“The wrestling usually ended with her winning, her prize being the hug I could no escape from. And her voice would whisper in my ears the words of blessing of the Hidden, while my stepfather grumbled mildly she spoiled me, and the little girls, my half-sisters jumped around us for their share of the hug and the blessing.”
“What was she afraid of?” Maggie sighed. No matter how hard she tried. Sarah insisted on keeping her distance. Meggie turned back to watch the children. Life was so simple for them. Their biggest worry was what they’d get for their birthdays. Their biggest grumble was the time they had to go to bed. Maybe things would be different for them....”
“Before three notes of the pipe came fluttering you heard a sound like armies muttering, and the muttering grew to a grumbling, and the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling, and out of the houses the rats came tumbling.”
“Humph,′ grumbled Pugwash, ‘no jewels or gold or silver? how very disappointing.’ ‘But wait! What’s this? ’ he cried, as he notice the large parcel beside him.”