Cameron WuCameron Wu and the Three Dotty Goldfishes
A Fairy Tale
by Mark Anthony Raines
Once upon a time there was a fluffy boy called Cameron Wu. He was on the way to see his friend Marion Blunder, when he decided to take a short cut through Hyde Park.
It wasn't long before Cameron got lost. He looked around, but all he could see were trees. Nervously, he felt into his bag for his favourite toy, Henry the Hippo, but Henry the Hippo was nowhere to be found! Cameron began to panic. He felt sure he had packed Henry the Hippo. To make matters worse, he was starting to feel hungry.
Unexpectedly, he saw a dotty goldfish dressed in a yellow top hat disappearing into the trees.
"How odd!" thought Cameron.
For the want of anything better to do, he decided to follow the peculiarly dressed goldfish. Perhaps it could tell him the way out of the forest.
Eventually, Cameron reached a clearing. He found himself surrounded by houses made from different sorts of food. There was a house made from lettuces, a house made from cakes, a house made from cakes and a house made from macarons.
Cameron could feel his tummy rumbling. Looking at the houses did nothing to ease his hunger.
"Hello!" he called. "Is anybody there?"
Nobody replied.
Cameron looked at the roof on the closest house and wondered if it would be rude to eat somebody else's chimney. Obviously it would be impolite to eat a whole house, but perhaps it would be considered acceptable to nibble the odd fixture or lick the odd fitting, in a time of need.
A cackle broke through the air, giving Cameron a fright. A witch jumped into the space in front of the houses. She was carrying a cage. In that cage was Henry the Hippo!
"Henry the Hippo!" shouted Cameron. He turned to the witch. "That's my toy!"
The witch just shrugged.
"Give Henry the Hippo back!" cried Cameron.
"Not on your nelly!" said the witch.
"At least let Henry the Hippo out of that cage!"
Before she could reply, three dotty goldfishes rushed in from a footpath on the other side of the clearing. Cameron recognised the one in the yellow top hat that he'd seen earlier. The witch seemed to recognise him too.
"Hello Big Goldfish," said the witch.
"Good morning." The goldfish noticed Henry the Hippo. "Who is this?"
"That's Henry the Hippo," explained the witch.
"Ooh! Henry the Hippo would look lovely in my house. Give it to me!" demanded the goldfish.
The witch shook her head. "Henry the Hippo is staying with me."
"Um... Excuse me..." Cameron interrupted. "Henry the Hippo lives with me! And not in a cage!"
Big Goldfish ignored him. "Is there nothing you'll trade?" he asked the witch.
The witch thought for a moment, then said, "I do like to be entertained. I'll release him to anybody who can eat a whole front door."
Big Goldfish looked at the house made from macarons and said, "No problem, I could eat an entire house made from macarons if I wanted to."
"That's nothing," said the next goldfish. "I could eat two houses."
"There's no need to show off," said the witch. Just eat one front door and I'll let you have Henry the Hippo."
Cameron watched, feeling very worried. He didn't want the witch to give Henry the Hippo to Big Goldfish. He didn't think Henry the Hippo would like living with a dotty goldfish, away from his house and all his other toys.
The other two goldfishes watched while Big Goldfish put on his bib and withdrew a knife and fork from his pocket.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Big Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Big Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
Eventually, Big Goldfish started to get bigger - just a little bit bigger at first. But after a few more fork-fulls of cakes, he grew to the size of a large snowball - and he was every bit as round.
"Erm... I don't feel too good," said Big Goldfish.
Suddenly, he started to roll. He'd grown so round that he could no longer balance!
"Help!" he cried, as he rolled off down a slope into the forest.
Big Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Average Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from cakes.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Average Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Average Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. She gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After a while, Average Goldfish started to look a little queasy. She grew greener...
...and greener.
A woodcutter walked into the clearing. "What's this bush doing here?" he asked.
"I'm not a bush, I'm a goldfish!" said Average Goldfish.
"It talks!" exclaimed the woodcutter. "Those talking bushes are the worst kind. I'd better take it away before somebody gets hurt."
"No! Wait!" cried Average Goldfish, as the woodcutter picked her up. But the woodcutter ignored her cries and carried the goldfish away under his arm.
Average Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Little Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from macarons.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Little Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Little Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from macarons. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After five or six platefuls, Little Goldfish started to fidget uncomfortably on the spot.
He stopped eating macarons for a moment, then grabbed another forkful.
But before he could eat it, there came an almighty roar. A bottom burp louder than a rocket taking off, propelled Little Goldfish into the sky.
"Aggghhhhhh!" cried Little Goldfish. "I'm scared of heigh..."
Little Goldfish was never seen again.
