Who's That Magazine's Blog

Magazine

A magazine by 9 and 10 year olds. Written by Samantha DoLitle, Rohan Silvdurso, Poppy Winfield, Rose Rham, Jacki Davis, and Eliza Newport with reporters Ara Makani and Clare Makani. Edited by Eliza Newport.

Welcome to the new edition! Hope you like it! We'll start it off with an article about tigers by reporter Clare Makani.

Tigers

Wild tiger numbers are at an all-time low. We have lost 97% of wild tigers in just over a century. Tigers may be one of the most revered animals, but they are also vulnerable to extinction. As few as 3,200 exist in the wild today.

THEIR HABITAT

Tigers live in tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, savannas, and temperate forests.

The largest of all the Asian big cats, tigers rely primarily on sight and sound rather than smell. They typically hunt alone and stalk prey. A tiger can consume up to 88 pounds of meat at one time. On average, tigers give birth to 2-3 cubs every 2-2.5 years. If all the cubs in one litter die, a second litter may be produced within 5 months.

Tigers generally gain independence at two years of age and attain sexual maturity at 3-4 years for females and at 4-5 years for males. Juvenile mortality is high however—about half of all cubs do not survive more than two years. Tigers have been known to reach the age of 26 years in the wild.

Males of the largest subspecies, the Amur (Siberian) tiger, may weigh up to 660 pounds. For males of the smallest subspecies—the Sumatran tiger—upper range is at around 310 pounds. Within each subspecies, males are heavier than females. Tigers are mostly solitary, apart from associations between mother and offspring. Individual tigers have a large territory and the size is determined mostly by the availability of prey. Although individuals do not patrol their territories, they visit over a period of days or weeks and mark their territory with urine and feces.

Across their range, tigers face unrelenting pressure from poaching, retaliatory killings and habitat loss. They are forced to compete for space with dense and often growing human populations.

Basic Fact About Tigers:

The tiger is the largest member of the felid (cat) family. The sport long, thick reddish coats with white bellies and white and black tails. Their heads, bodies, tails, and limbs have narrow black, brown, or gray stripes. There were once nine subspecies of tigers: Bengal, Siberian, Indochinese, South Chinese, Sumatran, Malayan, Caspian, Javan, and Bali. Of these, the last three are extinct, one is extinct in the wild, and the rest are endangered.

Diet:

Tigers mainly eat amber deer, wild pigs, water buffalo and antelope. Tigers are also known to hunt sloth bears, dogs, leopards, crocodiles and pythons as well as monkeys and hares. Old and injured tigers have been known to attack humans and domestic cattle.

Population:

In the early 1900s there were around 100,00 tigers throughout their range. Today, an estimated total of about 3,000 to 4,500 tigers exist in the wild. Below is a break down of tiger numbers by subspecies.

Bengal Tiger: Less than 2,000

Indochinese Tiger: 750 to 1,300

Malayan Tiger: 600 to 800

Sumatran Tiger: 400 to 500

Siberian Tiger: Around 450

South Chinese Tiger: Extinct in the wild

Caspian Tiger: Extinct

Bali Tiger: Extinct

Javan Tiger: Extinct

Range:

Historic Tiger range ran through Turkey to South and Southeast Asia to the far eastern shores of the continent. Today, they are only found in South and Southeast Asia, China and the Russian Far East.

Behavior:

Tigers occupy a variety of habitats from tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands and mangrove swamps to grasslands, savannah and rocky country. They are mostly nocturnal (more active at night) and are ambush predators that rely on the camouflage their stripes provide. Tigers use their body weight to knock prey to the ground and kills with a bite to the neck. They are also very good swimmers and have been known to kill prey while swimming.

Tigers essentially live solitary lives, except during mating season and when females bear young. They are usually fiercely territorial and have and mark their large home ranges.

Reproduction:

Mating Season: In tropical climates, mostly from around November to April; during the winter months in temperate regions.

Gestation: 103 days

Litter Size: 3 to 4 cubs

Cubs follow their mother out of the den at around 8 weeks and become independent at around 18 months of age. They leave their mothers at about 2 ½ years. Mothers guard their young from wandering males that may kill the cubs to make the female receptive to mating.

Fast Facts:

Height: 3/3 ½ feet (.9 - 1.1m) at shoulders.Length: Head and body length 4.6 - 9.2 (1.4 - 2.8m) feet (tail length 2-3 feet (.6 - .9m).Weight: The Siberian tiger is the largest subspecies and males weigh from around 400-675 lbs (181-306 kg), while the Sumatran tiger, the smallest living subspecies, weighs in from around 220-310 lbs (100-136 kg).
Females of all tiger subspecies are smaller than males.Lifespan 10-15 years

Sound Clip:

tiger.mp3

Range Map

this map shows you where tigers live today and before.

Help us save these adorable animals!

Interview with Julia D

Topic: Dancing

Q: When did you start dancing?

A: I started dancing when I was two. They were offering a dance at my preschool and my mom signed me up. Every week we would walk to the dance class with one of the teachers. I loved it.

Q: Why did you start? What made you want to do it?

A: I wanted to try some thing new. Although it never felt new to me; it was like it was always there.

Q: What did you like most about dance class when you were little?

A: The music, the movement- I loved it all, and another thing that made it fun was that my friends were in it too.

Q: Now what do you like most about it?

A: Same thing as I said before!

Q: Do you think you'll continue doing it it in middle school, high school, maybe even collage?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you think when your an adult you might want to start dancing professionally?

A: One of my friend who's in high school was an amazing dancer. She got all the lead roles at my school. But she got injured so many times. She quit dancing to start looking for other opportunities and collages. On the other hand, my friend Melony is an amazing dancer (she's older too) and she goes almost every single day so yes.

Q: Where do you dance?

A: I dance with Mrs Kottely.

Thank you, Julia!

A Writer's Story

Interview with Beth Soltzberg, social worker and writer

Q: How old were you, where were you, and how did you decide to write your first creative writing piece?

A: Well, I enjoyed writing when I was in elementary school. But I spent most of my free time drawing and painting. I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, not a writer!

And then, when my kids were very young, it was too difficult to get my art supplies out when I felt creative. I was afraid that they'd get a hold of my paints and start painting the walls! It was much easier to take out a piece of paper and do some writing. This was in my mid-30s, and suddenly I felt I had a lot to say. Writing helped me to sort out my thoughts, and it was just as creative and exciting as drawing or painting.

Q: Have you gotten any pieces published?

A: I've had two essays published. One was one of the first I ever wrote, and I wrote it on my laptop plugged into the bathroom outlet at my friend's house, where I was babysitting for her children. (The bathroom outlet was the only one that I could find! I balanced my laptop on the sink.) That piece was published in the Boston Globe. And I had a piece published on www.mothering.com, the website of Mothering Magazine. I've also had many articles in the Arlington Advocate. I've written a novel that I hope to have published one day.

Q: What is your favorite piece you've ever written?

A: I loved writing a four-part series for the Advocate about amazing people whom I met in Teosinte, El Salvador, Arlington's sister city. These people were very inspiring, and I enjoyed figuring out how to write about them in a lively way so that readers would feel they knew them.

Q: What kind of writing do you like? Do you like realistic fiction, fiction, sci-fi, or Fantasy? Do you like sad but meaningful pieces, or bright, funny, happy pieces?

A: I really liked sci-fi and fantasy when I was kid, but now I prefer writing that's about real people or realistic characters. I like sad but meaningful stories, and funny stories.

Q: When writing, have you ever come to a point in your story or essay where you just don't know what to say next? What do you do then?

A: Yes! I often get stuck. And then I know that it's time to put the writing aside and go for a walk, or wash the dishes – just to do something that takes my mind someplace else for a while. Often I'll be doing something else, and suddenly a solution pops into my mind! The most important step in good writing is revision, revision, revision. I said “revision” three times, because really, it's something you have to do again and again! It's really helpful to take a break and come back to your writing with a fresh perspective, both to help you figure out a way through these stuck places, and to spot ways to sharpen your writing.

