Moonlight on the Magic Flute Read online

  Here’s what kids have to say to

  Mary Pope Osborne, author of

  the Magic Tree House series:

  WOW! You have an imagination like no other.—Adam W.

  I love your books. If you stop writing books, it will be like losing a best friend.—Ben M.

  I think you are the real Morgan le Fay. There is always magic in your books.—Erica Y.

  One day I was really bored and I didn’t want to read. . . . I looked in your book. I read a sentence, and it was interesting. So I read some more, until the book was done. It was so good I read more and more. Then I had read all of your books, and now I hope you write lots more.—Danai K.

  I always read [your books] over and over . . .  1 time, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times. . . . —Yuan C.

  You are my best author in the world. I love your books. I read all the time. I read everywhere. My mom is like freaking out.—Ellen C.

  I hope you make these books for all yours and mine’s life.—Riki H.

  Teachers and librarians love

  Magic Tree House® books, too!

  Thank you for opening faraway places and times to my class through your books. They have given me the chance to bring in additional books, materials, and videos to share with the class.—J. Cameron

  It excites me to see how involved [my fourth-grade reading class] is in your books. . . . I would do anything to get my students more involved, and this has done it.—C. Rutz

  I discovered your books last year. . . . WOW! Our students have gone crazy over them. I can’t order enough copies! . . . Thanks for contributing so much to children’s literature!—C. Kendziora

  I first came across your Magic Tree House series when my son brought one home. . . . I have since introduced this great series to my class. They have absolutely fallen in love with these books! . . . My students are now asking me for more independent reading time to read them. Your stories have inspired even my most struggling readers.—M. Payne

  I love how I can go beyond the [Magic Tree House] books and use them as springboards for other learning.—R. Gale

  We have enjoyed your books all year long. We check your Web site to find new information. We pull our map down to find the areas where the adventures take place. My class always chimes in at key parts of the story. It feels good to hear my students ask for a book and cheer when a new book comes out.—J. Korinek

  Our students have “Magic Tree House fever.” I can’t keep your books on the library shelf.—J. Rafferty

  Your books truly invite children into the pleasure of reading. Thanks for such terrific work.—S. Smith

  The children in the fourth grade even hide the [Magic Tree House] books in the library so that they will be able to find them when they are ready to check them out.—K. Mortensen

  My Magic Tree House books are never on the bookshelf because they are always being read by my students. Thank you for creating such a wonderful series.—K. Mahoney

  I’ve always wanted Jack and Annie to go to the country of Austria, and now, finally, they do in Moonlight on the Magic Flute. When I was a small child, my family lived in Austria for three years. Our home was in Salzburg, a beautiful old town situated on the banks of a river and surrounded by mountains. Best of all, a huge castle sits on a hilltop in Salzburg overlooking the town. I could see the castle from the windows of our house!

  Living in Austria was like living in a fairy tale. I’m certain it gave me my love of fairy tales and folklore, and it also gave me the feeling from a very early age that everyday life has a touch of magic to it. So I hope that now you, too, will have a great trip to this country that meant so much to me a long time ago.

  Text copyright © 2009 by Mary Pope Osborne

  Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Sal Murdocca

  All rights reserved.

  Random House and colophon are registered trademarks and A Stepping Stone Book and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. Magic Tree House is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.

  Visit us on the Web!

  www.magictreehouse.com

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at

  www.randomhouse.com/teachers

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  Moonlight on the magic flute / by Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Sal Murdocca. — 1st ed.

  p. cm. — (Magic tree house; #41)

  “A Merlin mission.”

  “A Stepping Stone book.”

  Summary: Jack and Annie travel to Vienna, Austria, in 1762, where they meet the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his sister and help save the budding genius’s life.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89463-3

  [1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction. 3. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus,

  1756–1791—Fiction. 4. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 5. Vienna (Austria)—History—

  18th century—Fiction. 6. Austria—History—1740–1789—Fiction.]

  I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.O81167Mpl 2009 [Fic]—dc22 2008022608

  RL: 2.7

  v3.0

  To Janet, Alan, Colin, and Ross,

  who have known for a long time

  that music is magic

  And with special thanks

  to Dr. Jack Hrkach

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dear Reader

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. To the Summer Palace

  2. Put On Your Wig!

  3. Her Imperial Majesty

  4. Jack of Frog Creek!

  5. Bad Manners

  6. Under the Moon

  7. Follow Me

  8. The Hall of Mirrors

  9. Me and the Clown

  10. Joy

  More Facts About Mozart and His Time

  Special Preview of Magic Tree House #42: Leprechaun in Late Winter

  “I watched the music turn to light.”

  —Sara Teasdale, A Minuet of Mozart’s

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. A brother and sister named Jack and Annie soon learned that the tree house was magic—it could take them to any time and any place in history. They also learned that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay, a magical librarian from the legendary realm of Camelot.