Little Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from macarons and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
"That's it," said the witch. "I win. I get to keep Henry the Hippo."
"Not so fast," said Cameron. "There is still one front door to go. The front door of the house made from lettuces. And I haven't had a turn yet.
"I don't have to give you a turn!" laughed the witch. "My game. My rules."
The woodcutter's voice carried through the forest. "I think you should give him a chance. It's only fair."
"Fine," said the witch. "But you saw what happened to the goldfishes. He won't last long."
"I'll be right back," said Cameron.
"What?" said the witch. "Where's your sense of impatience? I thought you wanted Henry the Hippo back."
Cameron ignored the witch and gathered a hefty pile of sticks. He came back to the clearing and started a small camp fire. Carefully, he broke off a piece of the door of the house made from lettuces and toasted it over the fire. Once it had cooked and cooled just a little, he took a bite. He quickly devoured the whole piece.
Cameron sat down on a nearby log.
"You fail!" cackled the witch. "You were supposed to eat the whole door."
"I haven't finished," explained Cameron. "I am just waiting for my food to go down."
When Cameron's food had digested, he broke off another piece of the door made from lettuces. Once more, he toasted his food over the fire and waited for it to cool just a little. He ate it at a leisurely pace then waited for it to digest.
Eventually, after several sittings, Cameron was down to the final piece of the door made from lettuces. Carefully, he toasted it and allowed it to cool just a little. He finished his final course. Cameron had eaten the entire front door of the house made from lettuces.
The witch stamped her foot angrily. "You must have tricked me!" she said. "I don't reward cheating!"
"I don't think so!" said a voice. It was the woodcutter. He walked back into the clearing, carrying his axe. "This little boy won fair and square. Now hand over Henry the Hippo or I will chop your broomstick in half."
The witch looked horrified. She grabbed her broomstick and placed it behind her. Then, huffing, she opened the door of the cage.
Cameron hurried over and grabbed Henry the Hippo, checking that his favourite toy was all right. Fortunately, Henry the Hippo was unharmed.
Cameron thanked the woodcutter, grabbed a quick souvenir, and hurried on to meet Marion. It was starting to get dark.
When Cameron got to Marion's house, his friend threw her arms around him.
"I was so worried!" cried Marion. "You are very late."
As Cameron described his day, he could tell that Marion didn't believe him. So he grabbed a napkin from his pocket.
"What's that?" asked Marion.
Cameron unwrapped a doorknob made from cakes. "Pudding!" he said.
Marion almost fell off her chair.
It wasn't long before Cameron got lost. He looked around, but all he could see were trees. Nervously, he felt into his bag for his favourite toy, Henry the Hippo, but Henry the Hippo was nowhere to be found! Cameron began to panic. He felt sure he had packed Henry the Hippo. To make matters worse, he was starting to feel hungry.
Unexpectedly, he saw a dotty goldfish dressed in a yellow top hat disappearing into the trees.
"How odd!" thought Cameron.
For the want of anything better to do, he decided to follow the peculiarly dressed goldfish. Perhaps it could tell him the way out of the forest.
Eventually, Cameron reached a clearing. He found himself surrounded by houses made from different sorts of food. There was a house made from lettuces, a house made from cakes, a house made from cakes and a house made from macarons.
Cameron could feel his tummy rumbling. Looking at the houses did nothing to ease his hunger.
"Hello!" he called. "Is anybody there?"
Nobody replied.
Cameron looked at the roof on the closest house and wondered if it would be rude to eat somebody else's chimney. Obviously it would be impolite to eat a whole house, but perhaps it would be considered acceptable to nibble the odd fixture or lick the odd fitting, in a time of need.
A cackle broke through the air, giving Cameron a fright. A witch jumped into the space in front of the houses. She was carrying a cage. In that cage was Henry the Hippo!
"Henry the Hippo!" shouted Cameron. He turned to the witch. "That's my toy!"
The witch just shrugged.
"Give Henry the Hippo back!" cried Cameron.
"Not on your nelly!" said the witch.
"At least let Henry the Hippo out of that cage!"
Before she could reply, three dotty goldfishes rushed in from a footpath on the other side of the clearing. Cameron recognised the one in the yellow top hat that he'd seen earlier. The witch seemed to recognise him too.
"Hello Big Goldfish," said the witch.
"Good morning." The goldfish noticed Henry the Hippo. "Who is this?"
"That's Henry the Hippo," explained the witch.
"Ooh! Henry the Hippo would look lovely in my house. Give it to me!" demanded the goldfish.
The witch shook her head. "Henry the Hippo is staying with me."
"Um... Excuse me..." Cameron interrupted. "Henry the Hippo lives with me! And not in a cage!"
