The taming of Tornak the Terrible 3/5

The little group walked along the path towards the bridge. As they arrived, Esmerelda pushed Jennifer Jane to the front.

"Who wishes to pass over the Bridge of Lurgin the Troll?" asked a deep echoing voice from under her feet.

"The witches Esmerelda and Dulcibella, one apprentice from the Gate and Cyril, son of Tornak the Terrible," said Jennifer Jane as bravely as she could.

"Hello, Cyril," said the voice in perfectly ordinary tones, "your dad'll be pleased to see you, he's been wondering where on earth you've got to. You can cross over when you like, free of charge."

Then Lurgin changed back to his menacing tone. "The witches must first answer my riddle correctly, or I'll eat them up."

"Can I stay while they answer the riddle?" asked Cyril.

"So be it! Answer me this: when is a door not a door?"

Esmerelda and Dulcibella looked hopefully at Jennifer Jane, who couldn't believe her ears. The riddle was so easy, although it hadn't even been in the book about the wizard. She knew the answer because it was just one of the simple riddles she'd first learned at infant school.

"When it's ajar," she said loudly.

"Oh: er... correct," said Lurgin, "best two out of three. Just wait a minute."

"That's not fair," said Esmerelda, "we’ve answered your riddle."

"Who said anything about being fair?" roared Lurgin. "Do you want to cross over or get eaten? Now then, what is it that goes on four legs in the morning, two legs during the day and three legs in the evening?"

"Oh lor', that's torn it," said Esmerelda.

Dulcibella burst into tears. "I don't wanna get et," she sobbed.

"It doesn't sound possible," said Cyril, "some creatures have two legs and some have four but nobody has three."

Jennifer Jane was smiling happily. This riddle was in the book she'd read.

"The answer is man, who crawls when a baby, walks on two legs during his life and needs a stick to help him in old age!"

"Best three out of five," said Lurgin quickly.

"You can't keep changing the rules," said Jennifer Jane. "I'm going to ask you a riddle now and if you can't answer it, you must let us cross, otherwise Cyril will fly across the river to fetch his Dad and get him to come and give you a good roasting."

"No need to get nasty," said Lurgin sulkily in his ordinary voice. "I agree, now what's the riddle?"

"It's in verse," said Jennifer Jane.

Esmerelda and Dulcibella looked on admiringly as Jennifer Jane recited her poem.

"Little Miss Etticoat
In her white petticoat
The longer she stands
The shorter she grows.
What am I?"

The Troll went very quiet.

"Come on," said Esmerelda, "let's cross over quietly while he's still tryin' to work it out."

They all tiptoed across the bridge. As they passed the middle, Jennifer Jane could hear paper rustling below her. It sounded as though someone was turning over the pages of a book very quickly. They all reached the other side safely, then a howl came from under the bridge.

"That's not fair, the answer's in book three and I've never had to go past book one before!"

"Too late, mate," said Esmerelda with a laugh, "come on, let's run."

And believe me, they did, with Cyril galloping along beside them.