by Shannon Hale
dry, dusty pasture.
72
“Surely there is good food in
Monster Land,” said Blacky.
“You have giant toenail clippings
here?” asked a bunny off to the side.
“No,” said Blacky.
“Scales? You have lizard scales to
eat, maybe?” asked a bunny on Duff ’s
shoulder.
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“No scales,” said Blacky.
“How about monster fur? You
have to have monster fur,” said a fat
bunny leaning against a goat.
75
“None,” said Blacky. “Don’t toe-
nails sound delicious? Yummy lizard
scales. Tasty monster fur.”
“I miss Monster Land,” whimpered
the smallest bunny.
“Me too,” said hundreds of other
bunnies.
“You should go back,” said Blacky.
“YES!” said the monster bunnies.
They stampeded into the hole.
Princess Sneezewort sat alone at a
café table. There were soft rolls with
butter. There were cheesy omelets.
There were heaping platters of sugar-
dusted doughnuts.
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There was no Princess Magnolia.
There was no Frimplepants. Even
Princess Sneezewort’s pet pig, Sir
Hogswell, had wandered off.
78
The servers cleared the table.
Brunch time was over.
Princess Sneezewort sighed. She
relished Princess Magnolia’s friend-
ship. But often, Princess Magnolia
showed up late. And often, her dress
was on inside out.
“How very curious,” Princess
Sneezewort said to herself.
Where did Princess Magnolia go?
And why did she dress in a hurry?
Princess Sneezewort thought hard.
She had almost figured it out. . . .
But just then, someone shouted her
name.
Was it Princess Magnolia with
her dress inside out? No, it was the
Princess in Black!
She was leading a herd of goats to
the village pasture. The goat boy was
telling everyone that the Princess in
Black and Blacky had saved his goats.
The crowd cheered.
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“Princess Sneezewort!” she called.
“Princess Magnolia sent me to apolo-
gize. She is very sorry she could not
meet you for brunch.”
83
“How very curious,” said Princess
Sneezewort. “Sadly, brunch time
is over.”
Blacky whimpered.
“Which means it’s lunchtime,”
said Princess Sneezewort. “Will you
join me?”
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Blacky’s eyes widened. His ears
twitched. His tail swooshed. In the
language of Cuteness, he was cheering,
too.
“I’d prefer lunch with you to any-
thing in the world,” said the Princess
in Black.
Frimplepants the unicorn didn’t get
brunch that day. But Blacky the pony
lunched like a king.