  After Jack and Annie traveled on many adventures for Morgan, Merlin the magician began sending them on “Merlin Missions” in the tree house. With help from two young sorcerers named Teddy and Kathleen, Jack and Annie visited four mythical places and found valuable objects to help save Camelot.

  On their next eight Merlin Missions, Jack and Annie once again traveled to real times and real places in history: Venice, Baghdad, Paris, New York City, Tokyo, Florence, the deep ocean, and Antarctica. After proving to Merlin that they could use magic wisely, they were awarded the Wand of Dianthus, a powerful magic wand that helped them make their own magic. With the wand, Jack and Annie were able to find four secrets of happiness to help Merlin when he was in trouble.

  Now Jack and Annie are waiting to hear from Merlin again….

  Jack was sitting at the computer in the living room. He was doing research on penguins for a school project. His mom and dad were cooking in the kitchen. Jack could smell bread baking in the oven and spaghetti sauce bubbling on top of the stove.

  “Jack!” Annie burst into the living room. “Come with me!” she said.

  “What’s going on?” said Jack.

  “They’re here!” said Annie.


  “Teddy? Kathleen?” asked Jack.

  Annie nodded, her eyes shining.

  “Oh, man!” Jack whispered. He jumped up from his chair and grabbed his jacket and backpack. “Mom, Dad—we’ll be back soon!” he called.

  “Dinner’s in thirty minutes,” their mom called from the kitchen.

  “No problem!” said Annie. Then she and Jack headed out the front door into the cool spring air.

  “Where did you see them?” said Jack.

  “At the edge of the woods!” said Annie. “I was riding my bike home from my piano lesson. When they saw me, they waved.”

  “You didn’t stop and talk to them?” said Jack.

  “No, I pointed to the house,” said Annie, “to let them know I had to get you first.”

  “Oh! Thanks!” said Jack. “We’d better hurry!”

  “I wonder where they’re sending us!” said Annie as they crossed their yard and headed up the sidewalk. “I wonder what our next mission is! Hey, did you bring the Wand of Dianthus?”

  “Yep, it’s in my backpack!” said Jack.

  Jack and Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods. They hurried through the shadowy light of late afternoon, until they came to the tallest tree. Jack looked up. The tree house was back. The two young enchanters from Camelot were looking out the window.

  “Hi!” yelled Jack and Annie.

  “Hello!” Teddy and Kathleen shouted.

  Annie grabbed the rope ladder and climbed up into the tree house. Jack followed.

  “We’re so glad you’re back!” said Annie. She hugged Teddy and Kathleen. Jack hugged them, too.

  “How’s Penny?” Jack asked. He’d been missing the little penguin they had given Merlin on their last adventure.

  “Oh, Penny and Merlin have become the best of friends,” said Kathleen. “She has brought him much joy and laughter.”

  “Cool,” said Jack. He wasn’t surprised. Penny had made him really happy, too.

  “What do you want us to do now?” said Annie.

  “On your last missions, you found secrets of happiness to help Merlin,” said Kathleen.

  Jack and Annie nodded.

  “Now, on your next mission, Merlin wants you to help bring happiness to millions of people,” said Kathleen.

  “Whoa,” said Jack. “That’s a big job.”

  Teddy and Kathleen laughed.

  “How do we do that?” asked Jack.

  “Simple,” said Teddy. “You must seek out a brilliant artist—”

  “Do you mean like a painter?” asked Annie.

  “It could be,” said Teddy. “But it could also be any person who uses passion and imagination to create something beautiful.”

  “Merlin wants you to help put that artist on the right path,” said Teddy, “to share his or her gifts with the world.”

  “Oh, cool!” said Annie. “Where do we start?”

  Kathleen took a creamy white envelope from her cloak. It was sealed with melted red wax. In fancy writing, it said: For Jack and Annie of Frog Creek. “‘Tis a royal invitation,” said Kathleen.

  Jack took the envelope. He carefully broke the seal and pulled out a thick card with gold edges and gold script. He read aloud:

  “A party at a summer palace! In 1762!” said Annie.

  “Yes,” said Teddy. “The palace is in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most splendid palaces in all the world.”

  “That sounds like fun,” said Annie.

  “Indeed, it should be,” said Kathleen. “But you must watch your manners. And beware of unexpected dangers.”

  “What kind of dangers?” asked Jack.

  “I do not know,” said Kathleen. “But Merlin believes you will need magic to keep safe. Did you bring the Wand of Dianthus?”

  “Yes,” said Jack. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the silvery wand. It was shaped like the horn of a unicorn.

  Kathleen took the wand from Jack. She closed her eyes and spun it through the air, as if she were spinning a baton. In a blur of light and movement, the wand changed into a small silver flute.

  “Wow,” said Annie.

  “A flute?” asked Jack.

  “A magic flute,” said Teddy. “Playing this flute will deliver you from danger.”