Q: Who is your favorite author, and why?

A: I have more than one! I love Alice Munro's short stories. They are about everyday kinds of things that happen between people, but somehow she makes them very suspenseful. She is a master of dialogue – every word counts, so that if her characters have a conversation about the weather, you learn about their passions and fears, and you pick up on how they feel about each other. I love Cormac McCarthy's writing – it's like poetry, although his plots are pretty depressing! I love Virginia Woolf and James Joyce, who were writing about 100 years ago. They were both interested in trying to convey how it feels to experience something in the present moment, even very subtle things, like being a child listening to adults having a conversation about something you don't understand, or biting into a piece of ripe fruit. Their writing is so beautiful.

Q: What is your favorite book, and why?

A: It's hard to pick just one, but I love “The Waves” by Virginia Woolf. It's a very unusual book. The whole thing is a series of thoughts expressed by a group of characters who are followed from early childhood through old age. When I finished reading it the first time, I felt like I'd just lived a whole life!

Q: Do you have any writing tips for any young writers?

A: This would be my advice for those who enjoy writing, drawing, music, dancing or any other art form. Don't worry about the finished product, or making a good impression! I know that sounds strange, but you have to let yourself experiment and take chances. The great writers that I mentioned, like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Cormac McCarthy and Alice Munro, are great because they never stopped pushing themselves to try new things. You have to be willing to have some pieces flop! And then, when you have a kernel of something that seems really alive to you, keep revising until whatever you like about it shines through. Usually the key is to figure out what you really want to say. If it's something that matters to you very much, then the reader will be excited to read it.

Thank you, Beth!

Questions With No Answers

Topic: Nothing

Question: Nothing is not there, yet it must be. Nothing is something, for something is everything, even though nothing cannot be anything.

How is this possible?

Answer: Nobody knows the answer, not even me

Question: If air and oxygen weren’t in the air, what would there be in the air? It must be something, because there cannot simply be nothing.

How is this possible?

Answer: Nobody knows the answer, not even me

Question: Is nothing a liquid or solid? Is it clear or a solid color?

How is this possible?

Answer: Nobody knows, not even me

Once there was a young girl named Leziana. She lived with her brother Kaladen and her parents, Ria and Sholen, in the Rimaat forest. One day she was out walking and she came upon a middle-aged man who was walking in the same direction she was going. The man's name was Hayahret, but Leziana did not know this.

"Pardon me," Leziana began, "But are you going to Jallitz just like me? Perhaps we could walk together." When Leziana spoke, the old man started, but when he saw Leziana, he jumped back even farther. But then he quickly recovered himself.

"I am going to Jallitz, soman-geneye." " 'Soman-geneye,' " Leziana thought, "He must be Bærtauren! 'Soman-geneye is Bærtauren for 'small girl', I'm sure of it!" Now, Leziana knew it was good luck to have met a Bærtaure. But the luck only came if you know his or her name. Leziana had always been nervous on the journey to Jallitz, fearing that a stranger would suddenly leap out at her, and Leziana was glad he had consented to walking with her. "Well, if we're going to be walking together, maybe we should introduce ourselves! I'm Leziana, the daughter of Ria and Sholen. What's your name?"

"When we are at Jallitz I will tell you. Now, we do not have enough time. We must set off soon. But may I call you Lell-ine-zet? It is an abbreviation of Lell-ine-zet-eye-ah-nahn-ah, which is your name in your language." The Bærtauren man replied. Leziana ignored the disappointment that swept through her. She had not expected the Bærtaure to give away his name, the Bærtaure's could be tricky at times.

"Lell-ine-zet." She echoed softly. The words felt new and slippery on her tongue. "Lell-ine-zet." Leziana repeated, louder this time. "Yes, I would love for you to call me Lell-ine-zet." So Leziana and Hayahret set off towards the city Jallitz, together.

If you had traveled from where Leziana is about two million miles, you would find a small village called Tiniysa. There lived Farax, the apprentice of the baker Piniat. Now, Piniat's breads and pastries were known far and wide. Everyday many people from miles around would come to his shop, The Tiniysia Terrace, to sample Piniat's delicious desserts. Farax was very lucky to be Piniat's apprentice. One day, a stranger from Jallitz came to The Tiniysia Terrace. He needed a baker to come back to Jallitz with him and stay there for one week to bake goods for a large party he was having to celebrate his daughter, Alaetsa's, birthday. The stranger bargained with Piniat until they settled upon a price. So the next day Farax and Piniat packed up there things and began the three day long journey to Jallitz.

Meanwhile, as the sun sank lower in the velvet sky, Leziana and Hayahret set up camp beside the road. They still had another days journey ahead of them to Jallitz and they had to be up with the sun the next day. Leziana settled right into her bedroll in her tent and quickly fell asleep, but the Bærtaure sat outside his small tent and stared up at the sky. He could hear the soft whisper of the trees and he could hear the animals who had not yet fallen asleep prowl around. The wind whistled past him, headed where Hayahret did not know. Slowly, gradually, the sound of the animals lessened; the world was falling asleep. Hayahret slipped into the shadows of night, ducked under a low hanging branch, and stepped into the forest. There, he began his transformation. Hayahret's body bent forward, stabilized by his new extra two feet. His back tingled as gray, scaled wings formed on his back. He felt his tail swish around his back legs. He ran his hand over where his waist would be, now the place where his animal skin and human skin morphed. The wind swished around his bare torso as he straightened up. Twisting around slightly, Hayahret surveyed his new form with satisfaction. His wings molded right into his back, his four legs were strong and steadfast, and animal skin felt smooth and well groomed as always. He was now part Horse, part Bird, part Human. He was a Bærtaure.

That same night, Farax, Piniat, and the stranger who's name turned out to be Garadian sat around the campfire underneath the stars in the Deepshohn Wood, a forest that lay in between the Rimaat forest and Tiniysa, telling stories. Piniat told one about a legendary Bærtaure.

"Once, deep in the mountains of Haydin, there lived a Bærtaure named Low-Lind. Well, in her language, her name was Lellohwi-Lelleyenahndu. Quite a long name, if you ask me. But all Bærtauren words are long like that, but Bærtaure talk fast, so they need not worry about not finishing their long-worded sentences in time!

"But anyhow, Low-Lind had a young daughter named Fern, or Fayineretnahn. Her husband is named Hayahret, Har in our language. One foggy morning Low-Lind was walking in the Rimaat forest with Fern. Just then Fern saw a small movement in the bush besides her. Fern was a very adventurous Bærtaure, and she wanted to find out what it was. So she gently parted the bushes. There lay a small human child. Fern had never seen anything like it! She took it up and cradled it in her arms. Then she cantered back to her mother who was lagging behind.
" 'Widu!' Fern had cried to her mother. You see, Bærtauren children call there parents by the last two parts of their names, or if the parent has two main parts in there names like Low-lind, they call there parent by the last letter of each part. I know, quite confusing. But they all work it out. But anyway, where was I… Ah, yes. She had called out to her mother." Then, before Piniat could continue speaking, Farax broke in.

"Excuse me, but I've just been wondering… what do Bærtaure look like? Or is this maybe not a good time for this question."

"Son, that's a perfectly good question, and this is a perfectly good time for it. Let me see… They have long, slender horse backs, that are usually a honey-brown color or black. They have lovely, huge, silvery maroon scaled wings. They have a dark yellow tail. They usually are wearing something called Wind Silk, or Wieyenahndu-Soeyelellkef in their speech. They have long, long brown or dark blonde hair. Low-Lind had brown. They have black eyes, very pale skin, and rosy red cheeks. And let me tell you something about their Wind Silk- it changes temperature to keep them warm enough or cool enough, and it protects their whole body, even though it only covers their torso and is short-sleeved. Isn't that miraculous?"

