Character Introduction

"Worm!"

"Hippotamus!"

"Ugly!"

As Lady Hobbs stirred the chocolate cake batter in her kitchen, she sighed, because she knew that two children, Lila and Richard, were doing what they always did. I can't believe that I've been putting up with this for fourteen years, she thought smiling a little in spite of herself.

Just then there was a loud crash from the next room.

"Now who's ugly?" said Richard's voice with a laugh.

"Mooother!" cried Lila running into the kitchen. "Look at what Richard did to me!"

Lady Hobbs looked and saw that her daughter now had the ears and a snout of a pig, plus there was curly pig tail coming out of her posterior. Trying to suppress a laugh, she turned to her son who was lounging in the doorway. "Richard, did you do this to your sister?"

"Well, she started it," said Richard.

"Did not!" said Lila. "He--"

"Excuse me," Lady Hobbs broke in, "I do not want to hear about who started it. I've had enough of that in the past fourteen years. "Richard, undo the spell."

"All right," Richard reluctantly waved his wand. There was a puff of smoke and Lila returned to normal.

"Honestly," said Lady Hobbs, "you two are like a couple of cackling chickens. Maybe, I should just give you some chicken feed and forget about this chocolate cake that I'm baking for your birthday."

Now there were very few things which the twins ever agreed on, but one of them was the merits of chocolate cake. It made them quiet for a bit.

Richard spoke first, "Well, Mother. I have to go into the woods to pick some garanium."

"Don't stay out too long."

After he had left, Lila sat quietly looking at her mother.

"Is something wrong, dear?" asked Mother.

Lila frowned, "Mother," she said with sudden seriousness. "Do you hear noises?"

"What kind of noises?"

"I don't know--just noises." Lila sighed. "I think I'll go out too."

* * *

Outside, Richard was walking through the woods when he saw his sister come walking up behind him. Just what I need, he thought. She's probably going to try and get even with me for the pig ears.

But Lila's face was puzzled rather then malicious. "Richard," she said, "look at that." She was pointing to a sparrow.

"Lila, have you ever seen birds before?"

"Never a talking bird."

"Huh?"

"See? Right now, she's telling me how hard life has been these past few years, because the forest has been barren and dry."

"Lila, I don't know what you're talking about." Richard turned to the garanium patch and began picking garaniums.

"And it isn't just the birds," Lila went on thoughtfully. "The trees are talking, and that patch of garaniums is talking. They say that you shouldn't pick so much of them because then there won't be enough for everyone." Richard ignored that. "Oh, and the stream is talking too," said Lila running up to the bank of a stream. Then, she giggled. "I like the stream. She's funny.

"Stream," she called out. "Can you teach my brother not to take so many of the garaniums?" After a moment of silence, she smiled and sprinted away from the stream.

The suddenness of her movements caused Richard to look up just as large spout of water leaped out of the stream and drenched him.

"Hey," cried Richard taking off his wet spectacles and trying to air dry them. "That wasn't funny," he sputtered.

"It serves you right for being such a greedy pig," Lila mocked.

"Pest!" said Richard.

"Ugly!"

The two might have gone on with another exchange of insults for several hours if they hadn't suddenly heard a loud roar from within the forest.

"What was that?" asked Lila.

"It sounded like a bear," said Richard.

"Yes, and she says she needs help."

"Lila, you're making no sense," protested Richard, but Lila was already off into the forest. He sighed, put his wet glasses back on his face and ran after his sister.

* * *

In the middle of the forest, a large brown bear was caught in a trap. Around it, three hunters were using wooden staves to beat at it and laughing because no matter how angry the bear seemed to get they always stayed just out of its reach.

"What are you doing?" cried Lila running into the clearing with Richard just behind her.

The men stopped playing with the bear and looked at her. "Well, well," said one with a laugh, "What have we here?"

"Looks mighty pretty," said another.

