by Angela Fish
Praise for Ben and The Spider Gate
“A heart-warming and magical tale which will really capture your child’s imagination. My son really enjoyed the book and very much identified with Ben and Lox. Each evening he wanted to hear the next instalment and was very captured by the story.”
Maria Grachvogel: London-based Fashion Designer
(Pre-readers)
From Howell’s Junior School (Independent Girls’ School):
(Year 2 only – July 2015)
The author and ex-Howell’s girl Angela Fish visited Year 2 today. Angela’s book “Ben and the Spider Gate” isn’t out until this September, but we were lucky enough to be sent a sneak preview copy a few weeks ago and so were thrilled to meet the author. We all had masses of questions to ask Angela, not only about the story, but also how she writes her books and where she gets her ideas. We saw illustrations from the book and learned all about the process of how it was published. We then had a real treat when Angela read out an extract from the next book in the series and had a huge surprise when she left us a copy of the new story to read. It won’t be out until Spring next year so this is a real thrill – thank you so much, Angela!
St Michael’s R C Primary (mixed):
(Years 2, 3 and 4 participated)
Classroom Assistant: I sat in when the class teacher was reading Ben and the Spider Gate to the children at story time. It was clear from their faces that they were enjoying it. When it was time to finish the session, even I didn’t want the teacher to stop!
Teacher: The pupils were really keen to move on from chapter to chapter. I think they would have been happy to have heard the book all in one go! They were keen to find out more about how the story was written, so Angela Fish was invited in on World Book Day in March and I think she was surprised at the number of questions that they asked. I know that the teachers in the other classes that read the story feel the same way.
Pupils: ‘Gran was my favourite – I think she’s wise and she’s kind.’
‘I liked Scoot because he’s like my dog – clever but a bit naughty.’
‘Ben was naughty to go into the woods and to take Jess with him, but he was only trying to help Lox and the other spiders.’
Extract from a review on ‘That’s Christmas’ (part of ‘That’s Books’ site) by Martin S.
http://thatschristmas.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/ben-and-spider-gate.html?spref=bl
Ben and the Spider Gate is a fantastic hardback book by Angela Fish. It is a stunningly well-written and delightful book for children and parents and very well-illustrated with some engaging and enchanting artwork throughout the book.
Extract from review by Brian Lee, in Cowbridge Gem and also in Bridgend and Porthcawl Recorder
Illustrated with some beautiful black and white drawings, it is the kind of book you will enjoy reading to your young children or grandchildren.
Amazon.co.uk review:
My children aged 3 and 6 were hooked by this story and wouldn’t let me stop until we finished it all. I liked it as much as they did as it was quite different to the normal children stories we read. We can’t wait to read the next one when it’s released. *****
Amazon.co.uk review:
We bought a Kindle Fire for our daughter for Christmas and she really wanted to read this book as the Author came into her school to talk about it. She was really pleased with it! ****
ALSO BY ANGELA FISH
Ben and the Spider Gate
BEN AND THE SPIDER PRINCE
Angela Fish
Illustrated by Michael Avery
Copyright © 2019 Angela Fish
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Matador®
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Wistow Road, Kibworth Beauchamp,
Leicestershire. LE8 0RX
Tel: 0116 279 2299
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.troubador.co.uk/matador
Twitter: @matadorbooks
ISBN 9781838599577
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Matador® is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd
For my family, with thanks for
your encouragement and support.
Contents
Chapter 1: Lox Asks For Help Again
Chapter 2: Gran Tells Ben The Secret
Chapter 3: Ben Learns The Magic Rhymes
Chapter 4: Ben Tells Gran About The Spider Prince
Chapter 5: Gran Gives Ben The Power
Chapter 6: Ben Meets The Spider Wizard
Chapter 7: Ben And Gran Begin The Search
Chapter 8: The Book
Chapter 9: The Rowan Tree And The Kingfisher
Chapter 10: Scoot Gives Jess A Fright
Chapter 11: The Barbecue And The Owl
Chapter 12: Ben And Jess Receive A Present
Ben’s Shrinking Rhyme
Read on to see what Ben and Jess do next
Ben and the Spider Gate
1
Lox Asks For Help Again
It was the last day of February and it was snowing. Ben was looking out of his bedroom window at his back garden. He could see the sparrows pecking at the seeds in the bird feeder. It usually made him laugh to see them pushing each other off the feeder, but today he was sad. His gran, who lived with Ben and his mum and dad, was in hospital. She’d fallen on the stairs and had hurt her foot. She’d been in hospital for nine weeks, and Ben really missed her.
He thought about the adventure he’d had last autumn. The magpies had stolen and broken the magic gate to the spider kingdom that was under the hedge at the bottom of Ben’s garden. Ben and his best friend, Jess, had helped Lox, the guardian of the kingdom, to find the pieces of the gate. They’d been in trouble for going into the woods on their own, and Ben had hurt himself, but all that seemed like a long time ago now. He was sure that his gran knew a lot more about the strange things that had happened in the garden, and he wanted to talk to her about it.
