A Wizard in the Woods

Intended as part of a series of stories called: Jests, Japes and Wizard Pranks
Intended for children ages 5 to 7 years old.

Finally the school term had ended and I was running home with the summer holidays stretching out before me. I was thinking of all the things Japes and I would get up to; when he jumped out from behind a bush barking. We chased each other up the path to our house.

"Jests! Japes! Mind my Dahlias!" Mum was kneeling by the flowerbed in front of the porch.

"Sorry!" We took the front steps two at a time and were halfway down the hall by the time the screen door banged shut behind us.

Within five minutes I had dumped my bag and was raiding the kitchen. I stuffed a handful of biscuits in my right jacket pocket a freshly baked muffin in the left. Mum always said we should have a balanced diet. Japes thirstily drank from his bowl, splashing water everywhere as he nudged it around the floor.

"Here we come!" I yelled as we burst out the house and leapt the front steps.

"Be back before six!" Mum shouted.

We were walking towards the woods sharing a biscuit when Brunt jumped out in front of us. "What have we here then?" He smiled evilly. "Nice biscuits. Give them to me little weed."

Japes put his ears back and growled, but in one quick move Brunt pointed water pistol at him and shot Japes right in his face. "Cool it mutt!"

Japes yelped and shot off like a rocket into the trees and as Brunt laughed I ran too.

I was only a little way into the wood when I found Japes with a stick in his mouth. "I don't think this is the time to play boy," I said looking back to see Brunt walking our way.

"But it's always time to play fetch." I looked around in surprise but I couldn't see anyone, only Japes with the short black stick at his paws.

"Who… said… that?" I stuttered.

"I did, dummy," said Japes. "That's funny, you usually say 'What's up boy?'" He cocked his head to one side, "You can understand me!"

A sparkle of light shone off the shiny stick. I picked it up, "Strange, it looks like a magicians wand."

"Look out behind you!"

At Japes' warning I turned around to find Brunt right behind me. In fright I hit him with the wand, "Leave us alone you pig!"

There was a flash of light and a loud pop, and when the smoke cleared there was a very surprised pig standing where Brunt used to be. The Brunt-Pig squealed and ran away.

"Oh dear!" I said. "I know he was a bully, but I didn't mean to turn him into a pig!"

"Don't worry, it's not permanent."

Japes and I spun around towards the strange voice. I knew he was a wizard straight away because he had a pointed hat covered in stars.

"It will probably wear off by the time he gets home. Though I doubt he will ever look at a ham sandwich the same way again," he smiled.

That was when we met Wizard Pranks. We knew then that this was going to be the best summer holidays ever.

(528 words)


© Mark Ashton 2004