Dragon Danger / Grasshopper Glue

“I wonder why he’s in such a bad mood?” Freddy thought. “Now where was I?”

He opened the big book and flicked through it. It was Volume One of the Wizard’s Handbook (Fifty Volumes), but Freddy hadn’t got any further than the first few pages.

“Part 4: Stretching and shrinkingspells,” Freddy read. Then he gave a little yawn. “This first bit seems quite easy.”

He picked up his wand, gave it a few practice twirls, then cast a spell.

he chanted and pointed his wand at the curtains.

The curtains began to stretch longer and longer. They piled up on the floor in huge folds. Soon, they filled half the room and headed towards Freddy like waves.

Freddy grabbed the Wizard’s Handbook from the table and flicked through the pages again. He found a spell just in time.

The waves of curtain stopped growing and began to retreat.

“Phew!” said Freddy.

But now the curtains were the size of hankies, dangling from the curtain rail.

Just then, Freddy heard a shout from outside.

“Freddy! Are you in there? Have you got the football?”

It was Freddy’s pal, Cubby. “There won’t be any harm in having a quick kick-about with my friends,” Freddy thought. After checking that Odds-and-Ends wasn’t lurking in the house, he tucked the football under his arm and went out to join his friends.

Chapter Two (#ulink_d6291ae1-f3a9-5792-950d-b3ea3ad788e5)

Freddy tiptoed back into the house after the football game. He was sure he’d get a telling-off from Odds-and-Ends, but the dragon didn’t seem to be around. Freddy looked in all the rooms of Wizard Cottage and in the garden shed, but Odds-and-Ends was not to be found. By bedtime the little dragon had still not appeared.

“That’s very, very strange,” muttered Freddy, as he went up the stairs to bed.

In the morning, there was still no sign of him.

“I’ll go down to the village and ask if anyone has seen him there,” thought Freddy, so after breakfast he set out down Lumpy Lane towards Muddling.

Mr Green the blacksmith was hammering away at a horse shoe in his smithy. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

“Have— BLAM! you— BLAM! seen— BLAM! my— BLAM! house— BLAM! dragon— BLAM! Mr— BLAM! Green—?” asked Freddy between hammer blows.

“Lost your dragon?” said Mr Green, as he stopped to wipe the sweat off his face. He gave Freddy a crooked smile with his one crooked tooth. “I reckon you will have to be looking for a new one then. They’re touchy things these dragons. I wouldn’t trust one as far as I could throw one. Give me a horse with four good feet firmly on the ground!” and he went back to his hammering. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Now Freddy felt really unhappy. Perhaps Odds-and-Ends had flown away to find some other young wizard who was keen on reading books and learning spells. Perhaps the little dragon was not to be trusted.

“What am I going to tell Uncle Sneezer” thought Freddy, as he walked on. “How am I going to explain that he needs a new house dragon? Besides, I’ll miss him. Wizard Cottage won’t be the same without Odds, even if he does tell me off too much.”

Freddy found himself standing across the road from Mrs Muncher’s cake stall. He glanced across at all the piles of delicious cakes, biscuits and scones.

“A cake would cheer me up a lot,” he thought and so he crossed the road.

“You look a bit down-in-the-mouth this morning, Master Freddy,” said Mrs Muncher cheerily.

“It’s because Odds-and-Ends has disappeared,” wailed Freddy. “I haven’t seen him since midday yesterday. I think he’s flown away and will never come back.”

“Oh, Master Freddy,” said Mrs Muncher. “I’ve never heard of a dragon deserting its house. It will be Odds-and-Ends’ birthday.”

“Did you say his birthday?” said Freddy.

“Oh yes. Dragons always disappear for a little while on their birthday, you know,” Mrs Muncher went on. “Of course, they live for a very long time and only have a birthday every ten years. I remember the day your Great Uncle Sneezer got Odds-and-Ends. He was such a sweet little pup! He was about seventy years old, but that’s very young for a dragon. Your Great Uncle—”

“But why do they disappear on their birthday?” asked Freddy impatiently.

“They go off to shed their scales, my dear,” said Mrs Muncher. “They go off to a quiet place every ten years, shed their old scales and grow nice, shiny new ones. It takes a little while and makes them very grumpy. I think the new scales are quite itchy and—”

“Thank you, Mrs Muncher,” said Freddy, as a broad grin spread across his face. “You’ve really cheered me up! I thought Odds-and-Ends had run away for good!”

“Oh, I’m sure he hasn’t, my dear,” said Mrs Muncher.

“Perhaps I ought to buy Odds-and-Ends a birthday cake,” said Freddy eagerly.

“I don’t think dragons eat cake, my love,” said Mrs Muncher. “All they seem to eat is that dragon weed, which grows down by the river. And honey. They’re partial to a little bit of honey. Why not go and ask Mr Buzzwell the beekeeper for some honey? I’m sure he’d—”

“Thanks, Mrs Muncher!” said Freddy. “I’ll go and do that!”

“Before you go, love, here’s a little something to keep you cheery!” said Mrs Muncher and she handed Freddy a strawberry tart.

Freddy thanked Mrs Muncher again and headed for home, nibbling his strawberry tart.

He called in on Mr Buzzwell on the way.

“I’d like a jar of honey for my house dragon, please, Mr Buzzwell!” Freddy shouted from a distance, since Mr Buzzwell was standing surrounded by bee hives and angry bees.

Mr Buzzwell came across to Freddy.

“I’m sorry, Freddy, I have no jars of honey just at the moment,” he said. He saw the smile fall from Freddy’s face. “I tell you what! I have an extra little beehive down in my field. How about I let you have the hive and your dragon can help himself to honey?”

“That would be really kind of you, Mr Buzzwell,” said Freddy, cheering up again.

“I’ll wait till evening,” said Mr Buswell. “All the bees will be inside for the night and I’ll bring the hive to you then.”

Freddy thanked Mr Buzzwell again then ran down to the river. He picked an armful of dragon weed. It was very prickly and had a nasty smell.

“I don’t know how Odds-and-Ends can eat this stuff,” said Freddy, as he tried to carry the pile of weed home and hold his nose at the same time. He dumped the weed on the table and rolled up his sleeves.

“Now, how on earth do I turn this into a birthday cake?” he said.

Chapter Three (#ulink_0afc5e2c-eb0e-536b-9955-04c9ee7ce237)

Freddy boiled the dragon weed for quite a long time and it filled the kitchen with its awful smell. When it had cooled, he emptied it out of the pot on to a plate. He covered it in green icing to match Odds-and-Ends’ scales and stuck a candle on top.