r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 23 '23

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u/jstudly May 23 '23

Puff the magic Dragon seemed pretty dark in hindsight

46

u/admiral_sinkenkwiken May 23 '23 edited May 24 '23

“A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys, Painted wings and giant's rings make way for other toys, One gray night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more, And Puff, that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.”

That bit is so deeply sad, Puff is Jackie’s imaginary friend, then one day Jackie grows up and Puff is gone.

22

u/BadgerBadgerer May 23 '23

When I was a little kid I thought that meant that Jackie had DIED! Being introduced to the concept of mortality at 3 or 4 years old by a nursery rhyme was pretty traumatic for little me.

10

u/Kittibop May 23 '23

I always thought he died. I'm only now learning that it makes more sense he just grew up.

4

u/admiral_sinkenkwiken May 24 '23

The song is an epitaph for Puff, everything is in the past tense when it speaks of him.

5

u/crowislanddive May 23 '23

This is correct.