The Magic Fox

by Paula Harrison

  For Sally, Poppy, and Florence

  Chapter One

  Poppy’s Candles

  Poppy skipped along the cobbled street carrying a large wicker basket. Her red hair was tied into two bunches that bounced on her shoulders with every skip. She was wearing a long yellow dress and a gray cloak that was tied tightly under her chin. The little town of Penlee was high up in the hills and the wind could be cold even in the summertime.

  “Morning, Poppy!” Mr. Lott called from the bakery. “Have you sold many candles today?”

  “Yes!” Poppy paused by the open doorway and breathed in the lovely smell of freshly baked bread. “I’ve completely sold out of Red Flamers. Lots of people have bought Blue Whispers too.” She pulled back the green cloth that was covering her basket and showed him the rows of brightly colored candles inside. “Would you like anything?”

  “One Golden Sparkle, please.” Mr. Lott handed her a silver coin and a piece of cherry cake in a paper bag. “Here, take this! You must be hungry after all that walking.”

  “Thank you!” Poppy beamed, taking the bag and handing him a tall golden candle. Mr. Lott’s cakes were the nicest in the whole of Penlee. “I’d better go back home and get some more candles. See you soon!”

  Mr. Lott smiled. “Bye, Poppy! Take care!”

  Poppy skipped down the lane, her gray cloak streaming out behind her. Before she went home, she would stop at the park, she decided. There was a group of scarlet foxes living in a den between the roots of a tree. She’d made friends with them a few weeks ago, and she loved to watch them playing together. She was sure they’d like a little piece of her cake.

  The scarlet foxes were magical creatures. They had wise green eyes and their copper-red fur was even brighter than Poppy’s hair. But the strangest thing was that each one had several tails. The younger ones had three while the biggest foxes had five. The old stories said that their magic came from their tails, but Poppy didn’t know if that was true.

  In a shimmer of magic, the scarlet foxes could change color to match their surroundings. A sudden noise would make them hide in the bushes. Then their coats would transform to green and brown, leaving them almost invisible among the leaves and branches. Poppy was astonished every time she saw it.

  She smiled. What would she do if she could change color? Would she camouflage herself and turn invisible like the magical foxes? Or would she turn a bright color like her candles? She was so busy thinking about it that she bumped into a girl coming the other way along the street.

  “Oh, Poppy!” snapped Natasha, flicking back her dark hair. “Stop daydreaming! I’m sure my arm’s bruised where you hit me with that basket of candles.”

  “Sorry, Natasha!” Poppy dodged round her and carried on down the street. Natasha was nine years old like Poppy, and she helped out in the shoemaker’s shop. Poppy sometimes wondered why she always seemed so cross.

  People smiled and nodded to Poppy as she ran past. She had sold candles in the town ever since her aunt and uncle had agreed that she was strong enough to carry the basket. Poppy’s parents had died from a fever when she was a baby, and she had lived with her aunt and uncle ever since. Their little cottage stood on a hill near the edge of Penlee. From her bedroom window Poppy had a wonderful view of the river, which ran just outside the town.

  Poppy’s aunt and uncle were the only candle-makers in Penlee. They had a workshop in the garden behind their house, where they shaped the candles from warm wax and hung them up to dry.

  They sold lots of different kinds of candles. There were Red Flamers that burned with a long red flame, and Blue Whispers whose flame was a beautiful soft blue. There were Golden Sparkles that gave out a fountain of glittering sparks and were perfect for birthday cakes! Sometimes her aunt would make amazing molds and shape the wax into elephants or castles or unicorns.

  Poppy loved watching the candles being made. There was a cabinet filled with little bottles of powder that her aunt would pour into the soft wax before stirring it. She wasn’t allowed to touch these special ingredients, but her aunt and uncle had promised her that one day they’d teach her what to do.

  Weaving through the narrow streets, Poppy passed the shoemaker’s and the tea shop. She was just about to turn another corner when she noticed a group of people gathered round a sign that was nailed to the church gate. Some were shaking their heads as they read it. Poppy moved closer to take a look. She read:

  Magical animals are dangerous. Do not go near them or assist them in any way. Anyone disobeying this order will be punished.