Ben heard a scratching at his door and when he opened it his little black and white dog, Scoot, rushed in.
‘Hello Scoot,’ Ben patted the dog’s head. ‘What are you doing up here?’ Scoot wagged his tail hard.
‘Good morning sleepyhead,’ Ben’s mum came into his room as well. ‘The hospital have just telephoned and said that Gran can come home tomorrow. Jess’s mum said you can wait at their house when Dad and I go to fetch her. All right?’
‘That’s great!’ Ben clapped his hands and Scoot barked.
The next day Ben’s dad took him to Jess’s house. He was still a bit worried because his mum had told him that Gran would need to rest a lot and that she wouldn’t be able to walk properly for a while.
‘Don’t worry,’ Jess’s mother said. ‘I’m sure your gran will be right as rain very soon.’
Ben looked at Jess. ‘What does that mean? Right as rain
. There’s nothing right with rain. It’s wet and you can’t go out to play.’
‘Suppose so,’ Jess said, screwing up her nose, ‘but if we didn’t have any rain then things wouldn’t grow. Then we wouldn’t have enough to eat and there’d be no water to drink and–’
‘All right clever clogs,’ Ben interrupted. ‘No need to go on about it!’
‘Sorry, Ben. Friends?’ Jess gave him a “thumbs-up” sign and he did the same.
‘I’m sorry too,’ he said.
At two o’clock Ben’s dad came for him. Ben was so excited! As soon as the car had stopped he jumped out and ran into the house.
‘Gran! Gran, where are you?’ he called.
‘I’m in my favourite chair,’ Gran called back.
‘I’m glad you’re home.’ Ben hugged her. ‘I want to talk to you about something.’
‘Thank you,’ Gran patted his back. ‘It’s good to see you, too. Now, let me get settled and maybe tomorrow we can have a long chat. There are some things I need to tell you too.’ She winked at him.
‘You mean secret things, don’t you?’ Ben’s eyes opened wide.
‘Maybe I do, Ben. Maybe I do,’ Gran said.
Ben didn’t think he’d be able to rest at all that night, but as soon as his mum put out his bedroom light he fell into a deep sleep. Then, just as the light was beginning to creep through his curtains, he thought he could hear someone calling to him. He sat up in bed and looked around. There it was again and it seemed to be coming from somewhere near the window. Ben jumped out of bed and pulled back the curtains. He nearly fell over when he saw who was there. It was Lox! Ben opened the window as quietly as he could and let the spider in.
‘Lox! What are you doing here?’ Ben bent down and tried to whisper so that his voice wouldn’t frighten the spider. ‘I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.’
Lox looked up and tried to shout so that Ben would hear him. ‘I saw you quite a lot after you found the pieces of the gate, but you didn’t see me. I was afraid because there were so many people around so I stayed hidden. This isn’t really the right time for me to be out now, it’s so cold, but I need your help again, Ben.’
‘Oh, Lox. What’s the matter?’ Ben frowned. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted another adventure. He’d been quite scared last year when he and Jess had been lost in the woods.
‘The Spider Queen and the Spider Wizard were very grateful to you for helping us with the gate,’ Lox said, ‘but we have a much more serious problem now, and I’ve been sent to talk to you.’ He shivered and Ben could see how tired he was.
‘What is it? You know I’ll help if I can.’ Ben started shivering as well.
‘It’s the Spider Prince.’ Lox ran up and down the window sill. ‘He’s very ill. The wizard has tried everything but nothing’s worked. There’s one last magic potion to try, but the ingredients are hard to find. They work much faster if they’re fresh, but dried ones are all right too. The wizard had some dried ones in his store room but they’ve been stolen and–’
‘Stolen?’ Ben shouted out loud. Lox covered his ears with his front legs. ‘What do you mean? Who would do that? It couldn’t have been the birds again. They’re too big to go into your cave.’
Lox shook his head. ‘No, it wasn’t the birds. We think it was Queen Aranya’s sister. She’s always wanted to be queen, and she’s always causing trouble.’
‘Do you ever have a Spider King, Lox?’ Ben asked.
‘Yes,’ Lox said. ‘There are six queens in a row, but then the seventh leader will be a king. Each queen chooses who will be the next one in charge. It doesn’t have to be the eldest of her children though. She has to choose the one who she thinks will be the best leader. Spindra was the eldest daughter of the old queen, and that’s why she’s so jealous of her sister.’
Ben chewed on his bottom lip. ‘So she wouldn’t be very happy if I helped you. Do you think she would try to hurt me?’
‘She wouldn’t be able to when you’re the size you are now,’ Lox said. ‘We’d have to be careful if you became small again, like when you helped us with the gate, but there are many others who would watch out for you. The wizard’s magic can be very powerful but he really needs the fresh ingredients for the potion now. Do you think you can help us?’
