The Tales of Callah

Shiny Footprints

One morning in Callah, Savvey, Perrin and a young wizard Tina, whom Savvy was training, were having a peaceful breakfast when they were startled by a knock on the door. Puzzled, Perrin answered the door to find Mayor Hightower shivering and looking very upset.

The mayor excitedly asked, “Is Savvy in? I really need to talk to him, if possible.”

“Of course,” answered Perrin, “Come right in.”

Mayor Hightower came in and hung his coat on the coat tree next to the door. Both Savvy and Tina looked at each other with raised eye brows. They both wondered what could be wrong.

“Would you like tea, Your Worship?” asked Savvy.

“That would be fantastic, thank you,” the mayor answered and sat down at the kitchen table when Perrin indicated a chair, “I need something to calm my nerves. I need your help. Something terrible has happened, and I think it involves magic.”

Tina leaned forward anxiously, “Please tell us what happened”

“Yes,” Savvy said, “We’ll certainly help if we can.”

Mayor took a sip of the steaming mug of tea that Perrin handed him and began his story, “Well, it’s quite distressing actually. I was growing tulips to enter in the Town Fair, and I woke up this morning to find that someone had stolen them. I found footprints going from my garden into the woods. They were shiny. Shiny footprints. It looked like magic might be involved. I tried to follow the footprints to where ever the thief was, but they stopped at the edge of the forest. What will I do?”

The three wizards looked at each other. Then Savvy patted Mayor Hightower’s hand.

“It seems like the footprints were left by a witch, a careless one. They should have erased the footprints before they left,” Tina said, “If we go to your garden, we can probably sense their magic and find out where they went with your tulips.”

“Exactly,” Savvy said and smiled, “Why don’t we go right now? The Fair is only days away.”

So, the four of them started off to Mayor Hightower’s home. When they arrived everything seemed quiet and peaceful. But, leading away from the garden were a trail of shiny, white footprints. Just as the mayor had said, they ended at the edge of the forest. Savvy, Perrin, and Tina studied the footprints up close. Savvy nodded to Perrin, and he walked to where the footprints ended and drew his hand along the ground.

“The kind of magic is unmistakable. It’s a witch alright,” Perrin said.

Tina gazed into the forest and said, “Her magic trail goes off in this direction. We can find her Your Worship and your tulips.”

“I’ll go with you,” the mayor insisted.

The four of them went into the forest, the wizards following the magic trail of the witch and Mayor Hightower following the wizards. To their surprise they came upon an ice castle in the middle of the woods. And strange but jolly music was coming from inside.

Savvy motioned for everyone to be quiet. They tip toed inside of the castle and found a witch dancing around merrily in a large sitting room. On the mantle stood Mayor Hightower’s tulips, but how did they survive the cold of the ice castle?

“Hazel!” Savvy called out sharply.

The witch stopped dancing and a look of shock spread over her green face. Her long, black hair stood on end.

“Savvy! What are you doing here?” she asked.

“You’ve taken Mayor Hightower’s tulips, Hazel. You must give them back,” Savvy said sternly.

“Never!” Hazel shouted, “The Witch’s Council trapped me here for all eternity. I just wanted a little color in the cold castle.”

“The Witch’s Council imprisoned you here because you were using your magic to hurt other people,” Savvy said, “You deserve it.”

Tina and a Perrin moved their arms in a circle. In a puff of smoke, a green monster with large black eyes and long claws appeared. With a loud roar he tried to pounce on Hazel. The witch screamed and disappeared.

Savvy walked over to the mantle and lifted the tulips down. Carefully he handed them to Mayor Hightower.

“Thank you so much,” Mayor Hightower said, “I’m all ready for the Fair now.”

“What about Hazel?” Tina asked, “Won’t she cause more trouble?”

“I’ll contact the Witch’s Council. They’ll find her and put her back here,” Savvy said reassuringly.

Mayor Hightower put his prized tulips into the Fair, and they won first prize. Savvy, Perrin, and Tina were all there to congratulate him.

Hazel was put back into her ice castle by the Witch’s Council and never bothered anyone ever again.