"02 - An Excess of Enchantments" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Craig Shaw)

"Why ever would you want to do that?"

Wuntvor started, realizing that the voice came from a small man who stood by his knee. After he caught his breath, Wuntvor answered:

"It is what I have always dreamed of. It is my heart's desire."

"Really?" said the small man, who was dressed all in brown and sported a pair of translucent brown wings. "Well then, you have come to the right place."

"And just what place have I come to?" Wuntvor inquired.

"Why," the little fellow said with a big smile, "you have come to f-f-fairyland--" He had quite some difficulty pronouncing the word, "--of course."

"Of course," Wuntvor agreed. "And if this is fairyland, who are you?"

"Why, I am--" The little fellow paused and frowned. "If this is f-f-f-fair-fairyland--" The fellow paused again. His face

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had turned a bright blue. He took a breath and resumed his speech. "If this is--uh--that place, then I must be a f-f--" His two tiny fists shot into the air. "I am no such thing. I am a Brownie! And proud of it! More than proud! In smallness there is greatness! Brownies forever!"

Wuntvor blinked. Something was wrong here. An old lady stormed down the hill. She did not look happy.

It was then that I remembered where I was.

"No! No! No!" the old lady screamed.

I was in the Eastern Kingdoms, but I had not come here to follow the sun. Rather, I was on a mission of some sort, sent here by my master, the great wizard Ebenezum. Unfortunately, several things had gone wrong. I remembered that, also.

"Can't you even get a simple fairy tale straight?" the old lady demanded. I recognized her now! Her name was Mother Duck. And she was the reason I had been sent to the Eastern Kingdoms!

"I beg your pardon," the small fellow in brown said drily. I knew this person too! His name was Tap! It was all coming back to me at once, as if I had just awoken from a dream.

The little fellow added:

"I do not do fairy tales."

"Is that so?" the old woman queried, her index finger stabbing at the wee man. "No one talks that way to Mother Duck!"

The little fellow took a step back as he hesitantly replied, "I--I would do a Brownie tale!"

"Would you now?" Mother Duck replied. "Well, this is my kingdom and these are my stories. And what we do in this kingdom is make up fairy tales--whether you like it or not. You'll become a part of my stories, and you will like it!" Her mouth twisted into a cruel grin. "We'll just have to make the spell a little stronger."

"Never!" the Brownie bravely retorted. "No spell is as strong as Brownie pride!"

"We'll see." Mother Duck stared intently at the little fellow.

"I am sorry," Tap insisted, doing his best to ignore the old lady's stare, "but I am a Brownie, and will be until my--uh, that is--I am--uh, aren't I--um--welcome to fairyland, home

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