Sample

Bouncey the Elf decided to go for a walk. It was a lovely sunny day, so he went to find his backpack and put in a drink of pop and some biscuits. Then he set off into the forest.

Bouncing along the banks of the River of Dreams and singing a song to himself, he just wandered around. Then he saw a blue and red bird he had never seen before. It seemed very tame.

Suddenly, Bouncey heard a grunting sound in the bushes. It was a wild pig. Bouncey was curious and began to follow it.

The wild pig went here, there and everywhere, this way and that way. Up tracks Bouncey had never seen before.

He was really enjoying himself - until he realised he was lost.

‘Oh! No!’ he said. ‘It always happens to me.’

He was standing still, wondering what to do next, when he heard a strange noise - a whooshing - sound.

He looked up the path, and saw a big rock and what appeared to be the mouth of a cave.

He crept up towards it - whoosh! - Sparks flew out of the mouth of the cave.

Bouncey jumped back but couldn’t help being curious. He peeped into the cave and saw the strangest figure.

He was tall, dressed in long dark robes with a tall pointed hat, patterned with stars. He had a long, straggling grey beard, pointed nose and crooked fingers, which held a wand over a bubbling cauldron.

‘This must be the Wizard’s cave,’ Bouncey said to himself. He carefully hid behind a little bush near to the entrance of the cave and watched quietly.

The Wizard started to wave his wand again and - whoosh - a big puff of smoke came from the cauldron.

The sparks from the fire flew out all over the cave - some of them even found their way to the entrance, just where Bouncey was hiding

He moved away hurriedly to avoid some sparks. The Wizard noticed him.

‘Who’s there?’ he called out sharply, looking round with glaring eyes. He pointed towards Bouncey with a bony finger.

‘Come here,’ he said sternly. Bouncey crept forward, shivering with fright.

The Wizard asked loudly, ‘who’s there?’

‘I - I - I’m Bouncey the Elf,’ stuttered poor Bouncey.

‘Why are you spying on me,’ demanded the Wizard. ‘I usually turn spies into frogs or toads.’

‘I wasn’t spying - honest,’ protested Bouncy in a trembling voice.

‘I just came upon you by accident and was curious - please don’t turn me into a frog.’

‘Go and sit over there. I’ll deal with you in a moment,’ ordered the Wizard. He pointed to a stool in the far corner of the cave.

Bouncey went and sat down, wishing all the time he had acted more sensibly and not played chasing games with a wild pig.

The Wizard waved his wand over the cauldron again - there was another - whoosh - of smoke and more sparks. ‘U’m - that’s finished now,’ said the Wizard, taking the cauldron off the fire. He turned to Bouncey. ‘I won’t be a minute. Don’t touch anything.’ There was a little door at the back of the cave and the Wizard unlocked it and went through to the next room. Bouncey looked around the cave.

It was full of jars - stacked on stone shelves carved into the rock. Inside the jars were things like bat’s wings and snake’s eyes - lots of the most horrible things you can imagine.

Bouncey was too scared to move. The Wizard soon came back with a little jug in his hand. He dipped it into the bubbling cauldron, took a sip - and immediately disappeared.

Bouncey couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a chuckle and with a snap of fingers, the Wizard reappeared.

‘That’s marvellous!’ cried Bouncey, forgetting his terror.

‘Oh! Just one of my little spells,’ said the Wizard, a little more kindly.

‘I’m going to a Wizard’s party and this is what I’ll be taking.’

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