A Very Old Friend

So this is a bit of an unusual character for me. It's not exactly one I thought up, but at the same time, it sort of is. This is Longfellow and he's my most favorite stuffed animal. :3 I've had him since I was a little girl and he's the only stuffed toy from my childhood that I still have in my room. His fur's a bit worn and the wire in his wings is all jumbled, but I love him just the same. :> He's actually in really good shape considering how long I've had him. You wouldn't guess he's actually around 16 years old by looking at him and he doesn't have any holes or loose seams or anything. (I was always really careful with my toys as a kid)

I've actually sketched him before, but not for a long time, and never very seriously, but today I decided to go ahead and make a characterized version of him. But yeah, he's a really odd stuffed dragon with big ears, tiny wings, short stumpy limbs, and a really long body. Hence his name. XD He actually came with the name Longfellow on his tag, and since I did not name my stuffed animals or dolls as a kid, he's one of the only ones I had that had a "real" name. I got him at a tiny toy store that has long since gone out of business- picked him out myself off a shelf of assorted animals as a little kid. He was the only one of his kind that they had, and he's been my favorite ever since. :3

I didn't have an imaginary friend as a kid and I didn't talk to my toys. I played very quietly most of the time. :I But I always used to image that when I got scarred at night, Longfellow would protect me. I imagined he would turn into a giant, ferocious dragon and eat any nightmares that tried to get me. :> But he could also be a smaller, more cuddly dragon just to keep me company when I wanted.

I actually just figured out today that he's totally still on the market. XD I googled him and got it on the first result. Turns out you can still buy this guy at about 13 dollars. :I But he's worth a lot more than that to me.

If you want to see what the actual toy looks like, check it out here! [link] Mind you, the fur looks a bit different than mine, but that may just be because mine's really old. XD Also, the ears on mine stick up straighter and are skinnier, sort of like a doberman that has its ears docked.

So how about you guys? What was/is your favorite childhood toy? :3

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