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;Mr. Tur Tur: This illusory giant or mock giant ({{lang|de|Scheinriese}}) is a gentle and modest person and a [[vegetarian]], but a tragic recluse due to his unusual nature: When seen from a distance, he appears to be a giant, inadvertently frightening everyone who beholds him; when approached, it turns out he is actually of normal height. Consequently, he lives at an [[oasis]] in the desert, "The End of the World".
;Nepomuk: A half-dragon by birth, because his mother was a [[hippopotamus]], and still has some resemblance to his mother. Like his fellow [[mixed-race]] dragons, he is not accepted by the pure-blood dragons in Sorrowland. He tries to behave like a "real" dragon by being scary and mean, while he is actually neither. (A certain naughtiness, which he later promises to overcome, does seem to belong to his actual traits, though.) However, he is able to help Ushaurishuum create the Crystal of Eternity, and becomes the keeper of the Magnetic Cliffs.
;Pung Ging: The Emperor of China and Li Si's father. A kind and just ruler who befriends Jim and Luke after they offer to free his daughter from Mrs. Grindtooth's clutches.
;Ping Pong: A very young and tiny Chinese boy whose head is the size of a [[ping pong]] ball. Hardly more than a year old and no taller than a man's hand, he is already very capable of behaving and thinking like an adult.<ref group=note>This stereotypical depiction of the Chinese is common in the story. The country called China in the first editions of the book was later changed to "Mandala". The 1990 English translation again uses "China", however (Athenea Bell, Overlook Press, Woodstock, NY).</ref> He is one of the numerous descendants of the Emperor's chief cook; after saving Jim and Luke from a treacherous and manipulative minister, he is made Prime Minister of China by the Emperor - a role which he fulfills surprisingly capably.
;Mrs. Grindtooth {{nobold|({{lang|de|Frau Mahlzahn}})}}: A pure-blood dragon and the main antagonist of the first story. Her name comes from the single fang projecting from her long snout. She is very knowledgeable and intelligent, but like all dragons, likes to torment lesser beings with her power. She runs a school for human children in Sorrowland.
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