"It is." Says Garadian, who has taken a liking to Farax like he were his own son. "And I think it's time for the boy to get to bed?"

"Oh, please just let Piniat finish his story!" begs Farax.

"It's not much longer." Piniat assures Garadian, and the latter consents to Farax listening to the end of the story. "So Fern just cantered over to her mother, yes?" Farax nodded vigorously. "'Widu!' Fern said, 'Lellohkef! Look! See what I found! It's a human girl! Can we keep her?'

" 'Well, duahret, darling,' Began Low-Lind, 'We must make sure she doesn't already have parents.' So Low-Lind and her daughter spread there huge wings and flew up over the tree tops, casting their eyes around, looking for anyone who might be related to the small human. You may ask, how is it that no one saw them up in the blue sky. You see, Bærtaures are only visible to children, unless the Bærtaure shows itself to an adult. At that time of day, all the children were at school farther away, so they were not a worry. Anyhow, back to the story.

'Widu, I don't see anyone! May we keep her? Pallelline-ahso? Please?' And so Low-Lind agreed to 'keeping' the small girl. She was named Lellinezeteye-ahnahnha, Lellinezet for short. In the human language, her name was Leziana.

"One day maybe 10 months later, Fern was taking Leziana for a canter, her first one. Fern held Leziana tight, so he wouldn't fall. Then she picked up a walk, a trot, and then canter! The wind whipped in Fern's long blond hair and Leziana gurgled with delight. Suddenly Low-Lind swooped down from above.

'Fayineretnahn! Fern! Slow down.' She said, and Fern slowed to a slow walk. 'I'm sorry, but I saw a women in the village today who looked almost exactly like Lellinezet, Leziana. I'm sure she is the girl's mother. We must take her back. Hand me the child and I shall do it.' But Fern pulled away.

"'No! Please. If we have to give her up, I will be the one to do it. I'm sure I can. Please?'
"'Very well. Leziana's mother comes into the forest about this time everyday. Go and meet her.' Low-Lind said. So Fern hastened over to the spot her mother had indicated and waited. Soon, a young woman who did indeed look a lot like Leziana stepped into the forest. Fern appeared to her.

"'Please don't be frightened! I only came to give you your child.' Fern said when the woman stepped back.

"'We found her in the woods and took her in. She's a very nice girl. We- we named her Lellinezeteyeahnahnha, or Lellinezet. In your language, Leziana.' Fern said quietly, holding Leziana out to her mother.

"'Thank you… so much for taking care of my baby girl for me!' The woman said, holding her daughter close. 'I'll keep her name Leziana. It's beautiful. I must go. Again, thank you…'

"'Fayineretnahn. I mean Fern.' Fern said. 'Fern.' The woman repeated. 'Please don't tell anyone of us. I mean me. Please!' Fern said quickly. Leziana's mother promised she wouldn't. They exchanged farewells an the woman turned away. Fern watched the woman walk away, tenderly cradling her daughter. Fern was sad, but she knew she had done the right thing." Piniat finished off his tale with a swig of wine. "And now, good night to y'all." He added, walking away Garadian and Farax followed him and then curled up in their individual bedrolls. They all fell fast asleep.

Hayahret galloped through the forest. The trees closed in on him, and each mile seemed the same as the rest, but the Bærtaure knew where he was going; it was a path he had rode many, many times. He galloped over countless acres of forest. Suddenly, he halted in front of a tree that looked just like the rest, all though if you looked closer you would see a small notch in the tree trunk. Hayahret opened a pouch he had brought with him and pulled out a long, gray, Bærtaure wing scale-feather. He carefully inserted it into the notch. Then, he drew a thick, maybe a yard long piece of silvery cord. Hayahret gently knotted it around the part of the scale-feather that was protruding from the bark and tugged. The Bærtauren scale-feather stuck fast in the bark. His test was successful. Then, Hayahret took the scale-feather, still in the notch, and turned it towards the right. It turned smoothly; somehow the bark was not stopping it, yet it left no dent in the tree. With a soft, whispering sound, a glowing outline of a door appeared on the tree. Hayahret pried it open, stepped into the door, and - was gone.

Leziana woke with a fast beating heart. She pulled on a bathrobe and hurried towards her companion's tent.

"I just had the worst dream," she said, pulling away the tent flap and ducking in, "Some people were plotting to-" Leziana suddenly realized that she was the only one in the tent. "Where are you? It's only me, Leziana- I mean Lell-ine-zet! Where are you?" Leziana's heart beat even faster. But her parents had taught her to keep a cool head at situations like this. Leziana rushed back to her tent and yanked on some clothes over her pajamas. She pulled on boots, grabbed a flashlight, and cautiously stepped into the shade of the forest. She shone her flashlight on the pine needle covered ground. And it looked like luck was hers tonight! Leziana gazed at the fresh hoof print trail that stood in front of her, leading in the forest. She took a shaky breath and ran off, following the tracks. left, right, Left, left, left, right, stop and look for more tracks, right, left, right again… Leziana developed a rhythm in the track. It sometimes changed, but it mostly was the same. In what seemed like hours, Leziana arrived at the notched tree. She didn't notice the notch, but she did notice how the hoof prints stopped right there. Leziana decided he must have flown up to the top of the tree, for she knew that Bærtaures had powerful wings, so she began to climb up. It wasn't that hard to climb it, the branches lay close together, but many were thin and she had to chose her branches carefully. In not long at all, Leziana had reached the top of the tree. (It wasn't very tall, and Leziana was a fast climber.) She scanned around her, but she saw nothing but leaves, branches, and trees. She sadly began climbing back down, thinking her Bærtaure friend might have flown somewhere else and he would just come back in the morning. One branch from the ground, she saw a large bird flying over the landscape below. It was very much a bird, however Leziana thought she had seen Hayahret! In her excitement, she lost her balance, and-crash! Came tumbling down. Suddenly, a hidden door in the trunk of the tree glowed gold.

"What in Bærtaure history was that sound?" Leziana heard a woman murmur. The tree door opened, and there stood a Bærtaure with long, brown hair, blue eyes, and a very surprised expression.

Hayahret stuck his head around Low-Lind's figure and stared, openmouthed, at Leziana.

"Lell-ine-zet, what are you doing here?" He cried.

"What did you call her, Hayahret? Lell-ine-zet? Is she our own little girl?" Low-Lind said quietly. The Bærtaure blocking the door, Leziana observed, always speaks quietly. I wonder why? A teenage Bærtaure came up behind Hayahret.

"Widu, my Wieyenahndu Soeyelellkef, my Wind Silk, it's getting so old. May I have a new silk?" She says. "Wait, who's that? She looks kind of familiar…"

"Fern, it's Lell-ine-zet, do you remember? The woods, in a bush, we flew to the treetops…?"

"Lell-ine-zet? I recognize her! If it isn't her, I swear Bærtaures are just a myth." Leziana's eyes grew wide. So many Bærtaures! And how did everyone know her Bærtaureian name? As Fern spoke, Leziana decided that that was it. She had to know what was going on.

"Wait, wait, wait. Will someone tell me what's going on here? Who are these… Bærtaures, and why does everyone know my name?"

"You don't remember us?" Low-Lind whispered.

"Why would I remember you? I never met you!" Leziana cried, backing away. Low-Lind had a dreamy expression on her face. Then she started talking. She was talking so fast Leziana could barely understand her.

"One day, I was going for a walk, with Fayineretnahn, with Fern. She found you lying in the bushes… We looked around to see if anyone looked to be your pallahretinenahntlas, your parents. But there was no one with such soft yellow hair, with such beautiful green eyes… So we raised you in the Bærtaure wiohretlelldu, the Bærtaure world. The months passed, and you grew to a delightful, adorable child. Everyone cooed over you, there were no other humans, let alone babies, in our Bærtaure clan. But one day, a woman with blond hair and beautiful green eyes came into the forest. We knew that she had to be your mayohtlahayineret. She had to be your mother. So Fern bravely handed you over. It was a sad time for all of us. We had lost the joy of our lives! But let us forget that. You are here now! Let us enjoy the time we have. You are here, Leziana, and here you can stay forever." Leziana stumbled back. Oh, how she wanted to go with the Bærtaure and stay with them, having the time of her life! But then she thought of Ria and Sholen, her parents. Then she thought of her brother, Kaladen, and she knew that she couldn't.