  “But Jack and I don’t know how to play the flute,” said Annie.

  “Do not worry,” said Kathleen. “If the time is right, the flute will make its own music.”

  “Just blow over the mouthpiece,” said Teddy. “And while one of you plays, the other must make up a song. Whatever you sing will come true.”

  “Cool!” said Annie.

  “But when your song has ended, the flute’s magic will end, too,” said Kathleen. “You can only use the flute’s magic once, so choose the time wisely.”

  “Okay, got it!” said Annie.

  “Are you ready to go?” asked Kathleen.

  “Uh, wait,” said Jack. “Party invitation … magic flute … Is that all? Don’t you have a research book for us?”

  “On this journey, Merlin wants you to rely only on your wits and your talents,” said Teddy.

  “Oh. Okay,” said Jack, though he wasn’t sure he had many talents.

  “Tell the magic tree house where to go by pointing to the words on the invitation,” said Kathleen.

  Annie pointed to the words Summer Palace. But before she made her wish, she looked at Teddy and Kathleen. “I hope we see you again very soon,” she said. “Say hi to Merlin and Morgan when you go back to Camelot.”

  “And Penny, too,” said Jack.

  Kathleen and Teddy both smiled.

  “Yes, we will,” said Teddy.

  Annie took a deep breath. “Okay. I wish we could go there!” she said. “To the summer palace!”

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  It spun faster and faster.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  Jack opened his eyes. He looked down at his clothes. He was wearing a blue velvet coat, a long vest, and knee-length pants. His shoes were black with shiny buckles.

  Jack looked up at Annie and burst out laughing. Her pigtails had changed into thick, cigar-shaped curls. She was wearing a pink dress covered with lace and bows. There was a big hoop underneath her skirt to hold it out. The hoop, the skirt, and lots of petticoats were all bunched up around Annie.

  “You look like you’re standing in a basket,” said Jack.

  “You look like an old woman,” said Annie. She pointed at Jack’s head.

  Jack reached up and lifted off a black velvet hat. But something else was on his head, too. He pulled off a white wig with curls on the side and a ponytail in the back.

  “ A wig?” said Jack. His nose tickled. He sneezed, and a cloud of white powder puffed from his wig. “It’s covered in powder! I can’t wear this!”

  “Yes, you can,” said Annie. “If I have to wear this“—she shook her dress—”you have to wear that.”

  “But why are we dressed this way?” asked Jack.

  “Because we’re going to a fancy party in a palace a long time ago,” said Annie.

  “Okay, but where’s the palace?” said Jack.

  Jack and Annie went to the window and looked out. They had landed in a row of trees that lined a cobblestone street. At the far end of the street, glittering horse-drawn coaches were parked outside tall iron gates.

  “I wonder if the palace is beyond those gates,” said Annie, pointing.

  “I don’t know,” said Jack. “I wish we had a research book to help us.”

  “Merlin wants us to rely on our wits and talents,” said Annie.

  “Yeah,” said Jack, “whatever that means.”

  Bells rang in the distance: bong, bong, bong, bong, bong.

  “Five bongs,” said Annie. “What time’s the party?”

  Jack looked at their invitation and read aloud, “‘Five o’clock in the evening.’”

  “Oh, no
! We’re going to be late!” said Annie. “Put on your wig!”

  Jack crammed his wig back onto his head and put on his hat. He pushed the silver flute and invitation into a deep pocket in his coat.

  Annie squashed her hoopskirt and squeezed through the opening in the tree house floor. “It’s hard to climb down a rope ladder in this dress!” she said.

  “Be careful! Go slow!” said Jack.

  “But we have to hurry!” said Annie. She jumped off the ladder and landed on the ground.

  Jack hurried down the ladder. “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine,” said Annie, standing up. “Just got a little dirty.” She brushed off her dress. “Let’s ask one of those guys about the palace.” She pointed toward the coach drivers outside the iron gates. “Hurry!”

  Annie started to run. Her skirt swung wildly from side to side like a giant bell.

  “Slow down!” said Jack, rushing to catch up with her. “You can’t run in that big skirt—you look ridiculous. Besides, we need to discuss our mission before we go to this party.”

  “It’s simple,” said Annie. “We’re looking for a brilliant—”

  “I know—artist,” finished Jack. “But how do we find this person?”

  “We’ll get to that part soon enough,” said Annie. “First let’s find the party.”

  Jack and Annie walked toward the fancy coaches parked near the gates. “Where’s our invitation?” asked Annie.

  “Here.” Jack pulled the invitation out of his pocket.

  “Excuse me,” said Annie, walking up to the driver of a golden coach pulled by two white horses. “We’re looking for the summer palace.” Jack showed their invitation to the man.

  The driver nodded approvingly. “Ah, so you are guests of the imperial family!” he said. “But why are you arriving on foot? Where is your coach?”

  “Um, our driver let us out back there,” said Annie, pointing down the street.