First Prize for the Worst Witch by Jill Murphy

Author:Jill Murphy
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
ISBN: 9780141355177
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2018-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

‘Did I get it right?’ asked Mildred. ‘Can you speak?’

‘You did!’ woofed Star. ‘I can.’

‘Quietly,’ she whispered. ‘Not a word – don’t say anything just for one moment while I magic the others.’

The pony was very good about being measured, as he often had a saddle and reins put on and was used to standing still, but the seal was more tricky. She wasn’t keen at all and flumped off into the pool the minute the door was unbolted. Mildred had to crawl in to get the tape measure around her. The crate was slimy and smelled of old fish, so it was not very nice for Mildred, inching her way along on her hands and knees to the pool, where the nervous seal was pressed against the bars. Then she had to wriggle out backwards, feeling slightly sick, so that she could work out the sizes for each animal’s spell.

Both spells worked, and all three animals began talking excitedly at once – Mildred could barely hear what they were saying!

‘Shh!’ she commanded in a loud whisper. ‘One at a time, please, and keep your voices down – Spotty,’ she said, pointing at the seal, ‘you first.’

The seal shuffled forward importantly.

‘My name isn’t Spotty,’ she said in a soft, gentle voice, almost as if she was singing. ‘It’s really Selkie, after the creature in the myth – you know, the one that’s half seal, half human – and I’m not a performing seal at all. I was lost on the beach and the Brilliantines found me at a place called Grim Cove. There’s a colony of us there, and I so want to go back and join my family. Common Seals don’t do tricks – well, we can do one: it’s pretending to be a banana. Look, I’ll do it now if you like – all Common Seals can do it naturally,’ she said proudly.

Mildred had to stop herself laughing as Selkie curved her body and flippers into a perfect banana shape.

‘That’s truly wonderful,’ said Mildred with a smile. ‘And I know Grim Cove – a friend of mine owns a castle there.’

‘You know where it is?’ gasped Selkie. ‘Can you take me back there? I hate it here – I’m just no good at anything, and I can never seem to please them, whatever I do.’

‘I know how you feel about that,’ agreed Mildred earnestly. Next, she turned to the pony. ‘What about you?’ she asked. ‘Do you like being here?’

‘Not much,’ he replied in a voice with a whinny, as if he was clearing his throat. ‘It’s not that bad. I mean, I get food and lots of rest, and I don’t mind trotting around the ring with Binky on my back –’

‘I’m not Binky,’ muttered Star crossly. ‘My real name is Star. Mildred gave it to me, and I belong to her, not the Brilliantines.’ He gave Mildred an adoring look that melted her heart.

‘Sorry, Bink– I mean Star –’ continued the pony. ‘I’ve got the wrong name too.

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