"I can't. I need to go back. I'm sorry. I can't!" But then Low-Lind reached her slender arms out to Leziana, pulling her to the tree-door. THe latter tried to break away, but Low-Lind was strong. Leziana went through the door, and suddenly rainbows of color were racing past her, and wind rushed in her ears. She twisted around, fighting to go back, but the wind pulled her back. Just before the tree door closed, Leziana caught a glimpse of a curious animal staring at her. Blue wings sprouted from a fish's back, and two big owl eyes looked out at her from a human face. But Leziana didn't get to see more; the door closed with a hiss and hundreds of colors surrounded her.

Two days later in Jallitz, Garadian showed Piniat and Farax around his home. After the tour, Piniat started baking in Garadian's kitchen while Farax went on an adventure with Alaetsa, Garadian's daughter, who had offered to bring him to a spot in the forest that she liked. When they got to the large tree, they climbed up it's thick branches and sat on the top of the tree, gazing at the birds flying over their heads.

"Farax, look at that one!" Alaetsa said excitedly. "It's so big!" Farax looked where Alaetsa was pointing. There indeed was a huge bird, with silver wings and chestnut feathers. But were those horse legs? Was there a human torso coming out from a horse body?

"Alaetsa, do you know of the Bærtaure? I think that bird's not a bird- it's a Bærtaure!"

"A Bærtaure? Yes, I know what they are but how can we see them? Aren't they invisible?" Alaetsa answered. "Hold on, isn't there a rhyme about Bærtaures that goes like this- Part human, part horse, part bird, the wonderful and mythical Bærtaure, is visable to children aged less than sixteen, but no, not a year more. And I'm eleven! So that would make sense! I think you're right!" Alaetsa and Farax gazed up at the Bærtaure in awe. It was so beautiful how the wings stroked the air, moving powerfully up and down, and how the wind swished through the Bærtaure man's shoulder length hair. It was quite a sight!

Hayahret soared through the air, relishing the feeling of flying. He shot over a tall tree, where to birds where perched. They were rather large birds, one with pink and purple feathers and the other green in the tree. But wait-is there such thing as pink and purple bird? Hayahret doubled back over the tree and looked down. Two human faces stared back up at him. He had been spotted! Hayahret knew that the children would tell everyone about him, and the Bærtaures would be caught and put in zoos. So the Bærtaure alighted on a branch next to the children. He forced his lips to form a smile.

"Care for a ride?" He cheerfully asked them and the boy and girl eagerly clambered onto his back. As Hayahret took off, he thought, these children really are clueless. I suppose they'll have fun with Leziana in the Bærtaure world. But they'll always be there.

Find out what happens to Leziana, Alaetsa, and Farax NEXT EDITION!

The Carrots of Winter

The Snowshoe Hare loved winter. Winter days were quiet, the sky was blue, and the ground was covered with SNOW - nice, white snow that made the Snowshoe Hare quite invisible. That meant the Snowshoe Hare could not be seen by predators. Not that anyone would want to eat the Snowshoe Hare, because she was SO TOTALLY CUTE. Except, perhaps, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. But dinosaurs were extinct by this time, so that really wasn’t an issue.

There was a downside to winter, however, for the Snowshoe Hare. The snow covered the vegetables. Snow covered the lettuce, covered the spinach and the kale, covered the broccoli, covered the… well, you get the picture. So it was hard for the Snowshoe Hare to find a good lunch during the winter.

One fine, snow-covered day, the Snowshoe Hare went out looking for something to eat. She visited a garden where, in the summer, she knew she had found delicious lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli… well, you get the picture. After scratching about in the snow for a while, the Snowshoe Hare was becoming discouraged. And then, she noticed something orange, barely visible in a low spot in the snow. She hopped over and moved some snow out of the way. There, poking up a little bit from the earth, was something overtly orange, tantalizingly tempting, lusciously lunch-like, deliciously delightful, and she took a bite. Wow! CARROTS.

CARROTS, overlooked by the gardener and growing bigger and better in the snow-covered garden. CARROTS, perfectly preserved in the ground by the cold winter weather. CARROTS, bursting with beta-carotene (bright orange because of its conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds, and very nutritious). CARROTS, good for the eyes and SO DELICIOUS.

So the Snowshoe Hare, invisible against the snowy background, pigged out (to coin a phrase) on carrots. And after that, whenever she was hungry in the winter, she hopped over to the garden and looked for the bright orange hint of CARROTS.

Racing Coconuts

"Truth or Dare?" my best friend Jackson challenges me. I glance around at my circle of friends like they might have an answer.

"Dare." I say confidently. My friends and I always get together Saturday evenings. We're gathered around a campfire eating marshmallows on a beach in Florida. Just then, Jackson grins at a tall palm tree with four coconuts cradled under it's huge green leaves, and then back at me.

"Simon-I dare you to a coconut race with me. Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it." I say, feeling my face turn red like it always does when I'm excited. Jackson and I know the drill. We each jog over to separate palm trees and shake them vigorously. When the tree gives up a coconut, I catch it as it falls. Jackson also gets a coconut. Then we drag our feet in the sand, creating one wide race track going for maybe twenty five feet down a hill. The hill is steep enough to give the coconuts momentum. Jackson and I go to the start line and bend down, the coconuts almost touching the ground. "On your mark, get set-" Jackson starts, then everyone cries, "GO!" Our coconuts tumble out of our hands and down the track, picking up sand. Then our friends start choosing sides. They break away from the circle and form two clumps, one cheering, "Go… Jackson! Go… Jackson! Let's hear it for Jackson!" and another group yells, "SIMON! SIMON! SIMON!" I feel the thrill of the moment as my coconut whips past me, no more than a brown streak. Our audience crane their necks and squint to see the coconuts through the rapidly falling night.

Now the coconuts are nearing the end of the track, where Jackson and I made a heap of sand to stop the coconuts from rolling on and into the water. Mine's in front-or is it Jackson's? Oh, darn it, we forgot to mark the coconuts so we could tell who's is who's! But it's too late-one of the coconuts has hit the barrier of sand.

"I WON!" Jackson shrieks, sticking his index fingers in the air.

"Uh-uh, I won!" I argue, glueing my fists to my hips.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!" The two of us go on like this for a while more, the onlooker's heads swiveling from one person to the other. Eventually we get tired of our argument and collapse on the ground, laughing. Once we quiet down, all the kids lie on their back and look at the stars. I gaze at one that looks particularly like a coconut.

This is a story that Eliza Newport wrote when she was eight and a half.

The Journey

Chapter 1 The Story

Once upon a time, there lived a little girl named Isabelle. Her parents were divorced, but they loved her very much. Isabelle had pretty blond hair that was wavy and went down to her waist. She had brown eyes and freckles.

Isabelle lived in a cottage in the woods, and she loved to visit her animal

friends, the birds, bees, squirrels, and chipmunks,

fish, beaver, and the woodchucks. Every day Isabelle gets up early to milk the cow and feed the chickens.

She always has-for breakfast, lunch, and dinner-bread, butter, and milk.

One time Isabelle had been walking in the woods for a long time and she found that she had never been there. She thought she should turn back-but no, she would keep going. And wait! What was that? A chirping sound! A bird! But where was it? There! A very interesting bird. It saw her. She froze.