Big Goldfish ignored him. "Is there nothing you'll trade?" he asked the witch.
The witch thought for a moment, then said, "I do like to be entertained. I'll release him to anybody who can eat a whole front door."
Big Goldfish looked at the house made from macarons and said, "No problem, I could eat an entire house made from macarons if I wanted to."
"That's nothing," said the next goldfish. "I could eat two houses."
"There's no need to show off," said the witch. Just eat one front door and I'll let you have Henry the Hippo."
Cameron watched, feeling very worried. He didn't want the witch to give Henry the Hippo to Big Goldfish. He didn't think Henry the Hippo would like living with a dotty goldfish, away from his house and all his other toys.
The other two goldfishes watched while Big Goldfish put on his bib and withdrew a knife and fork from his pocket.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Big Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Big Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
Eventually, Big Goldfish started to get bigger - just a little bit bigger at first. But after a few more fork-fulls of cakes, he grew to the size of a large snowball - and he was every bit as round.
"Erm... I don't feel too good," said Big Goldfish.
Suddenly, he started to roll. He'd grown so round that he could no longer balance!
"Help!" he cried, as he rolled off down a slope into the forest.
Big Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Average Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from cakes.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Average Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Average Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. She gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After a while, Average Goldfish started to look a little queasy. She grew greener...
...and greener.
A woodcutter walked into the clearing. "What's this bush doing here?" he asked.
"I'm not a bush, I'm a goldfish!" said Average Goldfish.
"It talks!" exclaimed the woodcutter. "Those talking bushes are the worst kind. I'd better take it away before somebody gets hurt."
"No! Wait!" cried Average Goldfish, as the woodcutter picked her up. But the woodcutter ignored her cries and carried the goldfish away under his arm.
Average Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Little Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from macarons.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Little Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Little Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from macarons. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After five or six platefuls, Little Goldfish started to fidget uncomfortably on the spot.
He stopped eating macarons for a moment, then grabbed another forkful.
But before he could eat it, there came an almighty roar. A bottom burp louder than a rocket taking off, propelled Little Goldfish into the sky.
"Aggghhhhhh!" cried Little Goldfish. "I'm scared of heigh..."
Little Goldfish was never seen again.
Little Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from macarons and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
"That's it," said the witch. "I win. I get to keep Henry the Hippo."
"Not so fast," said Cameron. "There is still one front door to go. The front door of the house made from lettuces. And I haven't had a turn yet.
"I don't have to give you a turn!" laughed the witch. "My game. My rules."
The woodcutter's voice carried through the forest. "I think you should give him a chance. It's only fair."
"Fine," said the witch. "But you saw what happened to the goldfishes. He won't last long."
"I'll be right back," said Cameron.
"What?" said the witch. "Where's your sense of impatience? I thought you wanted Henry the Hippo back."
Cameron ignored the witch and gathered a hefty pile of sticks. He came back to the clearing and started a small camp fire. Carefully, he broke off a piece of the door of the house made from lettuces and toasted it over the fire. Once it had cooked and cooled just a little, he took a bite. He quickly devoured the whole piece.
Cameron sat down on a nearby log.
"You fail!" cackled the witch. "You were supposed to eat the whole door."
"I haven't finished," explained Cameron. "I am just waiting for my food to go down."
When Cameron's food had digested, he broke off another piece of the door made from lettuces. Once more, he toasted his food over the fire and waited for it to cool just a little. He ate it at a leisurely pace then waited for it to digest.
Eventually, after several sittings, Cameron was down to the final piece of the door made from lettuces. Carefully, he toasted it and allowed it to cool just a little. He finished his final course. Cameron had eaten the entire front door of the house made from lettuces.
The witch stamped her foot angrily. "You must have tricked me!" she said. "I don't reward cheating!"
"I don't think so!" said a voice. It was the woodcutter. He walked back into the clearing, carrying his axe. "This little boy won fair and square. Now hand over Henry the Hippo or I will chop your broomstick in half."
The witch looked horrified. She grabbed her broomstick and placed it behind her. Then, huffing, she opened the door of the cage.
Cameron hurried over and grabbed Henry the Hippo, checking that his favourite toy was all right. Fortunately, Henry the Hippo was unharmed.
Cameron thanked the woodcutter, grabbed a quick souvenir, and hurried on to meet Marion. It was starting to get dark.
When Cameron got to Marion's house, his friend threw her arms around him.
"I was so worried!" cried Marion. "You are very late."
As Cameron described his day, he could tell that Marion didn't believe him. So he grabbed a napkin from his pocket.
"What's that?" asked Marion.
Cameron unwrapped a doorknob made from cakes. "Pudding!" he said.
