Day of the Dragon King Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.
    â€œYep!” said Jack and Annie.
    And they followed her inside.

MORE FACTS FOR YOU AND JACK
    1. Chinese writing has over 50,000 characters. According to legend, the first characters were devised from the tracks of birds and animals.
    2. In 221 B.C. , China was divided into many kingdoms. Under the leadership of the first emperor, Shi Huangdi (who called himself the Dragon King), China became a united country. Afraid that Chinese scholars were a threat to his power, he ordered all their books burned.
    3. Silk thread comes from the cocoon of the silkworm, which feeds on mulberry leaves. The art of making silk was kept a secret because the Chinese once depended on silk for foreign trade.
    4. The first emperor built the Great Wall to protect his empire from northern invaders. According to Chinese legend, the wall is a dragon that has turned to stone.
    5. Since the 1970s, archaeologists have been investigating the Dragon King’s tomb and have unearthed over 50,000 artifacts.
    6. The Chinese legend of the silk weaver and the cowherd is connected with the stars Vega and Altair. The two were married on earth. But when they returned to heaven, they were so happy that they refused to work. The king and queen of Heaven grew angry and separated them by the Milky Way. But once a year, they are together. On the seventh day of the seventh moon, magpies make a bridge between them.

Here’s a special preview of
Magic Tree House #15
Viking Ships at Sunrise

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    Excerpt copyright © 1998 by
Published by Random House Children’s Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

Jack opened his eyes.
    A thin gray light came through his window. His clock read 5 A.M. All was quiet.
    Today we’re going to ancient Ireland
, he thought,
back more than a thousand years
.
    Morgan le Fay had told him that it was a very dangerous time, with Vikings raiding the coasts.
    â€œYou awake?” came a whisper.
    Annie stood in his doorway. She was dressed and ready to go.
    â€œYeah, meet you outside,” said Jack as he climbed out of bed.
    He pulled on his jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He put his secret library card into his backpack with his notebook and pencil. Then he hurried downstairs.
    Annie was waiting for him in their yard.
    The air was damp and misty.
    â€œReady?” she asked.
    Jack took a deep breath.
    â€œI guess,” he said. He was a little worried about the Vikings.
    They walked silently over the dewy grass. Then they ran up their street and into the Frog Creek woods.
    Mist clung to the trees as they walked through the dark woods.
    â€œIt’s hard to see,” said Jack.
    â€œWhere’s the tree house?” asked Annie.
    â€œI have no idea,” said Jack.
    Just then something fell in front of them.
    â€œ
Watch out!
” shouted Jack. He covered his head.
    â€œThe ladder!” cried Annie.
    Jack opened his eyes.
    The rope ladder from the magic tree house dangled in front of them.
    Jack looked up. The tree house was hidden in the mist.
    â€œCome on, let’s go,” said Annie.
    She grabbed the ladder and started up. Jack followed.
    They climbed through the wet air and into the tree house.
    â€œHello,” said Morgan. “I’m glad to see you.”
    She was sitting in the corner. At her feet were the scroll they’d brought back from Roman times and the bamboo book from ancient China.
    â€œI’m so glad to see
you
,” said Jack.
    â€œMe too,” said Annie.
    â€œIt’s good that you both came early,” said Morgan.
    She reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a piece of paper.
    â€œHere’s the ancient story you must find today,” she said.

    Morgan handed the paper to Jack. On it were the words:

    The mysterious writing reminded Jack of the writing from their trip to the Roman town of Pompeii.
    â€œThat looks like Latin,” he said.
    â€œVery good,” said Morgan.