It wasn't scared! It made a little motion with it's wing, as if it wanted her to follow him. She hesitated. Should she? Yes. She took a step forward. It didn't move. She kept walking. It went ahead. She stopped it stopped. She kept walking it kept flying. Finally it stopped in front of a path. Isabelle walked up to it. She saw smoke! A house! She ran and waved goodbye to the bird. Bye! She called. It seemed to say bye back. She knocked on the door. No sound. She knocked again. Knocketty knock! Knocketty knock! The door opened a crack. “Who is it?” She heard a voice!

“I don't mean to trouble you” said Isabelle. “My name is Isabelle. Do you have a bed where I could spend the night Miss?”

“Yes and don't call me Miss”

“But I don't know your name!” Isabelle cried.

“fine, that's true my name is Hannah.”

“I guess I'll have to go tomorrow. Sighed Isabelle.

“Oh! Oh no! Please stay,” Hannah said.

“But -”

“I beg you.”

“Why?”

“Company.”

“Company?”

“Yes, company.”

“Don't you have anyone to keep you company?”

“No, I live by myself,” said Hannah.

“Oh, how sad!” Isabelle said. “Sure it would be okay?”

“Come in and I'll show you around,” said Hannah.

“Um...all right.”

“Sure you're sure?”

“Yes.” She walked in. “Oh,” she cried. “Where is your bed?” Hannah pointed to a rolled-up thing.

“That does not look like a bed at all,” said Isabelle.

“Let me tell you a secret. Promise you won't tell?” said Hannah, looking around to make sure nobody was listening.

“Of course I won't,” laughed Isabelle. “I don't have anyone to tell it to.”

Hannah blushed. “All right, I'll tell it to you.” Isabelle leaned down to hear. (She was a little taller than Hannah.)

Then Hannah whispered, “I'm poor. I don't have a regular bed.”

“Oh,” said Isabelle in a shaky voice, “That's sad. But don't worry. I'll stay with you.”

“But you don't understand,” cried Hannah.

Chapter 2 The Whistle

“What don't I understand?”

Hannah and Isabelle were leaning against the bed like a couch. “What exactly don't I understand? I think I understand everything,” said Isabelle.

“We're not staying here.”

“B-b-b-but, I thought we were!” quivered Isabelle.

“But, listen to this. There's a tornado coming,” said Hannah.

“Huh, a tornado?” Isabelle's eyes were wide with fear. “But all my things! My parents!” Hannah sighed.

“Go and get your special things and tell your parents.” Isabelle looked out the door.

“The bird! It's gone!”

“Huh? What bird? What's gone?” asked Hannah. Isabelle explained the whole story. When she finished, for a second Hannah was speechless. Then she laughed. “Of course not. There's no such thing as a magic bird. And I'm not going to listen to any more. Nonsense. And you should be getting to bed now.”

“But -” Isabelle started to argue, and Hannah shot back: no ifs, and's or buts.

“Would you at least help me find my way home?” asked Isabelle.

“Oh, all right. I'll do it.” Hannah growled. “I'll come with you.” They stepped outside. They walked a little, then Hannah tripped on something. “Whoa!”

“Oh, are you all okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” said Hannah, struggling. Then Isabelle asked curiously, “What did you trip on?”

“Um, this.” Hannah held up what looked like a stick. Then Isabelle noticed it had a hole at both ends and about five holes on the top. “Look, it's a whistle!” Isabelle shouted.

“Well then.” Hannah looked as though she didn't believe that. “If you think so, then blow it.” Isabelle brought the whistle to her lips. She blew. It let out a long, sad sound. It sounded as if someone was singing. Then the trees began to rustle. Then a big gust of wind. Hannah and Isabelle closed their eyes. Then, they opened their eyes, and what a sight! Almost fourteen flocks of birds were there!

Two of them, at the front, turned to the other hundreds, maybe even thousands of birds. They squawked to the others, or talked, or so Hannah thought, but she didn't tell Isabelle. The two birds who had been talking to the others (who looked pretty scary), turned back to them. Hannah and Isabelle took a step back. The two scary birds turned to them and waved their wings exactly like how the bird did with Isabelle when he wanted her to follow him. Then they both patted their backs. It seemed like Hannah understood, because she got on the bird, the one that pointed at her, and it flew back with the others. Then Isabelle hesitated. Then she did the same. The girls found the backs of the birds were slippery so they held on tight. Then all the birds turned around at once. They flew high into the treetops and Hannah thought, “Maybe magic birds are real. Maybe Isabelle was telling me the truth.” They flew higher and higher with every second. And then, as if reading each others mind, they both shouted to each other the same thing, “Do you think we'll get there on time? What about the tornado?” And then, seeing what they did, giggled softly. As they rode, they looked down and saw foxes, birds, rabbits, all kinds of animal scurrying out of sight.

Chapter 3 The Magic Birds Story

Now Hannah was beginning to believe in the magic birds. And one day she found out the truth. As they were flying over the treetops suddenly, as if the magic birds had planned on it, they all said together in a high, robotic voice: “We are the magic birds. You summoned us using the Songson Whistle. Now we have come to you, you are our master until you die.” Then the one that Isabelle was riding on spoke. “I am Songson. I became the leader of the Songson Tribe when my ancestors were put under a terrible curse by the River God. We once were Men and Women, Boys and Girls, but when we were foolish there was a terrible drought. The trees and the birds and the flowers nearly ceased existing. At that time in heaven there was a great war. All because of the deeds of the townsfolk of the village Warnong. They wanted to make a magical teleport to Heaven. Now the God of Life was a very powerful god. In my opinion he was too powerful. For he often would act daftly.”

“How powerful was he?” interrupted Hannah.

“Could he do everything?” asked Isabelle.

“He was very, very, very powerful, but he could not do everything. For example, he could not control Saturn, Neptune or Uranus. He could only control Earth. If he tried to control Neptune or Uranus, which other Life Gods have tried and failed, he would burst into thousands of chunks of light. And he would probably silence everybody on Earth.” Hannah and Isabelle shivered.

“Now, on with the story. The Life God decided to send a terrible drought. He wiped out the seven great rivers with a wave of his hand. And he made sure that Warnong had the worst of it. He slashed a giant hole in the Earth, sending all the population of Warnong into the underworld. Then with a wave of a handkerchief he healed up the giant cut. But this was only the least of his fury. I still believe we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that tree spirit named Anog. Anog sacrificed his own life for the life of others. His roots were bursting with water, and he let down the water, but the Life God didn't think it a good deed at all. My ancestors quickly grabbed for the water. In fact, they did more than grab. They literally dug deep trenches and made a giant hole in the ground. And the water, well, it poured in. How dare you steal my water, said the River God! And he quickly set a spell. The spell goes like this.” He attempted to say it, but just as he began, he stopped in mid air. “I can't,” he said. “I can't.”

“It's okay, we understand,” soothed Hannah. “Go on.”

“All right. Back to the story for the second time. So the River God turned us all into birds. But this River God was very inexperienced and young as far as river gods go, and he made one mistake. He accidentally created a whistle from the stick that lay under him.

Now in the heavens, everything was under chaos. The Life God had been killed by a mysterious assassin. So, quickly his son took up the post. Now his son was very kindhearted and gentle, unlike his father, and quickly put a stop to the terrible, terrible drought. And of course, the Life God sees everything, so he took pity on us birds. He summoned us to his castle and we talked to him as well as birds could. Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet. But luckily, the Life God understood every language, even Bird. And he knew we were asking him: can you turn us into humans again? “No,” he replied, “I'm sorry. I don't have skill at turning things back. But I can do something else for you. I can give you the power to speak.” And he touched us each on the tail. And suddenly we could speak. It was wonderful. And here we are, magic birds, the Songson Tribe.”

“Thank you,” breathed Hannah and Isabelle. “Well, we better get on, then.”