  By order of Sir Fitzroy, on behalf of Queen Viola, the ruler of the Kingdom of Arramia.

  Poppy read it three times to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake. Why did the sign say that magical animals were dangerous? The scarlet foxes would never hurt anyone! They were funny, clever creatures and they seemed very gentle.

  There were all kinds of magical animals in the kingdom—including dragons, star wolves, and sky unicorns—but most were shy creatures and kept away from towns like Penlee. Poppy had never heard of a magical animal harming anybody.

  “I’ve heard of that man, Sir Fitzroy,” said Mrs. Allen, the flower seller. “He’s a knight at the royal castle. People say that the queen believes everything he tells her.”

  “This sign is such nonsense!” replied Mr. Denton, the shoemaker. “And anyway, we hardly ever see magical creatures in Penlee.”

  Poppy hurried away, worry gnawing at her insides. Mr. Denton was right, but he didn’t know about the magical scarlet foxes. They’d made their den in a corner of the park where they were hidden by trees and thick bushes. She didn’t think anyone had noticed them except her.

  Stopping at the park gate, Poppy looked round carefully before hurrying in. There was a huge willow tree in one corner, with long branches that hung right down to the ground. Poppy pushed apart the curtain of leaves and stepped inside. She felt safe here because the branches screened her from the rest of the park.

  A whiskery nose poked out of a hole between the willow’s roots, and a pair of green eyes watched Poppy curiously.

  “Hello!” said Poppy softly. “Aren’t you coming out to play?”

  The fox’s ears pricked up but he didn’t come out of the hole.

  Poppy set down her basket and took out the paper bag that held Mr. Lott’s cherry cake. The bag rustled as she opened it, and the fox crept out of his den. Sniffing at the bag, he barked softly.

  A cluster of foxes poured from the hole. Poppy counted five of them, but only two looked fully grown. “You must be a family,” she murmured. “With two parents and three children.”

  The smaller ones scampered around, chasing one another. Poppy carefully broke five small pieces off the cherry cake and laid them on the grass. “It’s a good thing Mr. Lott gave me such a large slice. There’s still a little piece left for me too!”

  The foxes nibbled at their cake and Poppy sat down to eat hers. The creatures looked hopefully at her when they finished. The smallest fox, which had fluffy red fur and three curly tails, crept up and put a paw on Poppy’s knee.

  “I’m sorry!” began Poppy. “I haven’t got any more, but—”

  A loud rumbling drowned out the rest of her words as a cart came down the street behind the park. Instantly, the largest fox switched color to match the curtain of willow branches. The others all changed to match the grass. Poppy could barely make them out against the green background.

  Only the littlest fox didn’t change. She closed her eyes and went very still as if she was concentrating. Then one ear turned yellow to match Poppy’s dress and one leg went green. The rest of her fur stayed as red as before.

  The small creature opened her eyes and looked in surprise at her green leg.

  Poppy gi
ggled. “You’re still learning! I think that’s a very good try!”

  The little fox gave a high bark as if she was pleased too. The bigger foxes gathered round and they all started to play again.

  Poppy smiled at them all. She remembered the sign near the church: MAGICAL ANIMALS ARE DANGEROUS.

  It was the silliest thing she’d ever heard!

  Chapter Two

  The Children and the Dragon

  Poppy didn’t want to say good-bye to the scarlet foxes, but she knew she had to get home and collect more candles to sell. She hurried up the hill toward her aunt and uncle’s house.

  The wind grew stronger and Poppy’s cloak swirled around her legs. She glanced at the gray clouds sailing overhead. She hoped it wasn’t going to rain. Pulling up the hood of her cloak, she noticed something in the sky that didn’t look like a cloud at all—a shape with huge leathery wings.

  A dragon.

  Poppy’s skin tingled. She’d never seen a dragon so close to Penlee before. It was black with a crest of red spines along its back. She held her breath as it wheeled round and flew south, beating its enormous wings.

