Stallion by Starlight Read online

  Magic Tree House® Books

  #1: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK

  #2: THE KNIGHT AT DAWN

  #3: MUMMIES IN THE MORNING

  #4: PIRATES PAST NOON

  #5: NIGHT OF THE NINJAS

  #6: AFTERNOON ON THE AMAZON

  #7: SUNSET OF THE SABERTOOTH

  #8: MIDNIGHT ON THE MOON

  #9: DOLPHINS AT DAYBREAK

  #10: GHOST TOWN AT SUNDOWN

  #11: LIONS AT LUNCHTIME

  #12: POLAR BEARS PAST BEDTIME

  #13: VACATION UNDER THE VOLCANO

  #14: DAY OF THE DRAGON KING

  #15: VIKING SHIPS AT SUNRISE

  #16: HOUR OF THE OLYMPICS

  #17: TONIGHT ON THE Titanic

  #18: BUFFALO BEFORE BREAKFAST

  #19: TIGERS AT TWILIGHT

  #20: DINGOES AT DINNERTIME

  #21: CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY

  #22: REVOLUTIONARY WAR ON WEDNESDAY

  #23: TWISTER ON TUESDAY

  #24: EARTHQUAKE IN THE EARLY MORNING

  #25: STAGE FRIGHT ON A SUMMER NIGHT

  #26: GOOD MORNING, GORILLAS

  #27: THANKSGIVING ON THURSDAY

  #28: HIGH TIDE IN HAWAII

  Merlin Missions

  #29: CHRISTMAS IN CAMELOT

  #30: HAUNTED CASTLE ON HALLOWS EVE

  #31: SUMMER OF THE SEA SERPENT

  #32: WINTER OF THE ICE WIZARD

  #33: CARNIVAL AT CANDLELIGHT

  #34: SEASON OF THE SANDSTORMS

  #35: NIGHT OF THE NEW MAGICIANS

  #36: BLIZZARD OF THE BLUE MOON

  #37: DRAGON OF THE RED DAWN

  #38: MONDAY WITH A MAD GENIUS

  #39: DARK DAY IN THE DEEP SEA

  #40: EVE OF THE EMPEROR PENGUIN

  #41: MOONLIGHT ON THE MAGIC FLUTE

  #42: A GOOD NIGHT FOR GHOSTS

  #43: LEPRECHAUN IN LATE WINTER

  #44: A GHOST TALE FOR CHRISTMAS TIME

  #45: A CRAZY DAY WITH COBRAS

  #46: DOGS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT

  #47: ABE LINCOLN AT LAST!

  #48: A PERFECT TIME FOR PANDAS

  Magic Tree House® Fact Trackers

  DINOSAURS

  KNIGHTS AND CASTLES

  MUMMIES AND PYRAMIDS

  PIRATES

  RAIN FORESTS

  SPACE

  TITANIC

  TWISTERS AND OTHER TERRIBLE STORMS

  DOLPHINS AND SHARKS

  ANCIENT GREECE AND THE OLYMPICS

  AMERICAN REVOLUTION

  SABERTOOTHS AND THE ICE AGE

  PILGRIMS

  ANCIENT ROME AND POMPEII

  TSUNAMIS AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS

  POLAR BEARS AND THE ARCTIC

  SEA MONSTERS

  PENGUINS AND ANTARCTICA

  LEONARDO DA VINCI

  GHOSTS

  LEPRECHAUNS AND IRISH FOLKLORE

  RAGS AND RICHES: KIDS IN THE TIME OF CHARLES DICKENS

  SNAKES AND OTHER REPTILES

  DOG HEROES

  ABRAHAM LINCOLN

  PANDAS AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES

  HORSE HEROES

  More Magic Tree House®

  GAMES AND PUZZLES FROM THE TREE HOUSE

  This is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical and public figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical or public figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2013 by Mary Pope Osborne

  Interior illustrations copyright © 2013 by Sal Murdocca

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks and A Stepping Stone Book and the 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!

  randomhousekids.com

  MagicTreeHouse.com

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

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  Stallion by starlight / by Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Sal Murdocca.

  p. cm. — (Magic tree house; #49)

  Summary: Jack and Annie are magically transported to Ancient Greece to find the meaning of greatness. There they meet the young Alexander the Great and take part in the famous story of how he tamed his horse, Bucephalus.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-98043-4

  [1. Magic—Fiction. 2. Time travel—Fiction. 3. Brothers and sisters—Fiction.