Chapter 4 The Fairies

Hannah was still thinking about the story. In fact, she was doing nothing except thinking about the story. Her hands had loosened their grip on Selia's (which turned out to be her bird's name) back. She wasn't thinking about what she was doing at all. Then, suddenly, she absentmindedly let go of her bird's back. And well, you guessed, she fell. Down she went, mile after mile down, down, down, with Seilia swooping after her. Then Isabelle turned to look at Hannah, and well, Isabelle was so surprised, she almost did the same! Thoughts were racing through her mind; was Hannah hurt? But still, she had to do this. Without a moment's hesitation, she pushed firmly down on Songson's back, guiding him down. Finally they landed. Isabelle glanced quickly around. They had no time to lose. There! “Hannah!” she gasped. Her left arm was bleeding badly. She was covered with bruises.

“Music,” whispered Hannah, as she winced in pain. “The flute?” She turned to Songson. “Do you have it?” He turned to a bird. “Samer.” he said. “The whistle.” Samer took the whistle out of a pouch and gave it to Songson. He passed it to Isabelle. She began to finger it. Somehow as if by magic, it created a song. It sounded like bells! Songson and Seilia began to lead in a song. “I love this one,” breathed a bird called Sormer. All the birds began to sing:

“Fairies, fairies come with thee,

bless the heart of the hurt one please.

Fairies, fairies, come and heal.

Come and heal while pray and kneel.

Fairies, fairies, come and lift.

Lift the hurt one and get the gift.

Fairies, fairies, come with thee.”

While they sang it for the second time, little silvery voices joined in. They finished then stopped. Then they all chanted, every one except Isabelle. Even Hannah joined in. They said this:

“Fairies, fairies, come now, come now.

Fairies, fairies, fairies, come now, come now, come now.

The hurt one, the hurt one, we have here.

Now HEAL! Now HEAL!” Then, sang:

“Healers, healers, come with thee!”

Then thousands of little fairies all in silk, purple clothes came out of the bushes. They sang a little song:

“Eashema, Oh healer lot.

Eashema ohle.

Oh, felix ome aton lo. Fe embolee.”

And slowly, slowly, Hannah got up, kissed every fairy, and then one fairy, a child, stepped up. “Here, you forgot this,” he said. Hannah took it. “Oh! My gown!” She put it on. It was so beautiful!

Chapter 5 Hannah's story

“Thank you, Mettan! I totally forgot about this!” Hannah said as she fastened a necklace with a purple

diamond on it around here neck. Than she said: “Oh fairies, I feel so much younger now!”

Now you might of guessed that Isabelle was very confused. She definitely was! She was sitting in a corner of the opening watching all this. Suddenly Hannah remembered her friend. She turned to Isabelle and said: “Sorry Isabelle, I forgot you didn't know anything about ,I'll tell you the story;”

“So-” “The story about what?” Asked Isabelle. Than Hannah explained, “The story about how I became a Healer Fairy.” Isabelle's hand flew to her mouth. Than Hannah glanced sideways at her and she listened intently. Hannah began again; “So when I was young-well, I'll start it with a different beginning. So you know that every year the healers travel around the world and chose two people to train with them and become healers right?” Isabelle nodded even though she didn't. Hannah went on. “So they went strait to my house because they knew-”

“No we didn't! Squeaked a fairy. We went to someone else's first! “Fine.” Hannah agreed, “your right.” Than she said: “Now don't interrupt again or I'll cast a spell on you. So they went to another house and then mine, and they actually asked my parents-as only fairies would do-but they didn't want to let me go, but boy did the fairies want me so they- so they froze them and left with me!” Hannah finished rather quickly. By this time the fairies were hanging their heads and muttering things like: go on now. And hurry up! But Hannah went on. “Now here's the funny part.” The fairies and Isabelle looked up. Than Hannah said: “My parents gave me a really weird name, it was, Gimiwoto-” before she could finish everyone was laughing. She tried again,” Gimiwotowo- “she tried again and succeeded. “Gimiwotowolewa.”

“Now of course we changed it to Hannah” Spoke up a fairy. “Whats that got to do with Giminoto or whatever it is?” Isabelle joked, and she got everyone laughing all over again.

Chapter 6. They Get Home

On the rest of the trip everyone was still laughing about Hannah's name when suddenly Isabelle gasped. “Gosh! Look at Hannah!” Everyone turned to look and gasped. Hannah seemed uncomfortable. She knew what they saw. She was growing lavender colored wings on her back! Than Mettan said: “But that only happens on a full moon!” “Than I'm guessing it will be one.” Said a Magic Bird grandly, otherwise it would be impossible!” “I see my house!” Cried Isabelle while her friends scanned the forest. There eyes were wide with exitment. “where?” Seilia wanted to know. Isabelle tolled Songson to steady then cautiously lifted a hand up and pointed. Than Sormer chirped exitedly “I see smoke, a chimney!” Than all the birds chirped: “TOUCH DOWN!” And they landed. Everyone took a minute to stretch their legs, and than they began walking toward the house. Through the window they could see Isabelle's parents arguing and they could hear words like “You did it” and “No, she went out by herself!” Than, they stopped and stared. “Mom, Dad!” Cried Isabelle. “Isabelle!” They cried. After they had embraced each other, Mom asked, “Who's that?” “That's Hannah.” Isabelle said. “Where are her parents?”

“Doesn’t have any.” Isabelle replied. “Then we'll be them!” Dad announced. “And we could use a pet or two,”He said, grinning at the Magic Birds. “Seilia!” Hannah said. “Sure.” Said Seilia. “But we don't have room for two children and a bird.” Said Mom. “Then we'll move,” Isabelle's dad said, “It's the only way.” “Yay!” Said Isabelle. “Pack up first.” Mom reminded them as she went in with dad. Isabelle called back to Hannah, “Come on Gimiwotowolewa!” “That's not my name!” Said Hannah. “It used to be!” Laughed Isabelle. They raced in after Isabelle's parents. They stopped dead and stared. Then they both smiled. Isabelle's mom and dad were kissing. Than, they hugged her.

The End

Chapter 1

     Once upon a time, a girl named Goldie Locks was walking towards her Aunt Cinderella's house when she heard a crack of a twig and two bears in very ugly, frilly dresses leaped out from behind the trees.

 “Hello dear.” said one in a falsely sweet voice, a sickly smile producing from under a mustache.  “Just so you know, Cinderella, she's gone.”  Goldie stared at them.

 “Where is she?” she demanded of the two bears.  

 “Oh, brother. Let's go,” said the second bear.  The first bear said, “The prince said not to dawdle- come on! Oh, and by the way, I'm Agatha, and this is my sister, Aunt Milly.” The two bears each grabbed one of  Goldie's arms and marched her into the forest.  After awhile Agatha spoke.

 “There you go, there's your darling aunt's house.  Now, do you think you could, oh I dunno, maybe, get inside it?” Aunt Milly tittered.  There indeed was her aunt's house,  but there was also about a dozen bears in royal uniforms surrounding it. Agatha and Aunt Milly let go of Goldie and when she turned to run away,she realized that she had no idea where she was so if she tried to go back she would just get lost. So Goldie took a deep breath and walked forward.  If these two bears can talk, maybe all of them could.  She inquired of the nearest bear, “Where is my aunt and what have you done to her?”  The bear stared at her.

Chapter 2

 Goldie said again, “I said, where is my aunt and what have you done with her?” The bear was still staring at her with a confused expression on his face.  Another bear stepped up.

 “'Scuse me miss, but he don't speak English.”

 Goldie looked up. She said, “Who are you?” 

 “Sorry for not introducin' mesel', Miss, but I'm Cap'in Harry Bear.” 

 Goldie said to Harry, “Then you answer my question. Where is my aunt and what have you done with her?” 

 “Nothin', Missie, she chose hersel' tha' she wanted to work in the kitchens.  An' I must say mesel' she's mighty good a' it.”

 Goldie said quickly, “What kitchens, whose kitchens?” 

 “Why the Prince's, o'course, who else would own 'em?” the bear said.

 “The – the Prince?  Prince who?” asked Goldie, gaping at Harry. 

