The interaction of the characters (including the dragon) forms the basis for the conflict in The Dragon of Og. It is not a struggle between good and evil; problems arise when one individual insists on selfishly pursuing his own interests without regard for the effect on others.

The dragon in the story bears little resemblance to the traditional fierce, ugly, and evil dragons of most myth and literature. He is a beautiful creature, far more appealing than the rough and crude people, and he is generally not aggressive. When still a young dragon, he follows his mother's advice not to offend people. But when he is almost grown, his uncle advises him to eat only young girls, as dragons have always done. The naive dragon then asks his mother if it would offend the villagers if he ate just one, now and then. She...