The Magician's Boy Read Online Free

but it slunk off with its tail between its legs.
    â€œThanks very much,” said the Boy to Jack. He climbed down off the beanstalk. “What’s a quest?”

    â€œLooking for something,” Jack said. “Or someone. You’re on a quest to find Saint George.”
    â€œAnd I’m no good at it,” said the Boy gloomily.
    â€œCheer up,” said Jack. “Here, have a snack.” He held out his piece of bread.
    â€œThanks!” said the Boy. He took a bite. It was very good bread.
    Jack said, “If Saint George is here, he’s in his own story. Everyone is. And his story is ‘Saint George and the Dragon,’ right?”
    â€œRight,” said the Boy, chewing.
    â€œTry looking for the Dragon. Dragons are hard to miss. Then you’ll find Saint George with him!”
    â€œThat’s a great idea,” the Boy said.
    â€œGood luck!” said Jack. “I’m off to bother my Giant again.” He slapped the Boy on the back, and began climbing up the beanstalk.
    â€œHe loves chocolate!” the Boy called after him.
    But Jack was gone.

A gruff voice said, “So now you’re looking for a Dragon?”
    The Boy looked down. It was the signpost, standing there pointing as usual in both directions.
    â€œWhere have you been?” the Boy said. He took another bite of bread.
    â€œRight here,” said the signpost. “I can’t climb beanstalks, and wolves don’t eat signposts. Don’t eat that last bit of bread.”
    The Boy was about to pop it in his mouth, but he stopped. “Are you hungry?” he said.
    â€œSignposts don’t eat, stupid,” said the signpost. “Share it with the birds. They might be useful.”
    The Boy broke his last bit of bread into crumbs, and scattered them on the ground. At once, four and twenty blackbirds came swooping down out of the trees and the beanstalk and pecked them up.
    The Boy looked at them, and remembered.“You be careful!” he said. “Someone wants to catch all of you, and bake you in a pie!”
    â€œOh, that’s okay,” said the biggest blackbird. “It’s just the Magician. He doesn’t really cook us. We just sit in this big dish and he puts a baked crust over us. People think they have a yummy pie to eat, but when they cut it, we all fly out, singing. You should see their faces!”
    â€œI know a Magician like that,” said the Boy.
    â€œThanks for the crumbs,” said the blackbird. She looked at him with her head on one side. “You need any bird help?”

    â€œYes please,” said the Boy. “Will you tell me if you can see any parts of the wood where the trees have been burned by fire?”
    â€œFire?” said the bird.
    â€œI’m looking for a Dragon,” said the Boy. “Dragons breathe fire all the time, they can’t help it.”
    â€œOkay,” said the biggest blackbird. She whistled to the others, and all twenty-four of them flew up past the treetops and disappeared.
    The Boy looked at the signpost with respect.
    â€œThe birds were a good idea,” he said.
    â€œWell, I
am
supposed to show people the way,” said the signpost. “You just have to choose which one.”
    The birds came flying down again like a fall of black snow. They saluted.
    â€œBurned trees two miles east, sir,” said one.
    â€œBlack treetops one mile north, sir,” said another.
    â€œBlack trees five hundred yards south, sir,” said a third.
    â€œBurned trees a hundred yards west, sir,” said the biggest blackbird, “and still smoking!”
    â€œThat’s it!” said the Boy. “The Dragon must be still there! Let’s go west!”
    He looked up to see which way the sun was shining. “This way!” he said, and they all set off. The blackbirds fluttered from tree to tree, singing.

Soon the Boy could smell smoke. He ran through the trees, and he thought