 “Prince Charming!” the bear exclaimed, “Who doesn't know Prince Charming? Nobody, that's who!” He walked off  rubbing his head and muttering, “Prince Charming, by golly, the little lassie don't know about Prince Charming!” Just then, Goldie heard a rustling, and whipped around to see Agatha and Aunt Milly carrying a stretcher with a little red headed girl in a little red dress wearing a little red riding hood on it. Goldie ran towards the little girl to help. The girl was laid in a little bed, and her leg, which appeared broken, was wrapped up. Goldie pulled up a chair, and sat waiting for the red head to come to her senses. After about ten minutes, the girl opened her eyes sleepily and blinked them once or twice. 

 “Who are you?” she asked in  a tired voice. 

 “I'm Goldie.  Goldie Locks.  I've come to see how you are.” Goldie answered gently. 

 “Oh.” the girl paused for a moment then went on.

 “I'm Lindy Ret Ridin Sood or Little red riding hood but you can call me Lindy. This is how I got hurt.  I was walking through the woods to visit my grandmother, when a bear sized wolf jumped out of the trees blocking my way.  I turned around to find a slightly smaller wolf.  The wolves pulled off their heads to reveal two bears.  Then, they took off their costumes.  I saw that they were wearing ugly, frilly dresses.  One of them said in a voice sweet as honey, 'I'm Aunt Milly dear, and this is my sister Agatha.'  I started to run away but Agatha grabbed me.  I hooked my foot around a tree trying to get away but Agatha was stronger.  With a horrible crack my leg broke. Then-well I don't really remember anything else.” 

 Goldie said to Lindy,  “ Um...You wanna be best friends? Yeah? Well than  I'll come back every day to check on you.  I'm sorry but I have to go now.  I really, really, really hope you get better.  Well then...Bye.” Goldie walked over to Captain Harry Bear and asked where she should sleep. 

 “I see,” He said, nodding suspiciously. “My son Thomas hasn't told you where as I asked 'im... Son! There you are, come an' tell the little miss where to sleep like I told you to. Come on!” Then Harry added in an undertone, “I would of told yeh mesel' but I mus' say I-well I actually don't know.” A little bear in overalls came running up to Goldie and said, “yeh can sleep over there, the firs' cabin miss, see? An' be sure to close an' bolt the door 'cause Hatey, Agatha's daughter, wanders in the cabins at night an' can give yeh quite a scare.” 

 Thomas scurried away again and Goldie started to walk towards her cabin.  She opened the door of the huge cabin, found mammoth pajamas in the gigantic drawers, put on the pjs, got under the covers of the gargantuan bed, put her head down on the colossal pillows, and tried to fall asleep.

Chapter 3

 After about half a month, Goldie had developed a solid routine: she would get up at about eight o'clock, brush her teeth, and get dressed.  Then she would have breakfast in her cabin. 

 After, Goldie would visit Lindy and stay for about an hour to talk.  She would then take a walk, and then read under a weeping willow, which was a favorite spot of hers because the branches hid her from view, and because sometimes she could see a gnarled face peering out at her from the bark, and she felt good inside when she saw the face's warm smile.

 Then it would be time for lunch.  Goldie would go to the bear dining hall for this, which made her feel a tiny bit uncomfortable because she was surrounded by all the bears and no humans.

 After lunch Goldie would go back to reading under the willow.  Then she would have dinner in the dining hall, go home, have a glass of milk, brush her teeth, and then go to bed.  During one of Goldie's after-lunch-reading-times, Goldie thought she heard the face in the bark speak. It said, “Be brave Goldie. Harder times are yet to come.” Goldie immediately jumped to her feet and scoured the bark for the face, but the bark stubbornly remained smooth. Confused,Goldie turned back to her book,  Fairytale,  and told herself firmly that she imagined it, but from then on, Goldie was wary of the face.  

 After about a month more of this routine, Lindy was perfectly fine. The next morning after Lindy got better she met Goldie and the two girls dressed and washed up to go to The Prince's kitchens to see Cinderella, Goldie's aunt, whom Goldie had told Lindy all about.  But when they asked Harry Bear where to go he said, “yeh can't go there! Don' yeh know tha' on'y bears an' people who work there can go?” 

 “No,”Answered Goldie and Lindy together. 

 “Hang on!” said Lindy, and the other two looked at her. “Then, um, maybe Captain Harry would take us,and we could wait outside.” 

 “Yeah!”said Goldie nodding. 

 “Please?” Added Lindy. 

 “No.” Said Harry,turning back to his gardening. 

 “Oh come on!” Said Goldie. Both of the girls turned down their lower lip and batted their  eyelashes. 

 “Well when you put it that way-no!” Said Harry. 

 “It'll just take a second!” The girls begged. 

 “Can' cha see I'm working?Do yeh have eyes?Or ears?I've said no two times,an' your still down on your knees beggin'.Or do yeh want me to say no a third time?If yeh do, well then I will.  No! There yeh have it.  Now will yeh two finally leave me alone?” Lindy said, fighting to keep her voice steady, said, “I have three things to tell you. One, yes we do have eyes.  But can your eyes see that we need you? Two, yes we do have ears. But can your ears hear us asking for you?  Three, I am not down on my knees begging!”  

 “Though it's a very good idea, I thank you.”said Goldie, grinning from ear to ear. 

 “Goldie,”said Lindy. “no joking right now, 'kay?”

 “Well excuse me if I didn't know that!” 

 “Goldie!”said Lindy with a 'stop talking now' look. 

 “Sorry!”said Goldie, looking alarmed. 

 “Well?” Demanded Lindy to Captain Harry Bear. 

 “Um, come on, w – we're going, a – aren't we?” Answered the Captain.  Goldie looked funnily at Lindy and quickly fell into step beside her and behind Harry.

Chapter 4

 “Okay,what did you do to him?And why didn't you tell me - tell me you were a – a you-know-what?”  said Goldie.  Lindy looked confused, and asked Goldie, “What in the world do you mean?  No, seriously, I have no clue what you're talking about!” 

 “Oh, please. A witch!”

 “I'm – I'm not witch! For one thing, I don't have black hair - or – or a black cat, and, um, I don't wear a black cape or a black hat!  I don't ride on a broomstick and I don't know magic!  A – and I do not have green skin! Right?” 

 “You don't have green skin,” Answered Goldie soothingly.  “But anyway,what did you do to Harry?”

 “Wha..?  Oh! I – I have my my ways.” 

 “You are a witch!” Said Goldie suspiciously.  Lindy smiled. 

 “We're here!” Harry stepped up to a big wood door.  He knocked once, twice, three times.  A bear who looked like a maid opened the door.  Harry told the two girls to wait outside the door. 

 He had a hurried discussion with the maid and she directed him through a corridor.  About fifteen minutes later Captain Harry came out, followed by Goldie's aunt. After Goldie and Cinderella affectionately embraced and Goldie introduced Cinderella to Lindy, Goldie and Lindy led Cinderella back to Goldie's cabin.  

 Captain Harry Bear went back to his gardening and the other three, Goldie, Lindy, and Cinderella, sat on the bed inside Goldie's cabin, discussing ways to escape.

 “Okay, maybe we should get your aunt out of the kitchens, Goldie, and  then she'll be able to stay with us for ever and ever.” said Lindy wearily, who was sprawled across the floor painting her nails with berry juice from berries that Goldie had collected while Lindy's leg was still healing.

 “Yes, I really would like to get out of that prison.”Agreed Cinderella. 

 “Why did you want to go there in the first place anyway? You really hate it, I can tell!” said Goldie curiously. 

 “Me wanting to work there? Never.  As soon as they captured me, they lugged me over to the kitchens and told me to wipe dishes.  I expect the bears all told you that I wanted to go. They must have been ordered to by the prince.” Goldie's aunt said with a twisted smile. 

 “Well anyway, if we are going to get me out of that horrible place, how?”She added. 

