Cressida Cowell

 "You can choose the lying witch's son, Alvin, the man with the golden nose, the blood-soaked hook, and the empty heart."

[...] "Or you can choose my own son, Hiccup, who is not a runt, but something special, and who offers you the hope of a new and better world."

"I have come," said Hiccup, "to find out whether you come in PEACE or in WAR."

"Oh, peace, I think," said the Dragon. "I am going to kill you though," he added.

This is the story of becoming a Hero the Hard way.

There were dragons when I was a boy.

"DEATH OR GLORY!" yelled Gobber.

"DEATH OR GLORY! yelled eight boys back at him fanatically.

Death, thought Hiccup and Fishlegs, sadly.

Although this is the part of the story that the bards tend to focus on as the bit where Hiccup was particularly heroic, I do not agree. It is a lot easier to be brave when you know you have no alternative. Hiccup knew in his heart of hearts that the Monster intended to kill them all anyway. So he didn't have a lot to lose.

“Well, don’t expect ME to pity you!" said Hiccup. "What kind of father thinks his stupid Laws are more important than his own son? And what kind of stupid Tribe is this anyway, that it can’t just have ordinary people in it?"