Tashi and the Wicked Magician by Anna Fienberg

Author:Anna Fienberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2014-09-26T04:00:00+00:00

“Get off, you hairy spider!” yelled Lotus Blossom

‘He bent to examine the clumsy knot One Ear had tied around my wrists and thighs, and clicked his teeth in disgust. Taking a new piece of rope, he bound it tightly around my chest. “Let’s go,” he barked, turning on his heel. He strode out through the bushes, with Hairy and One Ear crashing behind him.

‘Oh, the hours ticked past so slowly! The silence was almost complete. I couldn’t help thinking how much worse it would be when night fell. At every rustle in the grass, we stiffened with fear. Once, a bird shrieked in alarm, making our hearts pound.

‘“I wish I knew where that viper had gone,” whispered Favourite Aunt.

‘The Professor gave her a gentle smile. “We mustn’t give up,” he said. “Someone could come by any minute.”

‘“I wouldn’t mind so much if I wasn’t so hungry,” sniffed Ah Chu.

‘“We’re all hungry,” snapped Lotus Blossom. “And Tashi, I wouldn’t be surprised if that Stoneface person hadn’t brought those robbers to our village, either.”

‘A light switched on in my head. “Of course!” I cried. “Stoneface! His shack isn’t far from here. Why didn’t I think of that before?”

‘Lotus Blossom blinked. “What good is that? Like I just said, he’s probably one of the robbers.”

‘“No, I’m sure he’s not,” I said. “We’ll soon find out,” and I went to raise my hands to my lips. But I’d forgotten. My wrists were tied to my thighs, bound tight to the tree. I couldn’t move them.

‘I ground my teeth. What was the good of knowing how to do that special whistle when your hands were tied? I looked down at the ground in despair, and that was when I saw it. A brown-gold streak in the grass.

‘“Wah!” I couldn’t help moaning. A pit viper! I saw it clearly now, sunlight gleaming on its scales. Silently, it slid towards Ah Chu’s feet.

‘“What?” said Lotus Blossom.

‘“Oh, it’s just – a bit hard to breathe under this tight rope.” I glanced at Ah Chu. He was pale and sweaty, but he hadn’t seen the snake. Should I warn him not to make any sudden movement with his foot? But what if he panicked, and lashed out? Oh, what to do?

‘I was starting to panic now, too. Stop struggling, I told myself. Empty your mind of thoughts. I closed my eyes and waited until everything became very still. And then a memory dropped into my mind, like a stone into a clear pool.

‘Wise-as-an-Owl once told me that if you happen to get tied up, you must search for even the tiniest bit of slack – the space between you and the rope. “You can always get yourself out,” he said. “The trick is to find that space and keep working at it. You must never give up.” But I wondered, looking at the fearful shape in the grass, if there would be the time.

‘I began making small twisting movements from right to left with my shoulders, like turning a key in a lock.

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