  4. Horses—Fiction. 5. Alexander, the Great, 356–323 B.C.—Fiction.]

  I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.O81167Ssl 2013 [Fic]—dc23 2012020525

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v3.1

  To Phoenix Valentine van Rhyn

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. The Ring of Truth

  2. Keep Walking

  3. Big Thinkers

  4. The One-Eyed King

  5. The Race

  6. Warhorses

  7. Stallion at Starlight

  8. Night Riders

  9. The Truth

  10. A Place of Honor

  Author’s Note

  Excerpt from Horse Heroes

  Prologue

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. It was filled with books. A boy named Jack and his sister, Annie, found the tree house and soon discovered that it was magic. They could go to any time and place in history just by pointing to a picture in one of the books. While they were gone, no time at all passed back in Frog Creek.

  Jack and Annie eventually found out that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay, a magical librarian from the legendary realm of Camelot. They have since traveled on many adventures in the magic tree house and completed many missions for both Morgan le Fay and her friend Merlin the magician. Teddy and Kathleen, two young enchanters from Camelot, have sometimes helped Jack and Annie in both big and small ways.

  Jack and Annie are about to find out what their next magic tree house mission will be!

  “I love looking at your notebook,” Annie said. “It helps me remember all of our adventures.” She turned a few pages. “Aww, polar bears in the Arctic. The cubs were so cute … and Pompeii and the volcano! Oh my gosh, remember Hercules?”

  “Yep,” said Jack without looking up.

  It was a warm day in June. Jack and Annie were sitting on the front porch of their house. While Annie thumbed through his notebook, Jack was reading a book about giant pandas in China.

  “Ooh,” said Annie as she flipped through more pages. “The ghost town in the Wild West! The invisible piano player, remember?”

  “Yep.”

  Annie turned another page. “Remember Australia? The baby kangaroo, the koala, the dingoes! The forest fire!”

  Jack looked up. “Yep,” he said. “Look, that’s all cool, but I can’t talk now. I’m trying to read the last page of my book.”

  “You’re going to need a new notebook soon. This one is almost full.” Annie closed the notebook and put it into Jack’s back
pack. She stretched. “I think I’ll go for a bike ride,” she said. “Maybe stop by the library … go to the pool.”

  Jack closed his book. “Done!” he said. “Now I need something new to read. I’ll ride to the library with you.” As he pulled on his backpack, Jack caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and what he saw was incredible.

  A small penguin was standing on the sidewalk in front of their house.

  “Penny?” Jack said.

  “Oh!” cried Annie. “Oh! Oh! Oh!” She dashed off the porch.

  Jack ran after Annie. They both knelt down beside the little penguin. “What are you doing here?” Annie asked.

  Jack picked Penny up, and he and Annie stroked the penguin’s downy head. “Hey, what’s happening, Penny?” he said. “Why are you here?”

  Peep.

  “The tree house!” said Annie. “It must be back.”

  “Hey, guys!” Jack and Annie’s dad called from behind the screen door of their porch.

  Annie quickly jumped in front of Jack to hide the little penguin. “What is it, Dad?” she said.

  “I just made some fresh lemonade,” their dad said.

  “Thanks!” Annie said. “We’ll have some as soon as we come back!”

  “We’re heading into the woods for a few minutes!” said Jack.

  “Okay. It’ll be in the fridge,” their dad said.

