Exercise Your Imagination! Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
The air was hazy, but the warm sunshine felt good. Lately, the days were cool, and the nights had been chilly. Today, although, was unseasonably warm. Perhaps we are in for an Indian summer, Ravenna thought as she dug another hole with her trowel and placed the last tulip bulb in the ground. She buried it and then glanced up at the girls playing together. Myrtle and Zerlinda had been helping her to plant, but had grown tired of it. The grandmother permitted them to climb the apple tree. After all, she had given them the idea with her tale. However, they were to remain in the lower branches.
The gardener stood up and admired her work. The tulips and daffodils would brighten up the rock garden. Enough for today, Ravenna thought as she stretched her neck and back. Looking down at the other basket of bulbs, she imagined that the bearded iris would be resplendent along the picket fence the following spring. Herman should pull those weeds and repair the fence pickets, Ravenna thought. But she dare not mention it again. Perhaps I could ask Janelle. She has so much on her plate. I don’t want to bother her.
“Mrs. Mariposa,” Myrtle said as she swung down from the tree branch, “can we have our snack and the story now?”
“Of course, dear, let me wash my hands first,” Ravenna replied. “Why don’t you girls bring over some chairs and we can sit here by Magic.” The big black cat had taken a break from his prowling and now was basking in the sun nearby. Ravenna went inside to clean up and then got some apples and cheese for them to eat. She was slicing the apples when she heard the doorbell ring.
When she answered the door, she found Mason standing on the doorstep with a surly look on his face. His grandfather stood behind him with his hand on his shoulder.
Somewhat uneasily, Herman spoke up. “I saw you planting some bulbs and thought Mason could help you.”
“But Grandpa…” Mason whined discontentedly. Ravenna noted Herman tightened his grip upon the boy’s shoulder that ended the complaint.
“I have a meeting to attend, and Janelle is at work. I won’t be too long. Would you mind?” Obviously self-conscious, Herman looked away.
To assuage his worry with the request, Ravenna answered quickly, “Of course. Come in, Mason.” She allowed the boy in and said, “Take your time, Herman.”
“Thanks,” the old man uttered and left.
Ravenna and Mason carried the food outside. Magic opened his blue eyes upon their arrival. When he saw Mason, the cat quickly disappeared under a nearby bush.
“What are you doing here?” Zerlinda said with mild disgust and a sneer on her face.
“Zerlinda! Don’t be rude and go get the drinks!” Ravenna admonished her. “Mason, fetch another chair for yourself.”
“No, ma’am. My grandpa said I have to work,” he replied stoically.
Ravenna agreed and then instructed him where and how to plant five of the iris bulbs by the fence. As he set to work, the girls sat to listen and eat their food.
“As the Raven had promised, Owl and Cora found a small sailboat anchored on the shore the next day. Cora looked in the boat and saw a large black book sitting on the bench. Grimsby’s Book of Spells lettered in golden script across the front of it. ‘What am I to do with that?’ the princess asked the owl.
‘Well, unless you want to row us across the sea, I suggest you find a wind calling spell. One that will carry us to the other shore.’
The princess rolled her eyes before disclosing, ‘You know, Sun People don’t believe in magic. Maybe the loony moon ones do…’ Seeing the look on the Royal Owl’s face, she stopped and took out the book. As it was heavy, Cora sat on the beach before opening it. Running her finger down the table of contents, she said, ‘Here it is. Wind Conjuring. Page 777.’ Turning to the page, she read it and informed Owl, ‘It says that I need a witch’s egg, some bramble, a feather and a turquoise ribbon.’ Biting her lip, Cora turned to the bird. ‘Witch’s egg? What’s that and where do I find one?’
The Owl replied, ‘It is actually a mushroom and I will get it.’ Pointing to a patch of bramble on a hill above the shore, he told her, ‘I’ll find one while you get a branch of bramble and read how to do the spell.’
