Lost in the Dark Unchanted Forest
I could be a dream if I could sleep. But I can’t and I’m not, and I’m only who I am instead of who I could be.”
    â€œAll right, I guess that sort of narrows it down. Who are you?”
    â€œI hate simple questions. They require simple answers, and whoever I am, I’m not simple. I simply can’t answer your question.”
    This was getting me nowhere. “All right, then let’s move to my second point.”
    â€œOh no, how dull! Let’s skip the second and go on to the third.”
    â€œHuh? No, I don’t have a third point. Just two.”
    â€œAll things have three parts: the first half, the second half, and the third half which we didn’t know was there. But it is there, so skip the second part and go to the third.”
    â€œWell . . . all right, I guess . . . my second point, which is the same as your third part . . .”
    â€œNow you’re getting in the spirit!”
    â€œ. . . is that you called me ‘Hank the Rabbit,’ and I’m not a rabbit, see. I’m a dog, Hank the Cowdog, Head of Ranch Security.”
    â€œOh, I know all that! But I like Hank the Rabbit better than Hank the Cowdog, so I will call you Hank the Rabbit.”
    â€œWell, whatever you . . .” Suddenly the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place. I remembered running into somebody once who had called me Hank the Rabbit. “Say, I think I just figgered out who you are! You’re Madame Moonshine, the witchy little owl.”
    I waited for her to answer but she didn’t. There was a long throbbing silence.
    â€œMadame? Madame Moonshine? Speak to me.”
    â€œRubbish!”
    â€œYou’re the one who cured me of Eye-Crosserosis.”
    â€œDouble rubbish sassafras horseradish balderdash!”
    â€œAnd that explains why you’ve been talking in circles. Shucks, you’re a witch.”
    â€œYes, I’m a witch but also a switch.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œWhere would you look to find a switch?”
    â€œWell, let’s see . . . a switch . . . hmmm. In a tree?”
    â€œA switch in a tree, a witch that is me. Make the switch and find a witch, trah-lah, trah-lah, trah-lah.”
    Hmmm. All the evidence was pointing . . . maybe if I raised my eyes from ground level . . . heck, I’d been looking for her on the ground but . . . 
    I raised my eyes and studied the circle of trees all around me, and . . . mercy, there she was, hanging upside-down from a vine that was draped over a big hackberry tree.
    â€œAh ha! There you are. I’ve found you at last.”
    She smiled—upside-down, which was a little peculiar since an upside-down smile is about the same as a frown.
    â€œI knew you could do it!” she said. “You not only found who I am but where I am. Oh Hank, you’re such a clever rabbit and I do need your help.”
    â€œI’m still not a rabbit, Madame, but I’d be glad to help you if I can, because to tell you the truth, I’m in kind of a jam myself.”
    This was a real struck of loke, me running into Madame Moonshine, because I had a feeling that she could find Little Alfred and help me save him from the bobcat.

Chapter Seven: Disorientation

    S o there I was in the Dark Unchanted Forest. I was lost, but I had found Madame Moonshine hanging upside-down by one foot from a vine.
    â€œWell, what sort of help do you need, Madame?”
    â€œOh Hank, I have a dilemma here. I’ve caught my foot in this vine and I’m hanging downside-up.”
    â€œHmmm. I would have said ‘upside-down.’”
    â€œPicky picky! It’s all the same, isn’t it? Downside-up and upside-down, wrongside-up and rightside-down, backside-up and topside-down! The problem is the same, and the problem is that I’m backwards.”
    â€œYes, I see what you

Similar Books

The Look of Love

Mary Jane Clark

The Prey

Tom Isbell

Secrets of Valhalla

Jasmine Richards