that made me love Charlie more.”

“There is nothing to be frightened of," said the Rajah. "Very few tigers are man-eaters.""But I am," said the tiger."You might be lying," said the Rajah."I might be," said the tiger. "But I'm not.”

“Thanks," he said. "De nada," said Julius. "What does that mean?" said Charlie. "It's nothing, in Spanish." said Julius. "I mean, it means nothing, the word nothing, not that it doesn't mean anything, though of course it doesn't mean anything, it means something: it means nothing. Nothing is what it means. Not that it doesn't mean anything." "No, it means nothing, I know what you mean." said Charlie with a straight face. They started to giggle.”