So, they both went about their tasks. When Owl returned, Cora was ready. She held the turquoise ribbon. The Owl plucked one of his tail feathers and gave it to her. Tying the strip around the feather, she placed it on the sand along with the mushroom. Then the princess drew a circle with the bramble branch around herself in a clockwise fashion. As she stood in the center, she spoke these words as she motioned with her arms.
‘Oh Shining One,
The Master of Plumes,
The bramble is gathered for thee.
Favor my wish, raise the wind
And send a Zephyr upon the sea.
Take me to the distant shore
Of this task, I do implore
Come quickly Now
To blow and blow
So Owl and I
Don’t have to row.’”
To demonstrate, as Ravenna said the spell, she raised her arms high above her head and circled them.
“When Cora had finished speaking, she lowered her arms and looked around. Then she looked at Owl. ‘Well, that didn’t do much,’ she said critically.
Owl said nothing, but pointed at his tail feather and the blue ribbon. A mild breeze had lifted them ever so slightly. As the girl and the bird watched, the gusts grew, and the feather bounced and then danced upon the sand. Suddenly, a giant blast lifted the feather and sent it flying into the boat.
The wise old owl erased part of the circle with his wing and commanded Cora, ‘It is time to go!”
“Baloney,” Mason muttered under his breath as he continued to dig.
But Ravenna smiled as she noted the leaves of the rose-briar fluttered in the mild current that had sprung up. She watched Mason place a bulb and cover it with dirt. Puffs of wind gently ruffled his hair.
“Meanwhile, the Prince also felt the wind blow. Face to face with the squirrel, he balanced on a moving branch in the Elder tree. Squirrel didn’t seem to mind the swaying, but Thaddeus was a tad nervous as he was thirty feet high.
As he held on to the branch above to prevent his falling, the teenager asked Hummingbird gruffly, ‘What do I need from him?’ Hummingbird did not have time to reply.
Having the upper paw, Squirrel answered instead. Motioning with his head towards a shadow in the leaves above, Squirrel said, ‘You will bring us what we desire.’
‘Us?’
The Prince watched as the shadow moved and materialized into an opossum. The crafty pretender smiled at him. If you can imagine this marsupial’s face, it was a rather hideous smile. His grin was more like a grimace, not at all friendly, twisted and ugly. Approving of Squirrel as their representative, he nodded and then blinked his beady eyes at Thaddeus before fading into the foliage again.
Squirrel stated their demands. ‘You will proceed to the Fairy Lair and retrieve Jupiter’s Acorn for me and the Golden Mango for him.’
‘And if I don’t?’
‘We won’t reveal our secrets.’ Squirrel twitched his whiskers impatiently.
Being of royal lineage and rather full of himself, Thaddeus pulled his knife and pointed it at Squirrel. ‘What if I just make you tell me?’
Squirrel laughed, although it sounded more like sharp chattering and clicking, and snapped his tail back and forth. ‘Poor silly boy! You are in a precarious position to have such foolish notions!’”
Myrtle interrupted. “Baba, what’s precarious?”
“That means dangerous and not secure,” Ravenna informed her. The fortune-teller observed that Mason had stopped digging and was listening to her story. When he saw Ravenna had noticed, Mason broke up the soil again and pretended to ignore them.
“Not liking to be called poor, silly or foolish as he thought he was none of these, the prince became angry. Thaddeus rose to the challenge and lunged toward the rodent with his weapon. But he missed his mark as the giant tree shuddered unexpectedly. Trying to steady himself by grabbing the tree, the teenager dropped his knife. Then, unsuccessful, he fell as well. Bouncing off one of the tree branches, Thaddeus flew out of the tree. Down, down he went at a hurtling speed…”
A deep voice hailing interrupted her story and made them all look over. Herman stepped out of the back doorway. Addressing Ravenna, he explained, “I knocked, and no one answered, so I let myself in.” Then he looked at his grandchildren. “C’mon, let’s go.”
Next: The Myth of Madame Mariposa: Part 11-Into the Hole
