kissed the youngest brother on the forehead, for secretly she had hoped it would be him.
“Well,” said the king, “which half of the kingdom do you want?”
“My wizard’s book!” exclaimed the wizard. “He’s found my wizard’s book!” He opened the book and ran his fingers along under the words. He then said in a loud voice, “Glmuzk, shkzmlp, blam!”
Instantly the queen stood before them in her natural shape. Except she was soaking wet from being sprinkled too often. She glared at the king.
“Oh, dear,” said the king, hurrying toward the door.
John Gardner
John Gardner (1933–1982) grew up on a farm in Batavia, New York. He started writing stories when he was eight years old. His parents often read aloud Shakespeare’s works to the family. This inspired him to write old-fashioned tales with a modern twist. Gardner’s books on the craft of writing have had a strong influence on writers of all ages. Dragon, Dragon and Other Tales was named Outstanding Book of the Year by the New York Times.