THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WELL

Chapter 2 – page 8

"Should we wake this guy up," asked Julio? They didn’t have to, because just as Julio spoke, one eye popped open. Then the other. His eyes were yellow and strangely familiar. His cloak was a lighter green than his Robin Hood like hat with a feather in it, which was a deeper forest green The feather was a peacock feather and Granma began to wonder where they got feathers like that, since some of her peacocks feathers were indeed missing. "Hmmm." muttered Granma, but not too noisily or too loud, for this fellow looked like someone of rank. Yes indeed, this must be the King. His waistcoat with real gold buttons was a pale pink and his britches, that were sorta like tights, were cream colored. Something was very familiar about this dude, for sure.

* Little did they know: this dude was dude by day, and catepillar by night. That’s why he left the room without even looking at them. He was past due for his transformation. *

Granma and Julio didn’t know what to do. Should they curtsey, bow, lay on their faces, shake hands, or do all at once ??? Did he speak English? Spanish? Mushroom or Fairy? He seemed to be able to read their thoughts and began to laugh. Now they were sure they had heard that laugh somewhere before, just the night before, as a matter of fact, but how could it be? A caterpillar by night, a prince-king-knight by day?

He opened his mouth and out came a sing song melody of a voice … in …. Spanish?

Bienvenidos, Abuelita y Julito! (Welcome Granma & Julio!) Oh, my gosh! He knew their names! His eyes danced and pretty soon his feet followed. And he was laughing and twirling and singing in Spanish. "Esta sol en las mananitas, que cantaba al Rey David!" (the sun in the mornings that King David sang about ...). It was the Spanish Happy Birthday song! They wondered who’s birthday it was. "Why yours, of course!" said the prince-king-knight. Oh, my gosh! He was bilingual ! He spoke English too !!!