The White Dragon

About “The White Dragon”

On the planet Pern, colonized by Earth people seeking an agrarian life, dragons help humans fight a deadly Thread that falls from a nearby planet every few hundred years. When dragons hatch, they form a telepathic bond with a child, becoming inseparable. Only children who are not expected to inherit rule can join the Thread-fighting life. Young Lord Jaxom, however, helps a struggling small egg, which is white and unlikely to survive. He is allowed to keep the runt, named Ruth. This is the beginning of a unique bond between Jaxom and Ruth. The story is from a 1978 novel by Anne McCaffrey.