 “Well...Who's behind all this?” said Lindy, wiping a bit of nail polish off her big toe. 

 “I think it's the king.” said Cinderella. 

 “I've never seen him, where has he been all this time?” asked Lindy. 

  “Well, you've only not seen him because you've been in the bear hospi-” Cinderella started to say but she was cut off by Goldie. 

 “Yeah, but I haven't seen him either and I was out and about, unlike Lindy. So I would of seen him but I didn't. Where do you think he is, anyway?”  

 “Well,” said Goldie's aunt heatedly, “The  prince says he's in the library so I suppose that's where he is.” She was talking loudly and slowly with the air of someone talking to a child who just totally didn't understand something even though the older person had explained the concept before more than once.

 “Okay then,” Said Goldie, “Um, let's just...uh... get a job there...and...pop up in the library? Sometime?” 

 “Goldie,” Lindy said to her friend, “We could do that but there’s just one little problem.  The maid has already seen us.”

 “So?” said Goldie.

  “So, wouldn't she be a bit suspicious?” 

 “She's always suspicious.” said Cinderella dismissively.  “So, Goldie, I think that's a great idea.” Goldie glowed. 

 “So, Lindy, what do you say?” Cinderella said. 

 “I – I guess I'm fine with doing it.”   

Chapter 5

 “Great!” Said Cinderella briskly. “I think we should go down to the castle and get you the jobs right now, so then you can start your jobs tomorrow morning.  Come on, let's go!” She got up from the bed and held the door open for Goldie and Lindy who nervously filed out the door. 

 The three females went down to the castle. (Down a hill, into a large valley which held a town, and off to the left in a small passage way.) Cinderella knocked three times and the maid opened the door. 

 “We wish to see the prince.” Goldie's aunt told the bear pompously. 

 “Why do you wish to see the prince?” She asked them. (Suspiciously.)

 “We wish to get these two jobs.”

 “Turn out your pockets, and take your shoes off!” The three people did as she told  and finally the maid told them-with a very disappointed look on her furry face, “You may go. I'll get you a guide. Natalie!” The maid called. 

  “Come show these – these people to the prince's chamber!” A stout bear came hurrying up to Goldie, Cinderella, and Lindy.

  “Would you please  come this way, madam and misses?” She said, bowing.  As the 'madam and misses' hurried off behind Natalie, Lindy heard the maid mutter,  “Show offs.” When Lindy told Goldie what she had heard, Goldie only grinned and said, “Witches have good hearing.”

 “Here you are, madam and misses.” Natalie said suddenly, panting.  “The prince's waiting room. When he is ready to see you, he will send a butler to get you.” Natalie hurried off.

     After about fifteen minutes, a butler came over to the three people and led them into what Goldie could only guess was Prince Charming's throne room.

     The throne room was a spacious, circular room covered in wall to wall red carpet.  In the back of the room on a raised platform there sat two magnificent golden thrones, covered in dazzling gems. 

 On the first of the two thrones there sat a handsome young man who was talking to a bear in armor.  The man was wearing a silver jumpsuit and a red cape.  He wore an exquisite  crown incrusted with jewels and had a fierce, challenging look on his face. 

 On the throne next to him was a young woman with long, wavy, brown hair. She was wearing a gold and red gown with a scooped neck and an empire waist and a matching gold necklace with a ruby set into it. She also wore a crown shaped like a ring, with ceramic flowers twisted around it.  

 When the Prince saw Goldie, Cinderella, and Lindy, he said to the bear he had just been conversing with, “You may go.”

 “Your highness,” said Goldie's aunt, curtsying deeply, “I am Cinderella Rebecca Locks, and I work in the kitchens.  I have brought Goldie Susan Locks, my niece, ( she nodded her head at Goldie who curtseyed,) and her friend Lindy Ret Ridin Sood, (now Cinderella indicated Lindy, who also curtseyed, her face red as a beet,) who both wish to work in the kitchens in the dish-washing-and-wiping station, with me.  We have come to ask for your permission.” She curtseyed again.

 While Cinderella spoke, The Prince had been sitting slumped over, his head leaning on his hand. Cinderella had not noticed this non-attentive look while her aunt talked: she had had been taking in her surroundings.  But now she stared eagerly at The Prince, waiting for a response.  Then, finally, the Prince spoke.

 “Certainly these – these little children may work in my kitchens, but why with you, my-dear lady?” Cinderella considered his question before beginning slowly,

     “Well, Your Highness, these two girls - are exceptionally good at dish-washing-and-wiping! I mean, why not let them share their talent?”

 “Alright children,” The Prince said very sweetly, “you may work in my kitchens.  I hope you're happy.  If you're not, you're not getting any sweeties.  NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

     Goldie, Cinderella, and Lindy hurried quickly out of the Prince's Chamber's and out of his castle. 

 “Whew! Charming indeed!” Goldie said, wiping her hot forehead, “That Prince sure does have a hot temper!” The other two of here companions looked a her grimly.

 “What?” Goldie said, “It's only true!”

Chapter 6

 When Goldie, Cinderella, and Lindy were almost back at their cabins they spotted a boy of about 15 coming towards the three people. Goldie stared at him rudely.

 “Hi, I'm Joey,” he began, “um, have any of you seen Aunt Milly or Agatha? I – I mean if you know them, of course. 

 “No, I'm afraid we haven't seen them.” answered Cinderella.  Anyway, I'm Cinderella Locks.  Here, the red head, is Lindy Ridin Loob and this - for goodness sakes, stop staring, Goldie - is Goldie Locks, my niece.”

 “Oh...” Said Joey, now starting to stare at Goldie himself, “Uh... n – nice to meet you...” Both Joey's and Goldie's faces looked like two furiously ripe tomatoes.

 “So, when should it be?” Joey asked as he, Goldie, Lindy, and Cinderella walked towards the small cluster of cabins surrounding Cinderella's house. 

     “Well, I mean, I guess it should be, well, I guess it should be as soon as possible! I – I  mean if that's fine with you, of course.” Goldie answered, hardly believing her luck in finding Joey.

 “No, no that sounds great! So... you free tomorrow?”

 “Oh my g- I mean OMG I am!”

 “Then it's a date! But where should go for it... I mean there just aren't any, like, cute, tiny, little pubs around here...”

 “Phew! Am I glad about that!”

 “What -”

 “Oh, I just think they're just- well that they're just kinda' lovey dovey. You know, a couple gets a soft dr- I mean a coke with two straws and then throw popcorn into each others  mouths...”

 “Yeah, I really do know what you mean, I didn't want to do something like that anyway, but then, where...”

 “ How 'bout somewhere called the forest?”

 “Sorry, but I haven't heard about anywhere called The For... Oh...!”

 “Well?”

 “Sounds good to me!”

 “Okay! Then it's settl-”

  “GOLDIE!” Lindy screamed, “I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO YOU FOR THIS PAST HOUR!”

 “Wait, you were trying to talk to me in the Prince's Throne Room?”

 “NO! THIS PAST HOUR HAS BEEN YOU TALKING KISSY TALK TO YOUR DARLING JOEY WHO YOU JUST MET TODAY!”

 “Alright alright, calm dow - chillax!”

 “TOMORROW-”

 “Lindy!”

 “Okay! Tomorrow we both work in the kitchens you Tiny Brained Newt, and, oh, you're giving our  whole plan up just for a – a – a – a   STUPID BOY! Oh, how could you desert us like that, how could you abandon us for a stupid DATE?” Lindy wailed, already almost standing in a pile of her own tears.

 “Lindy d – don't talk to me like th – that! J – just tell the stupid prince that I, that I QUIT!!!” Goldie rushed into her cabin, and then after a moment rushed out again and bellowed at Lindy, “AND D – DON'T YOU EVER EVEN THINK ABOUT CALLING JOEY STUPID!” Goldie ran back into her cabin, threw herself down on her bed, and sobbed as though her heart might break.

See more at the beginning of the next edition!

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