Moonlight on the Magic Flute Page 3

  But Wolfie broke in again. “Nan and I are both brilliant!” he exclaimed in his high voice. “Our papa teaches us math, history, writing, reading, geography, music, drawing, riding, fencing, and dancing.” Wolfie raised his arms over his head and did a little dance step.

  Annie laughed.

  “Wolfie, stop!” said Nan.

  Yeah, cool it, kid, thought Jack.

  “Do you want to go outside and play in the garden?” Wolfie asked Jack and Annie. “ We can all dance!”

  “I don’t think so, Wolfie,” said Jack. “But thanks.” He turned back to Nan. “So! What were you going to tell us about artists?”

  “Oh, yes,” said Nan. “Papa told me that Her Imperial Majesty often invites artists to live in the palace and work here.”

  “Perfect!” said Jack.

  “Do you think any of them are here at the party now?” asked Annie.

  “I don’t know,” said Nan. “The palace is very big. Papa told us that more than fifteen hundred people live here. Why are you looking for brilliant artists?”

  “Oh,” said Annie, “we’re on a mission to—”

  Jack interrupted her. “… to party with brilliant artists,” he finished. “That’s our mission.” Then he laughed because he knew he sounded stupid.

  Nan laughed, too. “I see,” she said. “All right then, at dinner I will ask Papa where the artists stay.”

  “Thank you!” said Jack. Finally, he thought, they were starting their Merlin mission!

  A servant rang a bell. Other servants began carrying in large silver bowls, platters, and trays.

  “It is time for dinner now,” said Nan. “ We must go, Wolfie. We have to find Papa.” She helped her little brother put his wig back on.

  “But I want to stay with Jack and Annie,” whined Wolfie. “I want to play with them in the garden.”

  “Not now,” said Nan. She grabbed Wolfie’s hand. “It was nice to talk to you,” she said to Jack and Annie. “And I hope we can see you perform again someday, Jack.”

  Jack forced a smile. “Uh … yeah, thanks. Hey, let us know what your dad—I mean, your papa— says about the brilliant artists living in the palace,” he said. “Maybe you can meet us later by those double doors?”

  “Yes, after dinner, we will meet you,” said Nan.

  “And then we will play in the garden!” said Wolfie.

  “No, you and I will have other things to do, Wolfie, remember?” said Nan. “Come along now.” She pulled her little brother away.

  “But I want to play with Jack the Clown!” Wolfie wailed.

  Jack and Annie watched Wolfie and Nan disappear into the crowd.

  “I am not a clown,” Jack said darkly.

  “Don’t worry about him,” said Annie. “He really admires you.”

  “Lucky me,” said Jack.

  The bell sounded again. People started moving toward the dinner tables.

  “Where should we sit?” said Annie.

  “Anywhere,” said Jack, “as long as we’re out of the way.” He still wanted to hide from the imperial children. “What about that table at the end of the room? Near the door?”

  “Sure.”

  Jack led the way to the table at the far end of the room. “Let’s grab seats while we can,” he said to Annie.

  As grown-ups hovered near the table talking and laughing, Jack and Annie sat down in two chairs. Steaming platters of food lined the middle of the table: beef stew, mashed potatoes, sausages, dumplings, cabbage, spiced apples, and gingerbread.

  Jack’s mouth watered. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. “Okay, here’s our plan,” he said to Annie. “We’ll eat first. Then Nan will tell us where all the artists live, and we’ll get to work.”

  “Excuse me, young man and young lady,” someone said in a snippy tone.

  Jack and Annie turned around in their chairs. An elderly couple stood glaring at them.

  “The empress herself designed the seating plan,” the man said. “And I can assure you these are not your seats.”

  “Furthermore,” said the woman, “no one sits until Her Imperial Majesty is seated.”

  Jack and Annie jumped up from their chairs.

  “Oops!” said Annie.

  “Sorry!” said Jack.

  “Our mistake,” said Annie. “Excuse us.”

  Jack and Annie walked away from the table. “That was bad manners,” Annie said to Jack.

  “Who, us or them?” said Jack.

  “Us,” Annie said. “I wonder where our seats are.”

