sub new() {
    my $class = shift;          # get class so constructor can be inherited
    my $self = {};
    bless ($self,$class);
    $self->_init( @_ );         # call _init here or in subclass
    return $self;
}

sub _init {
    my $self = shift;
    $self->{NAME}  = shift || undef;
    $self->{AGE}   = undef;
    $self->{COLOR} = undef;
    $self->awaken;
}
sub awaken {
    my $self = shift;
    ($self->get_name eq "nameless") ? print "A " : 0;
    print $self->get_name .", ";
    ($self->get_name ne "nameless") ? print "an " : 0;
    print $self->get_age .", ";
    print $self->get_color ." dragon awakens from his slumber!\n";
}

##</code><code>##

sub _init {
    my $self = shift;
    if ($self->SUPER::_init( @_ )) {
        $self->{NAME} = "Trogdor";
        $self->{AGE}  = "one year old";
        $self->{COLOR}= "green";
        $self->burninate;
    }
    print "Trogdor::_init got called\n";
}

##</code><code>##

package Dragon;
use strict;

sub new() {
    my $class = shift;          # get class so constructor can be inherited
    my $self = {};
    bless ($self,$class);
    $self->_init( @_ );         # call _init here or in subclass
    return $self;
}

sub _init {
    my $self = shift;
    $self->{NAME}  = shift || undef;
    $self->{AGE}   = undef;
    $self->{COLOR} = undef;
    $self->awaken;
}

sub get_name {
    my $self = shift;
    return $self->{NAME} || "nameless";
}

sub get_age {
    my $self = shift;
    return $self->{AGE} || "ageless";
}

sub get_color {
    my $self = shift;
    return $self->{COLOR} || "obscure";
}

sub awaken {
    my $self = shift;
    ($self->get_name eq "nameless") ? print "A " : 0;
    print $self->get_name .", ";
    ($self->get_name ne "nameless") ? print "an " : 0;
    print $self->get_age .", ";
    print $self->get_color ." dragon awakens from his slumber!\n";
}
1;

##</code><code>##

package Trogdor;
use strict;
use base qw(Dragon);

sub _init {
    my $self = shift;
    if ($self->SUPER::_init( @_ )) {
        $self->{NAME} = "Trogdor";
        $self->{AGE}  = "one year old";
        $self->{COLOR}= "green";
        $self->burninate;
    }
    print "Trogdor::_init got called\n";
}

sub awaken {
    my $self = shift;
    ($self->get_name eq "nameless") ? print "A " : 0;
    print $self->get_name .", ";
    ($self->get_name ne "nameless") ? print "an " : 0;
    print $self->get_age .", ";
    print $self->get_color ." dragon awakens from his slumber!(from Trogdor)\n";
}

sub burninate {
    my $self = shift;
    return $self->get_name ." burninates the land!\n";
}
1;

##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use Trogdor;

#my $d = new Dragon();          # create a nameless dragon
#my $d = new Dragon("Smaug");   # create a dragon named Smaug
my $d = new Trogdor();          # create Trogdor
print $d->get_color;            # confirm Trogdor's color is reset

##</code><code>##

Using perl 5.8.1-RC3 unless otherwise noted.
Apache/1.3.33 (Darwin) unless otherwise noted.
Mac OS X 10.3.9 unless otherwise noted.