Whizardy Witch and The Whiz-Bang Wizard Whizardy Witch is always whizzing around. She is the fastest witch in the Land of Magic. “Zoomedy zoom, let’s go broom,” she squeals, making her broomstick go faster. Whiz, and off she whizzes. One day, very early in the morning, Whizardy Witch was whizzing from place to place looking for her cousin Whiz-bang Wiz- ard. He is the busiest and most mischievous wizard in all the land of magic. He is always up to some- thing fun. She whizzed off along the magic river, around the snowy mountain, over the silver waterfall and all through the dark forest. Whiz-bang Wizard was hiding. “Now where is he?” she complained. “I need a finding spell.” Whizardy Witch pulled out an or- angey-red leaf, from her satchel, and said the magic words, “Bats so blind, and slugs that slimed, Whiz- bang Wizard I want to find.” Broomstick quivered as the spell sent them whizzing off to the ocean far beyond the jagged mountains. Whiz-bang Wizard was busily marching across the golden sand, counting each long step, loudly. “Four, five, six, seven, eight,” he shouted. He then stopped, turned to face the rising sun, and started walking again – counting. “One, two, three, four, five…” “Hi Whizby!” Whizardy Witch inter- rupted. “What are you doing?” “Hi Whiz. Shush, I’ll lose count.” “What are you counting for?” Whiz- ardy Witch asked excitedly. “Buried Pirate Treasure!” he answered. “Oh, now where was I up to, four or five! You made me for- get. I’ll have to start over again.” “You were up to five!” Whizardy Witch said helpfully. “Are you sure, this is important you know!” he answered doubtfully. “Yes, I’m sure!” she replied. “Have you found a treasure map then?” The boy handed her an old parch- ment, completely bare. “There’s nothing on it,” said Whiz- ardy Witch looking at both sides confused. “That’s because it’s invisible Whiz. You need to hold it up against the light of the glowing octopus that lives in the skull cave. Only then can you read the hidden instructions.” The boy pointed his arm towards the gaping cave behind them. “What did it say?” she asked. The boy thought carefully for a mo- ment then recounted the hidden rhyme. Paces of eight, paces of eight. At the earliest sunrise, don’t be late. Search for the spot, where the light doesn’t shine. Start your paces along that line. Paces of eight, paces of eight. Turn to the right, then head off straight, Count them well, and be sure to mind. Seek the spot, at the end of the line. Pieces of eight, pieces of eight. Buried deep, you’ll find a crate. Beware the curse, which protects the find. The gold inside, it is all mine. “WOW!” Whizardy said. “That sounds complicated.” “It’s not difficult for me Whiz,” said her cousin confidently. “You just have to find that spot over there, where the shadow is on the beach. Take eight steps, turn and take an- other eight steps. Then stop.” The boy resumed his big steps. “Six, seven, eight. This is where we dig for the treasure!” he said hopefully. Whiz-bang Wizard commanded a spade to start digging with a special digging spell. Golden sand flew everywhere. Deeper and deeper the hole grew. Whiz-bang jumped into the hole, that was now waist deep, he began to think his plan had failed. “Are you sure you are in the right spot?” Whiz questioned amusingly. She secretly thought his hole was getting very deep. “Just a few more minutes I think,” replied the boy. Whizardy Witch left her cousin watching the spade digging his great big hole. She went over to the spot where the sun did not shine on the beach and looked carefully, “I need a revealing spell I think.” She took a yellow leaf from her satchel and said, “Worms so slow, and bugs that glow, the way to walk, please now show.” Out from the shadow grew a long pointing finger. It was aiming well away from her cousin. She sniggered and started walking in very long steps. After eight paces she turned and took another eight. “Now for my own digging spell,” she thought. Choosing a grey leaf from her satchel she said, “Spade in hand, now where I stand, dig down deep within this sand.” A magic spade appeared and star- ted digging at a ferocious rate. In moments, the hole was several feet wide and as many deep. A resound- ing clunk had the spade hitting the top of the buried chest. Whizardy commanded the spell to stop dig- ging and the spade disappeared. “Have you found it yet,” shouted Whizardy Witch teasing her cousin as she wiped the sand from the top of the buried treasure chest. “Nearly there,” came the reply from deep inside the other hole. Whizardy Witch remembered the warning of the curse on this treas- ure chest. ‘Beware the curse, which protects the find. The gold inside, it is all mine.’ She realised this would need a very powerful spell to break the oath. Luckily, dad had taught her one very potent curse-breaker. She selected three special black leaves from the bottom of her satchel. After speak- ing the magic words, “Hissing, spitting rattle snake, venomous words, cruel mistake, clear this curse, the bond to break.” Broomstick quivered as the black leaves filled the hole with an acrid thick smoke then vanished in a flash of black light. The lid to the treasure chest flung open revealing gold, multi-coloured jewels and pearls crammed to the top. This was a magnificent pirate treasure. Whizardy Witch chose a very beauti- ful necklace made of gold and precious jewels. She hung it around her neck and hid it under her blouse. “Mum will love this,” she thought. “Come quick Whiz, I think I’ve found something,” her cousin shouted excitedly from the other hole. Whizardy Witch felt very sorry for her cousin Whizby. He was so sure he was in the correct spot. She used one more magic spell to send the entire treasure chest to the bottom of his hole, just beneath his feet. She climbed out of her hole and used magic to reverse the digging. “Just coming,” she called. Whizby shouted even louder as his spade struck the secretly transpor- ted treasure chest. “I’ve found it Whiz, I’ve really found it,” he screeched in delight. “I told you it was here. Look!” Whiz looked over the edge of the enormously deep hole and saw the broad grin on her cousin’s face. “Wow! You really have found the treasure!” she said knowingly cling- ing on to the hidden necklace. “I wonder what’s inside?” *** And that is the story of Whizardy Witch and the Whiz-bang Wizard.