  “Thanks,” said Jack. “See you later!”

  “Let’s go!” said Annie.

  Holding Penny in his arms, Jack hurried with Annie down the sidewalk. “Did you come here with Teddy and Kathleen?” he asked the penguin.

  Peep.

  “Is that yes or no?” asked Jack.

  Peep.

  “Yes,” Jack said.

  “No,” said Annie at the same time.

  “I guess we’ll soon find out,” said Jack.

  Jack and Annie crossed the quiet street and headed into the Frog Creek woods. As they hurried through the dappled light, the air smelled of summer. Squirrels scurried up trees. Crows cawed to one another.

  When Jack and Annie came to the tallest oak, they stopped. The tree house was nestled in the branches near the top. A long rope ladder dangled down to the ground.

  “Teddy! Kathleen!” shouted Annie.

  There was no answer.

  Peep.

  “So you came here all by yourself?” Jack said to Penny. “Is something wrong in Camelot? Are Teddy and Kathleen okay? What about Morgan and Merlin?”

  “Let’s go!” said Annie. She started up the rope ladder. Still holding the little penguin, Jack awkwardly climbed after her.

  “Oh, wow!” said Annie when she reached the tree house.

  “Oh, wow what?” asked Jack. He hoisted Penny into the tree house and climbed in after her. Then he also whispered “Oh, wow.”

  An old man with a long white beard, a pointed hat covered in stars, and a red cloak stood in a shadowy corner.

  “Merlin!” breathed Annie.

  “I see Penny found you,” the master magician of Camelot said in his velvety voice. The little penguin waddled to Merlin and stood beside him.

  “Yes,” said Jack. “She came right up to our house.”

  “Is something wrong in Camelot?” asked Annie.

  “No, all is fine,” said Merlin. “Your friends are well. I just decided I wanted to visit you myself.”

  “Cool,” said Jack shyly. Merlin had never come to Frog Creek all by himself.

  “Let me tell you what is on my mind,” said Merlin. “I have been thinking very deep thoughts, pondering questions that wise men and women have pondered through the ages.”

  “Pondering?” asked Annie.

  “Ponder means to think carefully about a subject,” Jack said. “Right?” he asked Merlin.

  “Exactly,” said Merlin. “I have been pondering questions about life. For instance, I have been wondering about the idea of greatness. What are the secrets of greatness? What makes a person truly great?”

  “That is a good question,” said Jack.

  “I cannot answer it by myself, as I do not live in your world—the world of time and mortals,” said Merlin. “So, on each of your next four missions, you will meet someone who will help you learn a true secret of greatness.”

  “That sounds like fun,” said Annie.

  “I hope it will be,” said Merlin. “To begin, how would you like to meet someone called Alexander the Great?”

  “Oh, man, I’ve heard of him!” said Jack.

  “I haven’t,” said Annie, “but he sounds … well, great.”

  Merlin smiled.

  “Can I ask a question?” Jack said.

  “Of course,” said Merlin.

  “To be practical, how will we know when we’ve found a secret of greatness?” Jack asked.

  “I pondered that as well,” said Merlin. “I have brought something magical to help you.” The magician reached into his cloak and pulled out a small gold ring. “I call this the Ring of Truth.”

  “The Ring of Truth,” Annie repeated.

  “I have cast a spell on the ring,” said Merlin. “Wear it on your journeys. When you discover a true secret of greatness, the ring will glow.”

  “May I wear it?” Annie asked Merlin. He nodded. Annie held out her hand, and the magician slipped the gold band onto her finger.

  “I have brought another bit of magic as well,” said Merlin. He reached into his cloak again, and this time, he pulled out a tiny glass bottle. Silver mist swirled inside of it.

  “Mist gathered at first light on the first day of the new moon on the Isle of Avalon,” said Merlin.

  “Wow,” said Annie.

