History Music / PuffTheMagicDragon

First written in 1959 as a poem by filmmaker Leonard Lipton and set to music in 1963 by Music/PeterPaulAndMary's Peter Yarrow, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" tells the story of a boy who outgrows his childhood fantasies. The song also inspired a series of [[WesternAnimation/PuffTheMagicDragon animated TV specials]] that recast the eponymous dragon as a sort of fantastical child psychologist coming to the aid of some deeply troubled children.

* MayflyDecemberFriendship[=/=]WhoWantsToLiveForever: As the final verse states, a dragon lives forever, but little boys, not so much.

First written in 1959 by filmmaker Leonard Lipton and set to music in 1963 by Music/PeterPaulAndMary's Peter Yarrow, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" tells the story of a boy who outgrows his childhood fantasies. The song also inspired a series of [[WesternAnimation/PuffTheMagicDragon animated TV specials]] that recast the eponymous dragon as a sort of fantastical child psychologist coming to the aid of some deeply troubled children.

* MoodWhiplash: The final stanza, which would have established that Puff then goes on to play with some ''other'' child and (one assumes) repeats the cycle forever, has been lost for good. So the story about frolicking and kings and boats and sealing wax and stuff ends with Jackie Paper abandoning Puff, who slinks off to his cave to be sad ''[[OffscreenInertia for all perpetuity]]''... at least until the BelatedHappyEnding described above.

* GRatedStoner: "Puff," you say? WordOfGod [[AvertedTrope flatly denies]] that any drug references were ever intended, although some fans remain less convinced.

* DownerEnding: The original song ends with Jackie Paper growing up and forgetting about Puff, leaving him alone. However...
** BelatedHappyEnding: The book adaptation in 2007, with [[ApprovalOfGod the authors' input]], gives Puff another companion after Jackie Paper grows up ([[spoiler:Jackie's child]]).

* GRatedStoner: "Puff," you say? WordOfGod flatly denies that any drug references were ever intended, although some fans remain less convinced.

* BelatedHappyEnding: The book adaptation in 2007, with the authors' input, gives Puff another companion after Jackie Paper grows up ([[spoiler:Jackie's child]]).
* DownerEnding: Jackie Paper grows up and forgets about Puff, leaving him alone.

* MoodWhiplash: The final stanza, which would have established that Puff then goes on to play with some ''other'' child and (one assumes) repeats the cycle forever, has been lost for good. So the story about frolicking and kings and boats and sealing wax and stuff ends with Jackie Paper abandoning Puff, who slinks off to his cave to be sad ''[[OffscreenInertia for all perpetuity.]]''

* BannedInChina: Banned in Singapore way back in 1963 due to concerns of references to Marijuana use. The ban has since been revoked.

First written in 1959 by filmmaker Leonard Lipton and set to music in 1963 by Peter, Paul, and Mary's Peter Yarrow, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" tells the story of a boy who outgrows his childhood fantasies. The song also inspired a series of [[WesternAnimation/PuffTheMagicDragon animated TV specials]] that recast the eponymous dragon as a sort of fantastical child psychologist coming to the aid of some deeply troubled children.

* MoodWhiplash: The final stanza, which would have established that Puff then goes on to play with some ''other'' child and (one assumes) repeats the cycle forever, has been LostForever. So the story about frolicking and kings and boats and sealing wax and stuff ends with Jackie Paper abandoning Puff, who slinks off to his cave to be sad ''[[OffscreenInertia for all perpetuity.]]''

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: As the final verse states, [[MayflyDecemberFriendship a dragon lives forever, but little boys, not so much]].

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: As the final verse states, a dragon lives forever, but little boys, not so much.

* BelatedHappyEnding: The book adaptation in 2007, with the authors' input, gives Puff another companion after Jackie Paper grows up ([[spoiler: Jackie's child]]).

* BelatedHappyEnding: The book adaptation in 2007, with the authors' input, gives Puff another companion after Jackie Paper grows up.

* DownerEnding: Jackie Paper grows up and Puff has a HeroicBSOD.
** BelatedHappyEnding: The book adaptation in 2007, with the authors' input, gives Puff another companion after Jackie Paper grows up.
* GrowingUpSucks: The theme of the song is "putting away childish things."
** Though in the movie, it is played out as important and not all bad.

** However, a 2007 book adaptation approved by the composers addresses this by having the adult Jackie Paper arrange for his daughter to become Puff's new friend. There are also many unofficial last verses, basically covering the same ground.

* MoodWhiplash: The final stanza, which would have established that Puff then goes on to play with some ''other'' child and (one assumes) repeats the cycle forever, has been LostForever. So the story about frolicking and kings and boats and sealing wax and stuff ends with Jackie Paper abandoning Puff, who slinks off to his cave to be sad ''[[TethercatPrinciple for all perpetuity.]]''

First written in 1959 by filmmaker Leonard Lipton and set to music in 1963 by PeterPaulAndMary's Peter Yarrow, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" tells the story of a boy who outgrows his childhood fantasies. The song also inspired a series of [[WesternAnimation/PuffTheMagicDragon animated TV specials]] that recast the eponymous dragon as a sort of fantastical child psychologist coming to the aid of some deeply troubled children.