Igraine the Brave Read Online Free PDF Page A

Magic chuckled and applauded each other.
    “And it will grow with you,” said Sir Lamorak, scratching his ear with his back trotter. He did it very elegantly now, although he’d been a pig for just one night.
    “That’s right,” said Albert happily. “We cast spells so that it will still fit you if you ever get to be tall and fat.”
    Igraine stroked the shining suit and smiled.
    “And nothing can get through it,” said her father proudly. “Nothing at all. Even lances will bounce back from this armor. It’s supposed to be waterproof, too … at least, the books say so.”
    “And then we wanted to give it a pink glow.” Melisande sighed, and wrinkled her black piggy nose. “We thought that would be really pretty. So I said:

    Silver be this armor fine,
With a pink and rosy …!
    “… swine ,” said Albert. “Mama went and said ‘swine’ instead of ‘shine.’ And then it happened. Father turned into a pink pig. But why Mother turned into a pig, too, and a black one at that, while nothing happened to me, is more than we can explain.”
    “That’s magic for you,” said Igraine, striding up and down in her birthday present. Nothing about it clinked, nothing squeaked. Magic did have its advantages. “I’ll wear it tomorrow when I ride off to find the giant,” she said. “Or do you think I’d better set out today?”
    “No, no!” cried her parents. “Definitely not. Today we’re celebrating your birthday.”
    “And anyway,” added Sir Lamorak, “your mother and I are still wondering whether it isn’t too dangerous a task for you. Perhaps we ought to go ourselves.”

    “Nonsense,” said Igraine. “Running around in the wilderness is much more dangerous for pigs. Someone might catch and eat you! No, I’m going, and that’s that. Which giant should I ask for some of his hairs? As far as I know, there’s one in the hills in the west, and another who lives beyond the Whispering Woods.”
    “Garleff is the friendliest; he’s the giant in the west,” replied Sir Lamorak, trying to get his pink snout into the milk jug. “The giant beyond the forest is too fond of catching humans and giving them to his children to play with. Anyway, his hair is more brown than red.”
    “Yes, if you do go, ride to Garleff,” agreed the Fair Melisande. “Your father charmed away a nasty rash he had a few years ago. Giants don’t forget that kind of thing, not for ages. They’re very grateful creatures.”
    “What about me?” Albert passed his curly-tailed parents the birthday cake. He sounded rather injured. “I’m older than Igraine, and I’m a considerably better magician. Why can’t I go and get the hairs?”
    Igraine was greatly tempted to stick her tongue out at him.
    “Because your sister rides considerably better than you do,” replied the Fair Melisande. “I’m afraid you take after your great-grandfather Pelleas. And as we all know, he always fell off his horse at the wrong time.”
    “And in addition to that,” said Sir Lamorak, smacking his lips — obviously the cake tasted good to pigs as well as to people — “in addition to that, my boy, we may need your magic arts here in the near future.”
    Albert looked at his father in surprise. “Why?”
    “For the same reason that forces us to let Igraine go on this mission alone,” replied Sir Lamorak. “I confess that under these slightly changed circumstances the news our dear friend Bertram brought makes me a little anxious. Suppose this Osmund really does turn up here soon? To be sure, Pimpernel Castle can defend itself. The lions will roar, the gargoyles will swallow any missiles. And the magic of the moat will certainly work, too. None of that, however, will be enough if Osmund attacks the castle with a large army.”
    “But you can simply magic the army away!” cried Albert. “You can turn all the soldiers into ants or wood lice if you want to.”
    The two pigs exchanged gloomy glances.
    “I’m afraid it’s not that