The Witch's Apprentice 1/4

Jennifer Jane was on her way through the woods to visit her goblin friends but to her amazement, when she arrived at the place where the village should be, there was no sign that anyone had ever lived there. There were no doors in the tree trunks and the whole area looked just like any other part of the wood. She was very puzzled by this and decided to go to the giant to see if he knew what had happened.

When she arrived at the pool, the giant was nowhere to be seen. The pool was overgrown with weeds and seemed much smaller than she remembered.

She began to feel worried. She remembered Lieutenant Moonshine's last words to her after her adventure with the witch's broomstick:

'We may withdraw your permit to wish and turn you into a grown-up.'

Grown-ups couldn't see any of the goblins and fairy folk who lived in the woods and she was beginning to have a horrible feeling that Lieutenant Moonshine had carried out her threat.

"Wish Warehouse, please," she said but nothing happened. She tried all her usual requests to visit her friends but none of them worked.

Feeling really frightened now, she tried to run away from the wood to go home but however hard she tried, she didn't seem to get anywhere. She started to cry but the more the tears came, the less she was able to move.

"I don't want to grow up yet," she sobbed. "Please don't turn me into a grown-up," she cried as loudly as she could.

"There, there, darling," said a distant voice, "Wake up now; you won't be a grown-up for years yet."

Jennifer Jane recognised Mother's voice. She slowly realised she was at home in bed and her Mum was cuddling her.

"Oh mum," said Jennifer Jane, "I've just dreamt I was grown up and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get home. It was horrible."

Mother stroked Jennifer Jane's hair. "Being a grown-up isn't as bad as all that," she smiled.

Jennifer Jane wiped her eyes and settled down to go to sleep.

'I must go and see Lieutenant Moonshine and apologise to her as soon as I can,' she thought. 'It would be terrible if she did stop me from seeing all my friends in real life.'

The next few days were schooldays, so Jennifer Jane couldn't go to the woods but when Saturday came round, she was off as soon as possible after breakfast.

First of all, she went to the goblin village. She was very relieved when she saw everyone as usual.

"Hello, Jennifer Jane," they called and she stopped for a moment to chat.

"I'm going to have a word with the giant," she said. "I dreamed that he'd gone away and that the pool was all weedy and horrid, so I want to see him to make sure that everything's all right."

Sure enough, the giant was in his usual place, crying into his pool. The water was lovely and clear and Jennifer Jane began to relax and feel happy again. She called to the giant, who bent down and let her step onto his hand and then lifted her up to sit on his shoulder so that she could talk without having to shout to make herself heard.

Jennifer Jane told the giant about her bad dream.

"Aye, we heard of that," he said. "Most of us think that Moonshine went a bit too far, frightening you like that."

Jennifer Jane was very surprised. "Do you mean that Lieutenant Moonshine made me have that bad dream?" she asked.

"Of course she did," replied the giant. "That was a magic dream to make you realise what would happen if you were naughty again. I think it was very unkind of her and there's more what agrees with me."

"Oh dear, I'd better go and see her as quickly as possible to say I'm sorry. I wonder what she'll do if I wish to see her from up here?"

"You won't get to see that one by wishing," said the giant. "Them witches have gone on strike over this business and there won't be no more wishes left in that warehouse by now."

Jennifer Jane stared at the giant in amazement. "Surely the fairies in the Wish Warehouse can make all the magic they need?"

"Bless you, young Jennifer Jane, them fairies don't do no magic. They let on how clever they are but it's the witches that does the clever bit; the fairies only hand it out when it's wanted."

The giant stopped talking for a moment and then stood up slowly, being careful not to shake Jennifer Jane from her perch on his shoulder. He could just see over the tops of the trees and he pointed at something in the distance.

"I'll lay that's one of them witches flying here right now," he said. "She's probably heard you wishing to see Lieutenant Moonshine and is coming to see what's what."