Bruce Springsteen introduces the little Welsh dragon that's helping him rock Europe

Say hello to Bruce Springsteen's little friend.

It's a red Welsh dragon stuffed animal called baby Draig that the Freehold music legend picked up from fan Therese Flemminks at the E Street Band's May 5 show in Cardiff, Wales. He showed it off to fans on a May 8 hype reel for the band's Thursday, May 9, show in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Springsteen initially thought the little guy was a dinosaur.

“We're coming to get you now, first show in Wales and we are going to rock you to the ground!” says Springsteen backstage at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in the reel. “This little dinosaur is going to help me.”

Cut to the next day.

“This is the morning after our first show in Cardiff, Wales. I met this dragon there, and we had a great show, the crowd was great and I do have two questions,” Springsteen said.

“One, why am I up in the daytime, and two, Belfast we're coming your way. It's the home — my mother-in-law was born there — so I don't have to tell you me and this dragon and the E Street Band are coming to rock you into the ground! See you soon!”

More: New 'East Carson Street' at Bell Works features music of Joe Grushecky (and Springsteen)

More: Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to late 'Rebel Rouser' guitar legend Duane Eddy

The video was shot by Springsteen's sister, Pamela Springsteen. Springsteen's mother-in-law, Vivian Scialfa, is a longtime resident of Deal whose maiden name is Morris.

Baby Draig was given to Springsteen, 74, in Wales while the band was performing “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out.” The Boss put it in his pocket and continued the song.

“I saw Bruce pointing at him from the main stage,” said Flemminks via email. “You really feel it when he is pointing at you or at your [neighbor]. And his pointing was right in between Pauline and me — so at baby Draig. Well, then Bruce came off the main stage, walked along his fans.

"All of a sudden he stopped and kind of grabbed the baby Draig out of my hands. It felt like how children are taking/‘grabbing’ something from another child when they really like the toy of the other one. As a mother I know that kind of enthusiastic, ‘childish’ [behavior] very well. I love it. It’s authentic, it’s pure, it’s real (heart emoji).”

Flemminks and her crew filmed a Springsteen-style hype reel at Principality Stadium before the show that features an appearance by baby Draig.

“I think and feel because Bruce is himself so real, so pure and authentic that he recognized something pure in the baby dragon,” Flemminks said.

The show in Wales was the first of a string of European shows for Springsteen and the E Street Band that run through late July.

 Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen: Little Welsh dragon helping him rock Europe