  “The magical mist will allow you to experience greatness in yourselves,” said Merlin. “When you need help, make a wish to have an extraordinary talent. Then breathe in the scent of the mist, and for one hour that talent will be yours. The magic will work only once on each journey.”

  “Thanks!” said Jack. He took the bottle from Merlin and put it into his backpack.

  “And finally, Morgan asked me to give you a research book.” The magician reached into his cloak for a third time and pulled out a book.

  “I’ve never heard of Macedonia,” said Jack.

  “It is the kingdom where Alexander was born,” said Merlin. “The ancient Macedonians are fierce and warlike, so travel cautiously.”

  Fierce? Warlike? Jack wanted to hear more.

  Merlin picked Penny up and raised his hand in farewell. “Go now,” he said. “Good luck.”

  “Bye, Merlin. Bye, Penny,” said Annie.

  Peep.

  “Wait—” began Jack.

  But before Jack could ask another question, Merlin and Penny vanished.

  “Let’s go,” said Annie. She pointed at the cover of the book. “I wish we could go there!” she said.

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  It spun faster and faster.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  Jack and Annie were wearing tunics with soft belts and lace-up sandals. A cloth bag had replaced Jack’s backpack. He looked into the bag and saw his notebook, his pencil, and the bottle with the magic mist from the Isle of Avalon.

  “We wore clothes like these when we went to Pompeii,” said Annie.

  “Yeah, and when we went to the Greek Olympic Games,” said Jack.

  “When you went to the games,” said Annie. “They didn’t let girls in, remember?”

  “Oh, right,” said Jack. “You nearly caused a riot when you tried to sneak in.”

  “It wasn’t my fault,” said Annie.

  Jack and Annie looked out the window together. The air felt dry and hot. The sun was directly overhead in a cloudless sky. The tree house was low to the ground, tucked into the spreading branches of an olive tree. Donkeys and horses ambled up a winding dirt road.

  “This looks like a quiet, sleepy place,” said
Annie, “not fierce or warlike at all.”

  “I wonder what Merlin meant,” said Jack. He opened their book to the first page and read out loud:

  More than 2,300 years ago, Macedonia was a kingdom north of Greece. It was ruled by King Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. The brilliant and ferocious king was known far and wide for his military skills.

  “Ferocious king,” Jack repeated. “Well, I guess that fits.”

  “Don’t worry, we have magic that gives us a great talent,” said Annie. “So we can wish to have military skills, too.”

  “I can’t picture us having military skills,” said Jack.

  “Come on, let’s go look for Alexander the Great!” said Annie. She started down the rope ladder. Jack packed up the book and followed her.

  Several men on donkeys were riding by on the dirt road. Annie started to call out to them.

  “Don’t,” Jack whispered, stopping her. “People might ask us questions we can’t answer.”

  “But I only wanted to ask them where Alexander the Great lives,” said Annie.

  “Let’s just try to blend in first,” said Jack, “until we know our way around.”

  Annie sighed, but she kept quiet as she and Jack followed the donkeys up the dusty road. They passed rocky meadows dotted with cows, and small farmhouses with tiled roofs, chickens, and vineyards. They saw a shepherd tending sheep, a goat herder herding goats, and a farmer with a plow pulled by an ox.

  “Can we ask someone now?” Annie said.

  “Let’s wait,” said Jack. “We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves unless we have to.”

  They kept walking. Soon they rounded some tall rocks. Beyond a stone wall was a huge field. Thousands of warriors were marching.

  “Yikes,” said Annie. She and Jack stopped and stared at the warriors.

  “That must be the king’s army!” said Jack.

  The foot soldiers wore armor and helmets with tall crests. In one hand, each man carried an oval shield. In the other hand, each held a long, pointed spear. Behind the foot soldiers were rows of soldiers on horses.

  “They’re just practicing, right?” said Annie.

  “I hope so,” said Jack. “I don’t see any enemies.” He pulled out the research book and found a chapter called “The King’s Army.” He read aloud: