When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew by Jan Andrews

Author:Jan Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd.
Published: 2011-11-19T05:00:00+00:00

The earth began to till itself. In less than an hour, the field had been plowed and the seeds had been sown.

“You must go now to my father,” the princess told Ti-Jean. “You must tell him the task is done but you must be careful. He will suspect that I have helped you and he will watch me. Do not try to speak to me again. Wait in your room until you hear my knock. Let me in so that I can tell you how to succeed tomorrow as well.”

Ti-Jean went to Bonnet Rouge. Bonnet Rouge was angry. He was very angry indeed.

“The next task will be harder,” he shouted.

“But this one was so easy,” Ti-Jean said.

On this night, Bonnet Rouge gave him a good mattress. Ti-Jean was so tired that he fell asleep at once. He slept like a log.

At midnight, the princess came knocking on the door, but he did not hear her. She knocked and she knocked and then she went away.

At dawn, Bonnet Rouge came to wake him.

“I will give you your second task,” he said. “On the castle grounds there is a lake. Seven years ago, my wife was rowing upon it in her boat. She dropped her golden ring into the water. You must empty the lake and find the ring and you must do it before the setting of the sun.”

He held out two buckets. One was brand new. The other looked as if it might have holes in it. Still, Ti-Jean remembered what the princess had told him.

“The old bucket will be the best for me,” he said.

He took it and set off whistling. Bonnet Rouge was even angrier.

How would Ti-Jean know that he must choose the older bucket? he asked himself.

Ti-Jean was happy. He thought he knew what to do. He reached the lake and touched the bucket.

“Bucket, drain the lake,” he said.

The bucket did nothing.

“Lake, drain yourself,” Ti-Jean commanded.

The lake did not move.

Ti-Jean filled the bucket as best he could, but there was nowhere for the water to go and soon it started running back.

The lake was not shrinking. It was not shrinking at all.

Ti-Jean called for the princess but she did not come to him. He knew then what had happened.

I have upset her. I must have slept so soundly I did not hear her knock, he thought.

Once more he decided that he might as well lie down and rest.

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