The Mask Wearer Read Free Page A

lord, this magic twig has been in my family for generations,” Amos said. “It’s our most precious belonging and my parents cannot afford to part with it. Forget you ever saw this twig. Burn the house; we’ll go live elsewhere, far from your kingdom.”
    Edonf’s face contracted with pain as he took ten gold coins out of his purse.
    “Here is my offer for your magic stick. If you refuse this money, I’ll take your twig regardless and have your house set on fire. It’s up to you! Decide quickly, boy; I’ve almost reached the limits of my patience!”
    Lowering his head as if in shame, Amos handed the stick to the lord.
    “Your will prevails,” he said. “Yet you should know that it’s with a heavy heart that I accept this money. But please, mylord, don’t forget to dance around the pot as you chant, ‘Come to a boil, my soup! Come to a boil!’ ”
    Edonf threw the gold coins onto the ground and grabbed the twig. “I’ll remember. I’m not stupid,” he said before climbing up on his horse.
    In turn, the guards mounted their horses and the three men quickly disappeared.
    Thanks to his cunning, Amos had earned the money needed to go to the woods of Tarkasis as he had promised Crivannia, princess of the waters.
    But Amos was aware that Edonf would come back as soon as he discovered he had been duped. So he concocted a new plan. He made the donkey swallow eight of the ten gold coins, which he’d coated with hay and a laxative herb to facilitate their quick expulsion by the animal. He then told his parents of his adventure at the bay of caverns. To prove the truthfulness of his story, he showed them the white stone and the trident the mermaid had given him. Urban and Frilla understood right away the importance of the mission entrusted to their son. They were proud of him and encouraged Amos to go to the woods of Tarkasis to deliver Crivannia’s message.
    Twelve long and difficult years had passed since the time the Daragons had settled in Edonf’s kingdom, and their survival instinct made them face the truth: Omain had nothing but poverty and misery to offer. It was time to leave. They did not possess much, so packing was done quickly.
    “Go to the clearing by the foot of the mountain,” Amos told his parents. “I’ll meet you there and I’ll bring horses.”
    Without questioning him, Urban and Frilla left right awayto go to the meeting place. Their arms loaded with parcels, they walked unconcerned for the son they left behind. Amos was endowed with a prodigious intelligence and he would know how to protect himself against Edonf’s viciousness. The young boy had more than one bag of tricks with which to fool his enemies.
    Amos waited patiently for Edonf’s return, saying good-bye to the forest where he was born, to his little cottage, and to the donkey he would have to part with. As anticipated, it wasn’t long before Edonf reappeared with his two guards.
    “I’ll cut your head off, little swine!”
he shouted.
“I’ll slash your belly open! I’ll gulp you down in one bite, you louse!”
    Calmly and unnoticed by Edonf and his men, Amos went to the small barn. He grabbed the ears of the donkey and looked straight into its eyes.
    “Donkey, give me some gold! Give me some gold!” he commanded.
    Edonf and his guards went first into the cottage. They looked around quickly. Then, as they were rushing toward the barn, Amos’s voice stopped them short. They heard him chanting, “Donkey, give me some gold!”
    “Let’s approach silently,” said Edonf to his guards. “We’ll take him by surprise.”
    The three men peered into the barn through the many gaps in the planks.
    They saw Amos gently stroke the donkey’s ears while repeating the same sentence: “Give me some gold! Give me some gold!”
    Suddenly they saw the animal raise its tail and defecate.They could not believe their eyes when, one by one, Amos extracted eight gold coins from the droppings. Edonf rushed into the barn.
    “Little