The Awfully Angry Ogre Read Online Free PDF

friends could all take pinches of powder to toss over Edward and the rest of the statues.
    Sneezing violently as the powder drifted over him, Edward waved his sword in the air. “Take that, you fire-setting, sheep-eating, spell-casting—”
    â€œSTOP!” shouted Tansy, quickly stepping back to avoid being sliced in two.
    Edward stared at Tansy and her friends, looking just as bewildered as the other youngmen. Then they all began asking questions at once.
    Tansy waved her arms in the air. “Be quiet and we’ll explain.”
    The men sat on the ground before them, and the princesses took turns telling their story. They told about trying to follow Edward and James on Fatima’s flying carpet. They described the old woman they’d met, and the good advice she’d given. Finally, they explained what Tansy’s flute had revealed about the ogress and her daughter.
    After the princesses finished speaking, the young men remained quiet for a long time. “I feel kind of foolish now,” one of them said at last.
    â€œMe too,” said another.
    Edward bowed his head. “I wounded a child ,” he said, sounding ashamed.
    â€œBut she’s okay now,” Elena reminded him softly.
    James ran a hand through his hair. “You’re saying the ogre is really an ogress and she’s a vegetarian ?”
    Tansy nodded. “That’s right.”
    â€œWell, I guess she wouldn’t steal sheep then,” he said.
    â€œNo,” said Tansy. “And I’m sure she didn’t do any of those other horrible things she’s been accused of, either. She only wants to live in peace.”
    James scrambled to his feet. “Maybe we should go and apologize.”
    â€œThat’s a great idea,” said Tansy. “Only you’ll need to wear blindfolds. And I’ll need mine to play my flute so the ogress can understand your thoughts.”
    It was decided that Edward, James, and ayoung man named Steven would go to see the ogress. “Of course the blindfolds would have to be purple ,” Edward grumbled as they approached the shack. “That’s a girl color.”
    Tansy smiled. “It’s a royal color too, you know.”
    When the ogress opened the door, Tansy raised her flute and began to play. Many thoughts swirled through the air.
    Thank you for releasing us, thought Steven.
    I’m sorry I believed things about you that weren’t true, thought James.
    I’m sorry I hurt your daughter, thought Edward. I’m glad she’s okay now.
    The ogress was so pleased with their apologies that she gave them vegetables from her garden to share with their families and the other young men.
    By now it was late afternoon. Edward’s andJames’s horses had disappeared after their masters had changed into statues. James frowned. “I guess we’ll have to walk back to the castle.”

    Fatima eyed the brothers. “It’ll be a squeeze,” she said, “but I think I can fit two more on my carpet.”
    When all six of them were seated as comfortably as possible, they waved good-bye to the eight young men returning home on foot. With the added weight of Edward and James, the carpet rose more slowly than usual, but soon it had cleared the treetops and was soaring toward the castle.
    â€œWow! You can see everything from up here!” James exclaimed.
    Edward said nothing. As they picked up speed, his face turned as white as the snow on Mount Majesta, and his knuckles gripped the edge of the carpet. Suddenly Tansy realized why Edward always refused to climb the stairs to her tower room. She hid a smile. Her biggest, strongest, oldest brother—who’d shown no fear in facing what he thought was a ferocious ogre—was afraid of heights!

9
Trouble
    I T WAS NEARLY DUSK BY THE TIME F ATIMA landed the carpet near the castle. Tansy’s two younger brothers were playing outside, lunging at each other with toy swords.