  A boy and a girl came running down the street. They stopped to wave at the sky.

  “Thank you, Bellegar!” called the boy.

  “See you soon!” shouted the girl.

  The dragon gave a deep growl as it flew away.

  Poppy stared at the children in astonishment. Why were they talking to the dragon? She knew they weren’t from Penlee because she’d never seen them before. Neither of them had cloaks, and the girl wore a short green dress and sandals.

  The boy noticed Poppy and nudged the girl.

  “Hello!” called Poppy. “Do you know that dragon?”

  “He’s our friend,” said the boy. “We wouldn’t have got here without him.”

  “Really?” gasped Poppy. “You flew here?”

  “It’s true!” The girl gave Poppy a serious look. “We’re friends of magical animals—ALL magical animals. Actually, that’s why we’re here. The magical creatures in this kingdom are in danger and we’re trying to help them.”

  Poppy stared. First that horrible sign had gone up on the church gate and now this girl and boy were talking about magical animals. It was all very strange. She had to find out more. “Would you like something to eat?” She pointed to her house. “I live just there, and my aunt makes really nice cookies.”

  The girl and boy exchanged looks.

  “I think we should stop for a while,” the boy said. “I’m hungry.”

  “All right, but we don’t have long,” said the girl. “Bellegar’s gone to the river for a drink. After he’s rested we’ll need to fly on to meet our friend Sophy.” She turned to Poppy. “Thanks for inviting us! I’m Talia and this is Lucas.”

  “I’m Poppy. Come inside and we can talk.” Poppy led them up the front path. “My aunt and uncle won’t interrupt us. They’ll be busy making candles in the workshop.”

  She took them into a room decorated with candles of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Poppy’s favorite were the purple butterflies on the mantelpiece, which had delicate wax wings. Talia and Lucas followed her, looking curiously at the wax sculptures.

  Poppy led them into the kitchen and fetched some lemonade and the cookie tin. She longed to ask more about the dragon. “What is it like to fly?” she burst out. “It must be awesome!”

  “It’s wonderful!” said Talia. “You can see everything when you’re up there in the sky—all the trees and rivers. We come from far away in the Hundred Valleys. I never dreamed I would get to see places like this!”

  Poppy poured the lemonade and offered them chocolate cookies. “So why do you say that the magical animals are in danger? A sign has gone up in the middle of town saying we should keep away from the creatures.” She swallowed, thinking of the scarlet foxes. “It says we shouldn’t go near them at all.”

  Talia set her cup down with a snap. “I bet that’s Sir Fitzroy’s fault! He’s sending orders all around the kingdom to stop people from helping them.”

  Lucas watched Poppy closely. “Do you know any magical creatures? Are there any living in this town?”

  Poppy hesitated, then decided she could trust Talia and Lucas. “There are scarlet foxes.” She told them about the foxes with their beautiful coats that transformed to any color. “And this Sir Fitzroy you mentioned—his name is on the sign I told you about.”

  “He’s a knight at the royal castle,” Talia told her. “I only found out about him when Sophy gave me my Speaking Stone. She works as a maid there.”

  “Your Speaking Stone?” Poppy looked confused.

  Talia took a small purple bag from her pocket. “There isn’t much time to explain. Sir Fitzroy and his friends hate the magical animals. They believe the creatures are dangerous and they want to capture them. A group of us—me, Lucas, Sophy, and others—are secretly helping the animals.” She stopped and bit her lip. “If you wanted, you could help us too.”

  “Yes, please!” Poppy said eagerly. “I think magical animals are amazing.”

  “Let’s see if there’s a stone for her!” Lucas’s eyes gleamed.

  “That’s what I’m doing!” Talia opened the bag and poured a handful of little stones onto the table. “Hold out your hand, Poppy. These stones are magical and maybe one of them can be yours.”

  Poppy held out her hand and Talia placed a rock on her palm. It was dull and gray, and felt rough against her skin. “Are they really magical?” she asked as Talia took away the stone and tried the next one. “They look so ordinary.”

