delight.
Maya peeked over the bushes to check the knight hadn’t seen them. She sighed with relief when she saw the men crossing the bridge. But where had the unicorn herd gone?
The knight and his guards reached the other side of the river. They stared all around, as if trying to find the unicorns, before riding away along the road that led to town.
Maya spotted the sky unicorn herd in a little hidden valley behind a grove of trees near the water’s edge.
“There’s your herd!” Maya told the little unicorn, pointing to the opposite bank. “Can you find your way?”
The foal seemed to think he could. He brushed his nose against Maya’s hair and then skipped across the bridge and through the trees into the hidden valley to join the herd again.
Maya smiled as she watched him. Then she hurried to the water’s edge and waded back to the boat. Her muddy dress clung to her legs. Her mum would tell her off for getting messy, but she didn’t mind. She was so glad the foal was safe again.
Maya was relieved that everyone thought she’d just paddled in the river for fun. Her mum and dad had been busy searching for the mooring rope in the cabin. The rest of the troupe hadsailed round the bend in the river just as the knight had crossed the bridge. They’d been too busy staring at him to look at Maya. She was happy that her meeting with the unicorn foal was her special secret!
“Honestly, Maya!” scolded her mum. “What were you thinking – splashing around in your dancing dress? I don’t think I’ll be able to wash those mud stains out.”
“Sorry, Mum!” Maya said meekly.
The six boats of Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe stopped close to the bridge and fastened their mooring ropes. Everyone disembarked and together they built a fire that they could use for cooking. Dinner was to be a stew made with freshly caught fish.
The troupe relaxed around the campfire while the stew was cooking. Everyone was there: the married acrobats Monty and May; Maya’s three older brothers – the juggling triplets; the Kittersons, who put on plays; Ruben Gribba the magician; and the grown-up dancers Floella and Daisy, with Daisy’s four-year-old daughter, Lucy. Then there was Mr Inigo, who sang opera songs in his splendid deep voice. Maya’s parents didn’t perform any more, but helped with all thecostumes and sold tickets for the shows.
“This is an excellent place to stop for the night,” said Mr Inigo, twirling his long black moustache. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk into Blyford. Tomorrow we’ll go into town to put up posters for our Grand Show!”
“I hope we’ll all get a bit more money this time,” grumbled Ruben the magician, stroking his long beard. “I hardly got any coins from that last place.”
“The coins are always shared out fairly,” said Maya’s mum. “Perhaps you spent all yours too fast.”
Ruben got up, muttering something about measly wages. “I’m going to collect firewood.”
Maya stared across the river. Were the unicorns still sheltering among the trees on the other side? It was hard to see now it was growing dark.
“We need some more herbs for the stew,” said Maya’s dad, stirring the huge pot. “Some mintand rosemary, I think.”
“I’ll get them!” said Maya quickly. “I won’t be long.” Taking a lantern, she hurried towards the bridge. She’d look for the unicorns while she collected the herbs. Maybe she’d even get to see the little foal again!
Her footsteps sounded loud on the wooden boards. She watched the river flowing slowly under the bridge into the huge lake beyond. When she reached the other side, Maya tiptoed through the trees into the little valley where the sky unicorns had hidden.
They were still there. Some were grazing and others were resting. Their pale coats and manes shone in the twilight. The little foal was sleeping next to a larger unicorn and Maya guessed it must be his mother. She gazed at them for a while, not wanting to
Maya peeked over the bushes to check the knight hadn’t seen them. She sighed with relief when she saw the men crossing the bridge. But where had the unicorn herd gone?
The knight and his guards reached the other side of the river. They stared all around, as if trying to find the unicorns, before riding away along the road that led to town.
Maya spotted the sky unicorn herd in a little hidden valley behind a grove of trees near the water’s edge.
“There’s your herd!” Maya told the little unicorn, pointing to the opposite bank. “Can you find your way?”
The foal seemed to think he could. He brushed his nose against Maya’s hair and then skipped across the bridge and through the trees into the hidden valley to join the herd again.
Maya smiled as she watched him. Then she hurried to the water’s edge and waded back to the boat. Her muddy dress clung to her legs. Her mum would tell her off for getting messy, but she didn’t mind. She was so glad the foal was safe again.
Maya was relieved that everyone thought she’d just paddled in the river for fun. Her mum and dad had been busy searching for the mooring rope in the cabin. The rest of the troupe hadsailed round the bend in the river just as the knight had crossed the bridge. They’d been too busy staring at him to look at Maya. She was happy that her meeting with the unicorn foal was her special secret!
“Honestly, Maya!” scolded her mum. “What were you thinking – splashing around in your dancing dress? I don’t think I’ll be able to wash those mud stains out.”
“Sorry, Mum!” Maya said meekly.
The six boats of Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe stopped close to the bridge and fastened their mooring ropes. Everyone disembarked and together they built a fire that they could use for cooking. Dinner was to be a stew made with freshly caught fish.
The troupe relaxed around the campfire while the stew was cooking. Everyone was there: the married acrobats Monty and May; Maya’s three older brothers – the juggling triplets; the Kittersons, who put on plays; Ruben Gribba the magician; and the grown-up dancers Floella and Daisy, with Daisy’s four-year-old daughter, Lucy. Then there was Mr Inigo, who sang opera songs in his splendid deep voice. Maya’s parents didn’t perform any more, but helped with all thecostumes and sold tickets for the shows.
“This is an excellent place to stop for the night,” said Mr Inigo, twirling his long black moustache. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk into Blyford. Tomorrow we’ll go into town to put up posters for our Grand Show!”
“I hope we’ll all get a bit more money this time,” grumbled Ruben the magician, stroking his long beard. “I hardly got any coins from that last place.”
“The coins are always shared out fairly,” said Maya’s mum. “Perhaps you spent all yours too fast.”
Ruben got up, muttering something about measly wages. “I’m going to collect firewood.”
Maya stared across the river. Were the unicorns still sheltering among the trees on the other side? It was hard to see now it was growing dark.
“We need some more herbs for the stew,” said Maya’s dad, stirring the huge pot. “Some mintand rosemary, I think.”
“I’ll get them!” said Maya quickly. “I won’t be long.” Taking a lantern, she hurried towards the bridge. She’d look for the unicorns while she collected the herbs. Maybe she’d even get to see the little foal again!
Her footsteps sounded loud on the wooden boards. She watched the river flowing slowly under the bridge into the huge lake beyond. When she reached the other side, Maya tiptoed through the trees into the little valley where the sky unicorns had hidden.
They were still there. Some were grazing and others were resting. Their pale coats and manes shone in the twilight. The little foal was sleeping next to a larger unicorn and Maya guessed it must be his mother. She gazed at them for a while, not wanting to
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