A Crazy Day with Cobras Read Free

columns and arches.
    “There they are,” said Annie. She pointed to the ambassadors’ oxcarts rolling toward the building.
    “That must be the Hall of Public Audience,” said Jack.
    Jack and Annie walked quickly toward the building. The air felt as if it were coming from a hot furnace. By the time they arrived at the hall, Jack felt faint from the heat.
    The ambassadors from Europe had already gone inside. Fierce-looking guards stood at all the entrances. Daggers and curved swords hung from their belts.
    Annie walked up to one of the burly guards. “Excuse me,” she said in a low voice, “but we are ambassadors from Frog Creek, and we are supposed to be with those other ambassadors.”
    To Jack’s surprise, the guard asked no questions. He nodded and gestured for them to follow him.
    Annie and Jack followed the guard into the shadowy hall. The air inside was much cooler. It smelled of roses and mint. Hidden musicians played soft music.
    The burly guard escorted Jack and Annie past the audience of court nobles. All the men had beards or mustaches and wore beautiful coats of many colors and patterns—bright orange, purple, turquoise, green striped, and pale pink with flowers.
    Next to the nobles, the eight ambassadors from Europe stood along a silver railing. They were lined up in pairs. The burly guard ushered Jack and Annie to the end of the line.
    Everyone in the hall was facing a high platform with wide steps. The platform was made ofsparkling diamonds, emeralds, and pearls. Gold columns supported a golden canopy above the platform. Statues of two jeweled peacocks with rubies in their beaks were perched above the canopy. Over the golden canopy was another canopy of rich cloth.
    Tall, thin candlesticks held flickering candles, and servants sprayed rose-scented water into the air. As Annie looked around at everything, Jack slipped their book out of his bag. He huddled over it and read to himself.

    Every morning, the Great Mogul sat on his Peacock Throne in the Hall of Public Audience. He demanded complete respect. Everyone had to be perfectly still and silent in his presence. No one was allowed to sit or leave as long as he was in the hall. If his guests spoke to him without permission or did not bow the proper way, he could have them killed .
    Oh, man!
thought Jack. He shoved the book back into his bag and turned to Annie. “Don’t speak!” he whispered. “And we have to bow the proper way!”
    “Don’t worry, we learned how to bow in the palace in Vienna,” Annie said.
    “No, this is different!” whispered Jack. “When I messed up
there
, people just laughed.
Here
, they kill you!”
    “Oh. Well, don’t forget we’ve got our potion from Kathleen,” Annie whispered. “If worse comesto worst, we can make ourselves small and escape.”
    “Forget it,” Jack whispered. “I don’t want to be a tiny little person! The guards will just chase us down and squash us like bugs!”
    Annie laughed.
    “This isn’t funny,” said Jack. “Let’s go back outside and make another plan. We don’t know what we’re doing here.”
    “Yes, we do,” Annie said. “We’re going to give your story to the Great Mogul, and then we’re going to ask him for an emerald rose. Simple.”
    “No, no!” said Jack. “I told you we can’t say a word to him! Not a word! Come on, we have to leave while we’re still alive.”
    Annie sighed. “Okay, fine,” she said.
    But as Jack and Annie turned to go, trumpet blasts shattered the air. The trumpet sounds were followed by deafening drumrolls.
    Shah Jahãn, the Great Mogul of India, stepped through a door at the back of the hall.

J ack and Annie froze. The hall was completely still and silent. The Great Mogul climbed the steps to the Peacock Throne. He wore an orange turban and a silver coat trimmed with diamonds and pearls. He wore ropes of jewels around his neck and sparkling rings on his fingers.
    The Great Mogul sat cross-legged on a cushion and looked coldly at his