  “Just wait!” said Lucas, leaning forward. “It could be the next one.”

  Poppy frowned. “But what’s supposed to happen? I just don’t—” She broke off as her hand tingled.

  The stone grew warmer and warmer, as if a fire burned inside it. Slowly the rock brightened from gray to orange.

  “This is your stone, Poppy,” breathed Talia. “I was sure you’d have one!”

  “But why is it so hot? Ouch!” Poppy dropped the stone on the table as it became too hot for her fingers.

  “It’s the magic working!” Talia told her.

  Glowing a fierce orange, the stone suddenly snapped in half.

  “Oh no, it’s broken!” gasped Poppy. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “That’s supposed to happen,” Lucas reassured her. “The enchantment is hidden inside the stone. When it reaches the right person it breaks open and the magic begins!”

  “Really?” Poppy peered at the stone. Inside each half was a hollow filled with glittering crystals as white as mountain snow. “It’s beautiful! Is it really mine?”

  Talia nodded. “And you must keep it a secret. Wear it on a thread around your neck like Lucas and I do.” She pulled out her own stone tied to a thin piece of cotton. “It’s not just a pretty stone—it’s useful, and it will help you protect magical animals.”

  “But how?” Poppy picked up the two halves of rock. As she turned them, the crystals sparkled in the light.

  “Didn’t we tell you?” Talia smiled. “That is your Speaking Stone. It will let you talk to magical animals!”

  Chapter Three

  The Blast of the Horn

  Poppy picked up her enchanted stone and held it tight. Talia was explaining how the stones had been discovered at the royal castle when the queen, not realizing how special they were, threw them away.

  Poppy tried to listen carefully but she could hardly sit still. This stone would let her talk to magical animals. That meant she could go back to the park and speak to the scarlet foxes. There were so many things she’d love to ask them!

  “So we had to save the firebirds and that’s how our adventure began,” finished Talia. “I wish we could stay longer, but our dragon, Bellegar, will be waiting for us.”

  “Thank you for my Speaking Stone.” Poppy smiled. “I’ll use it to help magical creatures as much as I can.”

  “I know you’ll do a great job!” Talia got up.
“Come on, Lucas. You know Bellegar hates waiting.”

  “Are you going far?” asked Poppy.

  “We’re on our way to the castle to give the unopened stones back to Sophy,” said Talia. “We were looking after them in case Sir Fitzroy got suspicious, but now she needs them back again.”

  “Take some of these with you,” said Poppy, holding out the cookie tin.

  “Thanks!” Lucas took a handful of cookies and shoved them in his pocket before following Talia out the door.

  Poppy quickly dashed up to her bedroom. Her window looked out over the countryside. She saw Talia and Lucas rushing down the hill. In the distance a black dragon was waiting beside the river.

  Opening her sewing box, Poppy cut a length of blue thread. She tied the two halves of her stone together and hung it round her neck. No one would see it there, tucked beneath her dress. She smiled. Now she could go to find the scarlet foxes!

  Poppy filled her basket with more candles before dashing back into town. Her aunt had made a batch of little elephants with lovely curved trunks in purple wax. She was sure lots of people would love them.

  Before going to sell the candles, she crept back to the willow tree in the park. As soon as she pushed aside the curtain of leaves, the scarlet foxes came out of their den. The smallest cub bounded over, sniffing at her hands. Then she gazed at Poppy hopefully.

  “You’re hoping there’s more cake, aren’t you?” said Poppy, smiling. “I’m sorry, I haven’t got any more.”

  The foxes stared at her in surprise. Poppy glowed with happiness. She was sure they’d understood exactly what she’d said.

  The little cub ran back to the biggest fox. “Daddy! The girl talked to me. She did! She did!”

  “I heard her, Little-paw,” said the larger fox.

  Poppy realised she’d startled them. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to surprise you.” She set down her basket and took out her magical stone. “I was given this. It’s called a Speaking Stone. The people who gave it to me said it would let me talk to magical animals, and it works!”