Ben scratched his head. ‘I don’t know, Lox. What would you want me to do? I can’t go outside the garden on my own again. I promised my mum and dad. How quickly do you need to find these things? What are they?’
Lox stood up on his four back legs and waved the others around in front of him. ‘We think it’s best if you come into the kingdom and talk to the wizard. If you can’t help, he’ll understand.’
Ben shook his head slowly. ‘But how can I meet with the wizard? I can’t get into the cave when I’m this size, and I don’t know what happened to make me small the first time we met.’
Lox looked up. ‘Ask your gran, Ben. Ask your gran. Now, I have to get back. The wizard says he can’t cure the prince but he can keep him alive for a little bit longer. I’ll come back in three days’ time.’
Ben opened the window and Lox ran out and down the side of the house.
2
Gran Tells Ben The Secret
The next day was very windy, and after breakfast Dad said he was going to do some gardening. Mum was going to the shops and, once she’d gone, Ben and his gran sat down on the settee.
‘Now then,’ Gran said, ‘what’s this important thing you want to talk about?’
Ben wriggled in his seat. ‘Do you remember the story that I told you last year about the spider gate and the magpies?’ Gran nodded. ‘Well, it wasn’t a story. It really happened. I don’t know how I became small. I just fell asleep in the garden and when I woke up I was little! You do believe me, don’t you?’
Gran patted his hand. ‘Of course I do. I knew all along.’
Ben’s mouth fell open. ‘How did you know? Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘Slow down,’ Gran laughed out loud. ‘I have a lot to tell you, but you must promise to keep it a secret. I don’t think many people would understand, or even believe you if you told them, but when I was eight – a little bit older than you – my father took me out into the garden one day and said that he had something important to tell me. He said it was a secret that had been in the family for a very long time, but that only one person at a time could use it.’
‘What do you mean by use it?’ Ben interrupted.
‘I’m coming to that,’ Gran said. ‘My father told me that his father had passed the secret to him, but it didn’t mean that it always had to be done like that. You know, from parent to child. It could be anyone – family or friend – but, once it had been passed on, you couldn’t have it back. The secret was the way to become small, and also how to return to normal size again.’
Ben bounced up and down on the settee. ‘Where did the secret come from in the first place?’
‘Don’t rush me,’ Gran said, ‘or I might forget something important. Well, my father didn’t know where the secret came from. He’d been told that many years ago there was a wise woman who lived in a cave in the mountain, on the far side of the valley. Someone in my family helped her and their reward was a rhyme that could be used to shrink the person who used it, and another to bring them back again.’
‘Do you know the rhyme? Is that what the secret is? Can you tell me?’ Ben’s cheeks were getting redder and redder.
‘Yes, Ben, I do know the rhyme and I will tell you soon, but there are some other things you need to know first. It’s important that you listen carefully. You must tell me if you don’t understand what I’m saying. You will, won’t you?’ Gran looked at Ben and he nodded quickly. ‘Well, each person who is given the secret can only use it seven times in their life. It doesn’t matter when it’s used – it could be all in one year, or spread out over many years. The thing to remember is that once each rhyme has been used seven times it has to be passed on to someone else.’
Gran smiled at him. ‘Full of questions, aren’t you, lad? I didn’t give it to your mum because it just didn’t feel right. She wasn’t really interested in the birds and the insects and the trees – all the things that I loved. That’s mostly how I used the rhyme, so that I could find out more about them. Sometimes I was able to help them, like you did with Lox, but I’ll tell you about all that another time. I used the rhymes five times in the first two years, but I decided to keep the last two for a while longer. After I went to the Grammar School I was so busy with homework and new friends that I never really thought much about the secret. When I was older I married your grandfather, and a few years later your mum was born, so I had even less time to think about it. I used it once more just after you were born.’
‘But what about me?’ Ben asked. ‘How did it happen to me?’
Gran paused for a moment. ‘There’s another thing you need to know. Whoever has the rhyme can make someone else small too, but if they tell anyone else what the rhyme is, they lose the power. It also counts as one of the seven times. Last year you seemed as though you were a little bit lonely. I know it’s not easy living so far away from most of your friends, so I thought I’d give you an adventure.’
‘But why had you kept the last chance for so long?’ Ben moved to the edge of his seat. ‘Does that mean that you can’t use the rhyme anymore? Doesn’t that make you sad?’
Gran smiled. ‘I kept it because I thought I might like to have one more adventure, but when I saw you asleep on the grass I just knew it was right to give it to you instead. Besides, I think I’m getting too old for such things. The rhyme makes you small but it doesn’t make you young!’
‘So how old are you, Gran?’ Ben asked.
‘As old as my tongue and older than my teeth, young man,’ she laughed. ‘Now, stop interrupting. There’s a lot more to tell you but you might want to fetch your notebook and pencil.’