  “I have a feeling we’re not a part of the empress’s seating plan,” said Jack. His face felt hot again. His wig itched like crazy.

  Suddenly a hush fell over the room. The harp and violin music stopped. Everyone stopped talking.

  Her Imperial Majesty had entered through the main doors. The imperial children followed her. Her Majesty led them to the table in the middle of the room. Everyone else stood silently, waiting for the imperial family to sit down.

  “ We have to get out of here now,“ Jack whispered to Annie. “Soon we’ll be the only ones left standing.”

  “Like musical chairs,” said Annie.

  “Right,” said Jack. “Forget dinner. Let’s go look for where the artists are staying. We can’t wait for Nan to ask her dad.”

  As all the guests sat down, Jack and Annie hurried toward the door.

  “Jack the Clown!” came a high voice.

  Jack looked over his shoulder. Wolfie was waving from one of the tables.

  Annie waved back.

  “Don’t wave! Keep going,” said Jack. He grabbed Annie’s hand and pulled her out of the party room. They hurried into yet another elegant room with red velvet furniture and gold-trimmed walls.

  “Keep going,” said Jack. He led the way into another fancy room.

  “Jack and Annie, wait!” came a cry.

  “I hear Wolfie!” said Annie.

  “Darn!” Jack quickly closed the door behind them. “Keep moving!” he said.

  “ We can’t,” said Annie. “That’s mean. We should wait for him.”

  “But he’ll slow down our mission!” said Jack. “When are we going to get started?”

  “Calm down,” said Annie. “We’ll just tell him we can’t hang out with him now because we have something important that we have to do.”

  Jack heaved a sigh. “Okay.”

  “Jack! Annie!”

  Jack opened the door.

  Wolfie ran right into him. “There you are!” the little boy said, smiling. “I was looking for you!”

  “No kidding,” said Jack.

  “Yes!” Wolfie said. “Are you leaving?”

  “Not yet, we have to do something important,” said Jack. “And you can’t come with us.”

  Wolfie’s smile vanished.

  “Sorry,” said Jack.

  “But I want you to come to the garden with me,” said Wolfie.

  “Not now,” said Jack. “Wolfie, listen to me. Listen carefully. Annie and I have to do something really, really important. And we have to do it all by ourselves.”

  Wolfie’s bottom lip started to quiver. Oh, no, thought Jack. He’s going to cry.

  A tear ran down the little boy’s cheek.

  “Aww, Wolfie, don’t cry,” Annie said gently.

  “Wolfie! Wolfie!” someone called. Nan burst into the room. “Wolfie, what are you doing? Papa is very upset!”

  “I want to play with Jack and Annie,” said Wolfie. Another big tear ran down his cheek.

  “Please, Wolfie,” Nan begged. “You know you have a big responsibility tonight. You have to—”

  “No!” wailed Wolfie, stamping his foot. “No, no, no! I never get to play!”

  “Wolfie, stop!” said Nan. “Please do not be this way. Not now, of all times! You will kill Papa!”

  “Wolfie! Wolfie!” came a deep voice.

  “He’s in here, Papa!” Nan called. “Come, Wolfie.” She took Wolfie’s hand, but he pulled aw
ay from her.

  “No! I want to play!” shouted Wolfie. And he charged out of the room.

  “Wolfie?” A portly man in a wig burst through another door. “Where is he? Where is my son?”

  “Oh, Papa!” said Nan. “Wolfie ran away!”

  “Ran away?” The man threw his hands in the air. “ We must find him!” he cried.

  “Papa, calm down!” said Nan.

  “ We will fail utterly without him!” cried her papa. And he rushed out of the room.

  “Papa! Papa!” yelled Nan. And she hurried after her father.

  “Good grief,” breathed Jack. “That family has problems.”

  “Maybe we should help them,” said Annie.

  “No, we can’t,” said Jack. “Right now we have our own problem. We have to start working on our mission. Darn! I should have asked Nan’s dad about the artists in the palace.”

  “I think he’s too upset to think about that now,” said Annie.

  “You’re right,” said Jack. “So we need to find some friendly people who work here and ask them.”

  “Let’s go look for help,” said Annie.

