It Is Said (Mathias Bootmaker and the Keepers of the Sandbox) Read Online Free PDF Page A

admit this is very intriguing.”
    From behind its back, the rabbit produced a small notepad that appeared to be made up of green leaves. From behind his long ear he pulled a well chewed stick. He scratched out a note with the stick. Tore a leaf from the pad and handed it to the pirate.
    “Is that who I think it is?” the seafarer read aloud. “I think you may be right,” he said to the hare.
    The trio looked down to Mathias.
    “Are you okay, brother?” he asked.
    “I’m not really sure,” Mathias said without thinking. “Ask me again another day.”
    The pirate laughed deeply and loudly. He crumpled up the rabbits note, thrust it into his mouth, chewed and swallowed.
    “I’m a great consumer of knowledge,” he said with a wink and another laugh.
    The donkey shook his head. The rabbit rolled his eyes. The pirate reached down and grasped Mathias by the arm.
    “You can daydream all you want, mister,” he said as he pulled Mathias up and off the ground, “but you can’t spend all your life under a tree.”
    Mathias landed again, on both his feet this time, right in front of the man he thought was a pirate, but was now someone quite different. Not a giant, but his ancestors might have been. Everything about him was just big. He towered over Mathias. He was dressed in a lush deep blue robe. He had long grey hair and a beard to match. He wore a gold laurel crown on his head.
    “I am Valentino Palabro,” he said with a wide smile.
    The big man was waiting for Mathias to recognize him. There was no recognition to be felt, because there was none to be had. There was none to be had, because there was nothing but confusion.
    “I am Valentino Palabro,” he repeated, “the bookbinder.”
    The donkey nudged the almost giant at his knee with his head.
    “This is my assistant Albert,” the big man said as he pointed down to the donkey.
    The rabbit, still on the man’s shoulder, scribbled another note. Tore the leaf off and dropped it down to Mathias who caught the floating message. The carved letters were very clear.
    “I am Louie, the librarian,” he read aloud.
    “You have lovely penmanship,” Mathias shouted up to the author.
    The rabbit took the stick and put it length wise under his very prominent two front teeth and bit down as he eyed Mathias suspiciously.
    This family of three belonged together. They were obviously longtime friends and comedy cohorts. They were obviously desperate for Mathias to acknowledge who they were. The uncomfortable silence between them all began to grow.
    “I’m beginning to think you don’t know who we are,” Valentino said almost sadly.
    Mathias looked at the big man, the donkey, and the rabbit. He had no answer for any of them. He looked at the world around him. He had no idea what was going on. Like the rabbit, Mathias thought it best to keep his own council until he could learn more.
    “Unfortunately, I have no idea who any of you are,” Mathias admitted as politely as he could while he chewed and swallowed his note.
    “We know who you are little brother,” Valentino said with certainty.
    Mathias was about to ask how they could know him, when in the blink of an eye he was looking down at a small child with a rabbit standing by his side.
    “Give me your hand, Mathias,” the diminutive Valentino asked sincerely.
    The bookbinder was now wearing a cut at the waist, dark wool coat. Very clean white pants and clean proper shoes. On his head he wore a black wool cap. On his nose rested a pair of round spectacles with very dark lenses.
    Mathias knelt down in front of the child.
    “Who and what are you, Valentino Palabro?” Mathias asked.
    “Like you, I am many things Mathias Bootmaker,” the child replied. “Now give me your hand.”
    The bookbinder held his hand out waiting. Mathias reached out and put his hand on the child’s hand. Valentino put his other hand on top of them both.
    “My hands see what my eyes cannot,” the boy revealed.
    The darkly colored glasses