"Er. . ." said Lila a little taken aback. "What I mean is. . .Why are you tormenting that poor bear?"

"Oh Come on," it's just a dumb bear," said the first hunter.

"But hey," said another, "maybe for the likes of you, we can arrange something."

"Really?" said Lila.

"Sure," said one coming forward. "How about we let the bear go if you give us each a kiss?"

"Better," said another one. "You let us each give you a loving squeeze." He demonstrated by putting his hand on Lila's posterior.

"Stop that!" said Lila.

The men laughed. "Oh come on. You're not being any fun!" Then he drew a knife out of his belt and pointed it at Lila. "Why don't you just take off that dress, or we can cut off for you."

A desperate look came over Lila's face. Her eyes seemed to search the forest for anyone that could help her. They rested on her brother. "Richard," she said tensely. "Help!"

Later Richard couldn't remember exactly what made him do what he did, but he reached under his tunic for his wand which, fortunately was not too wet. Then, he pointed it at the bear trap.

There was a bolt of light as the trap exploded allowing the bear to come roaring at the hunters.

The hunters were terrified. "Help us! We're going to die! Think of my dear wife!"

For a moment, Richard considered doing nothing, but then he pointed his wand again, this time at the hunters.

In an instant, all three of them had long ears, funny noses, fluffy cotton tails and long rabbit legs.

Lila laughed.

"What did you do to us?" said the men.

"I've given you the means to escape from that bear," said Richard. "I suggest you use it."

The men agreed and went bounding away at a speed which would make a human envious.

Lila was smiling. "Richard, that was pretty amazing," she admitted. She looked at the bear. "Oh and she wants to say thank you too!"

Before Richard could object, the bear had embraced him with her front paws and was licking his face.

* * *

When Lady Hobbs saw her children returning to the cottage, she knew that something was wrong. It took her a moment to place it, but then she saw that they were talking and laughing.

"What's going on here? Are you two being friends?"

It made both of them silent for a minute. Then, together, they told her about their adventure with the bear hunters.

"My goodness!" she said, "You two need to be more careful!

"Still," she went on. "Am I following this correctly? You actually helped each other?"

Another brief silence. Richard spoke first. "Also, on the way home, we found this nailed to a tree. He held up a piece of paper. I think it's from the elves."

"Oh?"

"Yes, it says that the elves are looking for heroes to come and help them free Gulon, whoever that is. But if you can do it, they give you a free bottle of Life elixir. If I had a bottle of Life elixir, I could be the best human wizard in the world."

That made Lila laugh. "You? How are you going to free Gulon?"

"With my magic. I'm a great wizard."

"Hah. You're not a wizard. You're just a silly boy."

"My magic saved you today," said Richard.

Lady Hobbs sensed a new altercation growing. "Look," she said, "I have an idea. Richard, you might be able to help free this Gulon, but don't you think you might do better with some help?"

"Help? From whom?"

"Well, it seems to me that your sister's talents just might come in useful. Being able to talk to animals and nature, the way she does."

Richard pouted. Finally, he said, "Would I have to share the prize with her?"

"Why would I want to help you at all, worm?" said Lila.

"Well," said Lady Hobbs. "Lila you discovered some strange talents today. I think they might be because you turned fourteen, but have you noticed how they make you feel?"

Lila shrugged. "They actually make me feel kind of worried. I mean the forests are losing their trees. The animals tell me that they're dying. I think this world could be dying."

Mother nodded. "That's what I thought. Perhaps, freeing Gulon is the way to heal it."

Lila paused. "All right, I'll help Richard and you can keep the stupid Elixir."

"Wonderful," said Lady Hobbs hugging both of her children, "and who knows, you just might--"

""It's not stupid," said Richard, "You're stupid!"

"You're ugly."

"You look like a fish!"

"You look like a gorilla!"

The twins walked out of the room still arguing.

Lady Hobbs sighed. "--You just might learn something," she said doubtfully to nobody in particular.