  As Jack and Annie started toward the door, Nan rushed into the room again. “Has Wolfie come back?” she asked frantically.

  “I’m afraid not,” said Annie.

  “Oh, dear! Papa will die if Wolfie doesn’t return soon!” said Nan, near tears. “Can you help me find him, please?”

  “Well, we’d really like to,” said Jack, “but—”

  “Please!” said Nan again. “Please?”

  Jack sighed. “Okay,” he said. “Sure.”

  “Thank you!” said Nan. “The palace is very large. I’ll go this way, and you go that way. Surely one of us will find him!” She hurried out of the room.

  “I’ll bet I know where Wolfie is,” said Annie. “The garden. Remember he kept talking about the garden?”

  “Oh, yeah. I think the garden is below that terrace where I went after everyone laughed at me,” said Jack. “Let’s go check.”

  Jack led Annie back through one of the elegant palace rooms and into the party room. Everyone was still seated, eating dinner and talking loudly. No one noticed as Jack and Annie hurried through the double doors and slipped into the room off the terrace.

  Jack opened the door, and he and Annie stepped outside. The air was chilly, but it felt good. Jack pulled off his hat and his wig. He gave his head a good scratch.

  Annie looked down at the moonlit garden. “Do you think that’s the garden Wolfie was talking about?” she said.

  The silver light of the full moon shone on a large square with flower beds and fountains. Woods bordered the square. Cricket sounds filled the night.

  “Probably,” said Jack. “Wolfie!”

  There was no answer.

  “Let’s go down and look for him,” said Annie.

  Leaving his wig and hat behind, Jack followed Annie down the stone stairway. As they started across the square, a strange sound came from the woods: AI-YEE!

  “What was that?” said Jack.

  Two creatures scampered out from the trees.

  “Ahh!” said Jack.

  “Don’t worry,” said Annie. “It’s just a squirrel and a cat.”

  The squirrel dashed over the flower beds and disappeared. The cat ran after it.

  “Yeah, but what was that noise from the woods?” said Jack. “I’ve never heard a squirrel or a cat make a sound like that.”

  Another sound came from behind the trees: WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP!

  “What was that?” Jack said.

  “An owl maybe?” said Annie.

  “I’ve never heard an owl make a noise like that!” said Jack. “Have you?”

  KER-LOO! KER-LOO!

  “Yikes! What was that?” said Annie.

  “I don’t know. Those woods sound like a jungle,” said Jack.

  “Wolfie!” yelled Annie.

  There was no answer. Wind shook the treetops. The cricket chirps grew louder.

  “This place feels really weird. Let’s go back inside,” said Jack. “I don’t think Wolfie’s out here.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Annie. “I think I just heard him.”

  Jack and Annie both listened. A faint little cry came from the woods. “Annie! Jack!”

  “Wolfie is out there!” said Annie. “Wolfie!” She picked up her hoopskirt. She hurried across the square and disappeared down a path that led into the woods.

  “Annie, wait!” Jack called. He started after her, but then—

  WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP!

  Jack froze. He was sure the whooping sound wasn’t coming from an owl.

  EEE-EEE!

  Was that Annie screaming? Jack wondered. “Annie?” he yelled. He dashed across the moonlit garden and ran down the path to the woods. He stopped between the trees. “Annie?” he called’ again.

  EEE-EEE! Something leapt down from a tree branch and landed on the path. “Ahhh!” said Jack, jumping back. It looked like a baboon! EEE-EEE! The baboon bounded away!

  KER-LOO! KER-LOO! Jack looked up. Overhead a huge crane glided through the air. KER-LOO! KER-LOO!

  AI-YEE! A crowned peacock stood in the moonlight, fanning its green and gold tail feathers.

  What’s going on? Jack thought. This is crazy!

  AI-YEE! the peacock cried again.

  Jack heard a rustling in the bushes. Something was moving through the woods, grunting, snorting, and growling. A huge bear lumbered onto the moonlit path! Standing on its hind legs, the bear looked about ten feet tall. It growled.

  “Hi?” Jack croaked.

  The bear growled again. It stepped toward Jack, raking the air with its huge claws.

  Jack began backing away. Then he turned and ran as fast as he could. As he wound his way between the trees, he could hear the bear crashing through the woods behind him.

  WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP!

  A dog-like animal bounded across Jack’s path. Jack recognized it. It was a laughing hyena—a creature he and Annie had seen on the plains of Africa! What’s going on? Jack wondered again. Where are these animals coming from?

  “Jack!” yelled Annie. “Over here!”

  Annie was hiding behind a tree. Jack ran over and crouched beside her. He could hear the bear growling and thrashing through the brush.

  “A huge bear’s chasing me!” Jack said.

  “I know! He was chasing me, too!” said Annie.

  “I saw a baboon, a hyena, and a crane!” sputtered Jack. “What’s happening?”

  “I don’t know!” whispered Annie. “Look!”

  From behind the tree, they watched an ostrich prance through the moonlight. Behind the ostrich, a gazelle stepped softly over the path in the woods, looking from side to side. Then the peacock strutted back into sight, fanning its luminous feathers.

  “It’s like a zoo in these woods,” said Jack.

  “Oh, wow, that’s it!” said Annie.

  “What do you mean?” said Jack.

  “The zoo! That’s where they’re from!” said Annie. “Remember our coach driver said the palace had a zoo!”

  “But zoos have cages!” said Jack. “The animals don’t just roam around free!”

  “Jack! Annie!” Wolfie’s voice was close by.

  “That’s Wolfie again!” said Annie. “Oh, wow. I’ll bet Wolfie let the animals out of their cages.”

  “Help!” Wolfie called.

  “Oh, man, that kid’s crazy,” said Jack.

  “I know, but we have to help him!” said Annie.

  Annie picked up her skirt. She and Jack crept from their hiding place and walked cautiously down the path.

  “Jack! Annie! Help me!”

  Jack and Annie kept going, stepping in and out of the shadowy moonlight. Suddenly Annie gasped and pointed. Wolfie was sitting in the crook of a tree up ahead.

  A large spotted animal was crouched below him.

  “A leopard!” whispered Jack.

  The leopard looked up at Wolfie and
growled.

  “Stand back!” Wolfie shouted at the leopard. “I have a sword! And I’m not afraid to use it!”

  “Oh, brother,” whispered Jack. There was no way Wolfie’s tiny sword could ward off the huge leopard. But if Jack and Annie rushed in to rescue Wolfie, the leopard might leap up and attack him.

  Annie nudged Jack’s arm. She pointed at the pocket of his coat. She held up her hands, pretending to play a flute.

  Jack had forgotten all about their magic flute! He remembered Teddy’s words: Playing this flute will deliver you from danger.

  But what can the flute do? Jack wondered. How can it help us? He reached into his pocket and pulled out the flute anyway.

  “You play—just blow over the mouthpiece,” whispered Annie. “I’ll make up a song. Remember, whatever I sing will come true.”

  Jack nodded and held up the magic flute. It glistened in the light of the moon. Jack wasn’t sure he was holding it right, but he hoped it wouldn’t matter. He closed his eyes and blew gently across the mouthpiece.

  Music streamed from the silver instrument! The pure sound wafted through the air like a feather on the wind. The melody was simple, yet beautiful.

  Annie started singing, making up a song:

  Leopard, hey, leopard,

  Listen to our sound.

  The leopard turned its head and looked at Jack and Annie. It pricked up its spotted ears.

  Follow me, follow me,

  Follow me and the clown.

  Clown? thought Jack. Is that me? He didn’t love Annie’s choice of words, but he didn’t have time to worry about it. The leopard rose to its feet and began walking toward Jack and Annie.

  Jack was so scared that he almost turned and ran away. But he didn’t dare. He knew that as soon as he stopped playing the flute, the magic would end.

  Annie tugged on Jack’s sleeve, and they started walking slowly down the path, back toward the palace. The leopard padded silently after them as Annie kept singing:

  Wolfie, hey, Wolfie,

  Jump down, jump down …

  Follow me, follow me,

  Follow me and the clown.

  Without a word, Wolfie bravely hopped down from the tree. He followed the leopard, Jack, and Annie. They all walked down the path between the trees. Jack had no idea where they were going. He only knew that he should keep playing, Annie should keep singing, and they should all keep moving.