Read Online Abracadabra! Magic with Mouse and Mole by Wong Herbert Yee - Free Book Online

Two Tickets

    Mole paced outside Mouse's house.
Mole tapped his foot.
Mole rubbed his snout.
He circled the oak tree three times.
Mole knocked on Mouse's door:
TAP-TAP-TAP.
"Come out, Mouse!" he called.

    Mole circled the oak tree three more times.
He stopped under Mouse's window.
"Mouse, hurry UP!" he hollered.
"I do not
wish
to be late!"

    In his paw were two tickets
for the magic show!
Mole was simply
mad

about magic!

    Mouse paced back and forth.
Mouse tapped her foot.
Mouse twirled her tail.
Two dresses lay on the bed.
One was purple with yellow polka dots.
The other was white with red stripes.
A third dress hung on the closet door.
It was black with moons and stars.
"Mercy," squeaked Mouse.
"How will I ever decide!"

    TAP-TAP-TAP. Mouse heard Mole knocking.
"Just a moment!" she cried.

    From her window, Mouse heard Mole calling.
"A minute more!" Mouse shouted.
She still could not make up her mind.
"Oh, well!" sighed Mouse.
She shut her eyes.
"
Eeny, meeny, miny ... MO!
"
Mouse opened her eyes.
"Moons and stars
it will be!"

    Rows of logs sat in front of a camper.
"See, we are
not
late," said Mouse.
"In fact, Mole—we are the first ones here!"
There were so many seats to pick from.
"Where should we sit?" Mouse wondered.
"Up front," said Mole.
"Maybe I can
snag

an autograph."

    In a few minutes, all the seats were taken.
"A full house!" Mole clapped.
"House?" said Mouse.
"Where is the roof?
Where
are the walls?"

    "Do not be silly, Mouse," said Mole.
"That is just
show biz
talk."

    The door to the camper swung open.
A white rabbit in a checkered vest hopped out.
"
Tickets, tickets, please!
" he called.
When all the tickets were collected,
the rabbit went back into the camper.

    BAM!
The door was kicked open once more.
Out came the rabbit, dragging a table.

    Snap, snap, snap, snap
went the legs.
Back inside went the rabbit.
He returned moments later
with a tablecloth.
FWOOMPH!

The white rabbit flipped
the cloth high in the air.
It floated gently down,
covering the table.

    "Ladies and gentlemen!"
announced the rabbit.
He waved a paw at the camper.
"Introducing—MINKUS ...
the Magnificent!"

    POOF!

A cloud of smoke filled the air.
"Eek!" squeaked Mouse.
PLOP!
Mole toppled right
off the log!

Minkus the Magnificent

    The white rabbit had vanished.
In his place stood the magician.
"Bravo!" shouted Mouse.
"Bravo!" yelled Mole.
Everyone began to clap and cheer.
Minkus the Magnificent swept
off his top hat.
"Welcome, magic lovers!" he crowed.

    The magician wore a ruffled shirt.
A long black cape hung on his back.
Minkus the Magnificent lifted his arms.
Mouse giggled. "He looks like a giant bat."
"Shush," Mole scolded.

    "As you can see," said the magician,
"there is nothing in my right paw
or
my left."

    Minkus made a fist and tapped it with
his magic wand.
"
Abracadabra!
" he cried.
Something green poked out of his fist.
Mouse nudged Mole.
"What is
'abracadabra'
?"
"Do not be silly," whispered Mole.
"That is just more
show biz
talk."

    "A volunteer?" asked the magician.
"
Moons and Stars!
" he said, pointing
to Mouse. Minkus held his fist out.
"
Pull!
" said the magician.

    Mouse gave the cloth a tiny tug.
"Eek!" she squeaked. The green
cloth was attached to a blue one.
"
Again!
" ordered Minkus.

    Mouse yanked on the blue cloth.
A red one came next.
Mouse pulled and tugged,
and pulled some more.
Before long, she was
knee-deep in fabric.
Minkus untied the last cloth. It was orange.
"For you,
Moons and Stars!
"
"Bravo, Mouse!" yelled Mole.
Everyone began to clap and cheer.

    Next, Minkus took out a deck of cards.
He fanned them across the table.
"A volunteer?"
asked the magician.
Mole eagerly
stepped forward.
    "Pick a card," said Minkus, "ANY card!"
Mole paced back and forth.
Mole tapped his foot.
Mole rubbed his snout.
He circled the table three times.

    Finally, Mole selected a card.
He held it so everyone but
the magician could see,
then hid the ace
underneath the others.
Minkus shuffled the cards.
He invited