My daughter and her family came to Taiwan yesterday. My younger granddaughter whispered to me at the airport that she wanted me to sing "Puff" along with her. She is just four years old; how could she know the song? Then my daughter told me that my elder granddaughter, now a 2nd grader, learned that "childrens" folk song in school and taught it to her baby sister.

When we got home, I searched online to find the lyrics on my phone, and my two granddaughters sang the song along with me. I was happy to find my elder granddaughter had known all the words of the lyrics:

Quote "Puff, the Magic Dragon"

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee,
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax.
And other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee,oh
Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee.

And together, they would travel on a boat with a billowed sail.
And Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puffs gigantic tail.
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came.
Pirate ships would lower their flag.
When Puff roared out his name. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee,oh
Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee.

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys.
Painted wings and giant 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.

His head was bent in sorrow, and green scales fell like rain.
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave.
So puff, that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.

Oh, Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee.

Oh, Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah lee,

Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea.
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee. Unquote.

FYI, I heard the song sixty years ago when I was a high school student. Well, the song is a little sentimental, lamenting that people are changing as time silently draws on.