The Wonderful Wood

The Market

They walked out into the street. The sun was shinning, and people were streaming down on foot, on ponies and carts.

"What do you think is there is a rush today?" asked Drizzlemister looking at Diana. "Perhaps it's a special day?

"There is a special show today, done by one of the apprentices of the master wizard," said one of the passersby, on hearing Drizzlemister's remark.

"What is the show?" asked Diana as the woman was about to walk past.

"Why they don't have a program as such," said the woman as she walked past in a hurry. Strangely enough, the woman seemed to be frightened at the question.

"That woman seemed to be a bit reluctant to speak about the show," said Drizzlemister. I wonder why," he said, tugging at his long silver beard.

They followed the crowd. It was all head, caps, hats and bonnets. People talked, laughing and whispering as they all poured like a cloud of bees past the clock tower into the market. On they walked and came to fruit stalls.

There Ethan saw some strange things. There was a man with fruit, and he was yelling, "fay fruit! Come and grab yours while the stock lasts. Each fruit will satisfy your hunger for a day!

They were the most peculiar fruit that Ethan had seen. They were silver and sparkled in the sun. Gathered about the stall were children, thrusting notes at a boy who was handing over fruits, taking the money and counting it seemingly at the same time.

"Do you want one?" Diana asked, pulling out her purse. Ethan looked at the fruit longingly. He wondered if it would be polite to say yes. "Here, go on, get one."

Ethan took the money and went forward. After putting up some pushing and showing by children wall clamouring and struggling to get their hands on the fruit, he managed to get to the shopkeeper.

"How much is a fay fruit?" asked Ethan as he looked at the coin, which had strange symbols on it.

"It is five talons," said the boy as Ethan handed over the coin. Ethan waited until he gave the change. Just then, a hand grabbed the coins before Ethan knew what was happening. He was shocked. He yelled, hey! As loud as possible. Drizzlemister heard it and guessed what had happened when he saw a boy dashing away from the crowd gathered at the stall. He stretched his hands, and something like a golden flash shot out of it.m and flew into the air. Over the head of the fleeing boy, and fell on top of his head. Instantly he froze in motion. Everyone stared. The whole crowd had gone silent. 

Then Drizzlemister walked up to him and said, "So you thought you could get away? Stealing from someone like that?" he said, tugging at his beard and looking at the boy who it seemed was stuck fast onto the floor by some invisible force. The ring had fixed itself around the boy's forehead.

"I have a mind to leave you like that if it wasn't like that, you little thief said, Drizzlemister, as he held on to the boy's hand with one hand and took the money he had stolen out with the other. He snapped his finger, and the golden ring floated off his forehead and floated towards Drizzlemister's finger, which he heald out. Drizzlemister held out his finger, and the golden ring floated towards his hand and slipped itself onto his outstretched finger.

"Well, what have you got to say for yourself, boy," he said, still holding onto the boy's hand. The boy trembled. "You are a wizard!"

"Yes. That's not the point, and that's not what I asked," said Drizzelmister tightening his grip on the boy who was struggling to flee. "I'm sorry, mister, please let me go."

"Well, will you promise me that you won't do what you did again?" asked Drizzlemister loosening his grip.

"Yes...yes.. I will." said the boy, and Drizzlemister stared until the boy quivered.

"very well. Go along now and be a good boy," he said, releasing him. A small crowd had now around Drizzlemister. The boy fled.

The crowd that had gathered around Drizzelmister and the boy dispersed. People talked in hushed tones as they made their way, and people made a way for them to pass. The word had spread like wildfire that a powerful wizard was amongst them.

Ethan bit into the fruit. It tasted delicious. It was unlike any fruit he had ever had. The first bite tasted of mint chocolate, the next of raspberry jam tart, then chocolate brownie.

Each bite tasted like his favourite thing to eat. What's more, when he had eaten his fill and put the fruits away and taken it out after a while to take a bite, the fruit had grown back into what it looked like when he had brought it.

They went to a shop that sold bags which said, Betty's Traveller's Store. They went into the shop, and a plump woman greeted them. There were sleeping bags, harnesses, tents, rolled-up carpets and mats, and everything needed for camping.

"Aren't you going to see the show? You will miss it if you stay. I would have gone myself if I had not had to take care of the shop," said the woman as she emerged from behind the counter of the shop.

"You can take Ethan to the show while I buy the wears. It will take a while," said Drizzlemister as he took his eyes off a rug.

"How long will the show take?" asked Diana as she took out a strange pocket watch from her pocket.

"About half an hour, I should think," said the shopkeeper as she dusted her counter with a feather brush.

"Alright, we will meet you outside in about half an hour. Come along, Ethan. Let's go and catch that show."How long will the show take?" asked Diana as she took out a strange pocket watch from her pocket.

They both went out of the store. Diana and Ethan looked around. There were balloon men selling balloons that changed colour, and there was cotton candy of all colours. There were packets of popcorn that rattled inside transparent packing. 

Soon they found the stage set up for the show. There were children, men and women of all ages gathered about the scene. It was empty, and soon there was thundering applause as a young man came on stage.

He was wearing a tailed coat and a top hat. He took off his hat and bowed, and the people cheered. He raised his hands, and everyone fell silent.

"Now for the first trick, he said, looking around at his audience, I want a hat. Could I have one?" He said, looking around. A gentleman came forward from the crowd and thrust his hat towards the young man on the stage.

The young man took the hat and then asked for a coin from the audience. Then he said in a loud voice, "you know that the Five talons coin has a falcon in it, now I'm going to make one appear."

The crowd gasped as he left the hat on the floor. He put his hand above it. Something gold shot out of his finger, and there was a flash. When Ethan looked at the hat, he saw a gold ring just above its brim, like a glittering ribbon wrapped around it.

The hat wriggled. The young man took it off the floor. A falcon was sitting on the floor. The man stretched his hand and the falcon came and settled on it. The crowd cheered and clapped aloud. As cheers ceased, the man thrust his hand forward, the ring on the hat floated and hovered in the air. He snapped his fingers, and it began to glow brightly. There were three flashes, and there appeared three rings just like it floating in the air.

Then he sapped his fingers, and the rings caught on fire. The falcon flew in and out of the rings without singing its wings. The crowd clapped and cheered as the bird wove itself through the burning rings.

Then the magician bowed and snapped his fingers, and there was a flash, and the rings merged into one, and the flames died away. It came floating towards him, and to his lips, he flew through it three times and said, quick, pop the bubbles and see what you get," as three bubbles floated towards the audience.

A child jumped up and popped it, and something white fell off on to her hand. "A puppy!" Ethan heard her scream in delight. Then another fell with a chink to the hands of a shabbily dressed man. The crowd was silent, and the man said something Ethan couldn't hear.

Ethan looked at Diana, who smiled at him. "Wait till Drizzlemister hears of this," she said as they walked away from the stage. That ring will be handy to you once you know magic.

"By a lucky chance, I met the stable boy of the Honey-bee in. I asked him to bring us our horses. He will be here any minute!" said Drizzlemister as he left the heavy baggage on the floor by the entrance of the shop.