In Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, Ged goes to the island of Low Torning, where the people are threatened by the dragons of Pendor and are in great need of the protection and help of a wizard. By this time, Ged has already begun to learn some humility, for he has encountered the shadow, yet he still has a hint of his old bravado when it comes to the idea of facing the dragons.

When Ged goes after the dragons, he kills several young ones first. Then he confronts the great Dragon of Pendor. The Dragon is wise and wily. He taunts Ged, for he knows about the shadow, but Ged realizes that the Dragon is not to be trusted.

The Dragon tells Ged that before he can win victory over the shadow, he must name it. Otherwise it will continue to pursue him forever. He is right about that, but his motives are more than suspect. He wants to manipulate Ged.

Ged then turns the tables on the Dragon and says that no one will harm him if he stays in Pendor and no longer bothers the people to the east. The Dragon mostly sneers at that. He is rather proud and doesn't think this little wizard can do much to him. But Ged can do something. He speaks the Dragon's true name, Yevaud, and with that has control over this great Dragon. The Dragon must swear his oath, and he does so with a flame, but Ged has won, and Yevaud's pride is shattered.