Marion almost fell off her chair.
The End and the Three Dotty Goldfishes
A Fairy Tale
by Mark Anthony Raines
Once upon a time there was a fluffy boy called Cameron Wu. He was on the way to see his friend Marion Blunder, when he decided to take a short cut through Hyde Park.
It wasn't long before Cameron got lost. He looked around, but all he could see were trees. Nervously, he felt into his bag for his favourite toy, Henry the Hippo, but Henry the Hippo was nowhere to be found! Cameron began to panic. He felt sure he had packed Henry the Hippo. To make matters worse, he was starting to feel hungry.
Unexpectedly, he saw a dotty goldfish dressed in a yellow top hat disappearing into the trees.
"How odd!" thought Cameron.
For the want of anything better to do, he decided to follow the peculiarly dressed goldfish. Perhaps it could tell him the way out of the forest.
Eventually, Cameron reached a clearing. He found himself surrounded by houses made from different sorts of food. There was a house made from lettuces, a house made from cakes, a house made from cakes and a house made from macarons.
Cameron could feel his tummy rumbling. Looking at the houses did nothing to ease his hunger.
"Hello!" he called. "Is anybody there?"
Nobody replied.
Cameron looked at the roof on the closest house and wondered if it would be rude to eat somebody else's chimney. Obviously it would be impolite to eat a whole house, but perhaps it would be considered acceptable to nibble the odd fixture or lick the odd fitting, in a time of need.
A cackle broke through the air, giving Cameron a fright. A witch jumped into the space in front of the houses. She was carrying a cage. In that cage was Henry the Hippo!
"Henry the Hippo!" shouted Cameron. He turned to the witch. "That's my toy!"
The witch just shrugged.
"Give Henry the Hippo back!" cried Cameron.
"Not on your nelly!" said the witch.
"At least let Henry the Hippo out of that cage!"
Before she could reply, three dotty goldfishes rushed in from a footpath on the other side of the clearing. Cameron recognised the one in the yellow top hat that he'd seen earlier. The witch seemed to recognise him too.
"Hello Big Goldfish," said the witch.
"Good morning." The goldfish noticed Henry the Hippo. "Who is this?"
"That's Henry the Hippo," explained the witch.
"Ooh! Henry the Hippo would look lovely in my house. Give it to me!" demanded the goldfish.
The witch shook her head. "Henry the Hippo is staying with me."
"Um... Excuse me..." Cameron interrupted. "Henry the Hippo lives with me! And not in a cage!"
Big Goldfish ignored him. "Is there nothing you'll trade?" he asked the witch.
The witch thought for a moment, then said, "I do like to be entertained. I'll release him to anybody who can eat a whole front door."
Big Goldfish looked at the house made from macarons and said, "No problem, I could eat an entire house made from macarons if I wanted to."
"That's nothing," said the next goldfish. "I could eat two houses."
"There's no need to show off," said the witch. Just eat one front door and I'll let you have Henry the Hippo."
Cameron watched, feeling very worried. He didn't want the witch to give Henry the Hippo to Big Goldfish. He didn't think Henry the Hippo would like living with a dotty goldfish, away from his house and all his other toys.
The other two goldfishes watched while Big Goldfish put on his bib and withdrew a knife and fork from his pocket.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Big Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Big Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
Eventually, Big Goldfish started to get bigger - just a little bit bigger at first. But after a few more fork-fulls of cakes, he grew to the size of a large snowball - and he was every bit as round.
"Erm... I don't feel too good," said Big Goldfish.
Suddenly, he started to roll. He'd grown so round that he could no longer balance!
"Help!" he cried, as he rolled off down a slope into the forest.
Big Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Average Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from cakes.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Average Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Average Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. She gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After a while, Average Goldfish started to look a little queasy. She grew greener...
...and greener.
A woodcutter walked into the clearing. "What's this bush doing here?" he asked.
"I'm not a bush, I'm a goldfish!" said Average Goldfish.
"It talks!" exclaimed the woodcutter. "Those talking bushes are the worst kind. I'd better take it away before somebody gets hurt."
"No! Wait!" cried Average Goldfish, as the woodcutter picked her up. But the woodcutter ignored her cries and carried the goldfish away under his arm.
Average Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Little Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from macarons.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Little Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Little Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from macarons. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After five or six platefuls, Little Goldfish started to fidget uncomfortably on the spot.
He stopped eating macarons for a moment, then grabbed another forkful.
But before he could eat it, there came an almighty roar. A bottom burp louder than a rocket taking off, propelled Little Goldfish into the sky.
"Aggghhhhhh!" cried Little Goldfish. "I'm scared of heigh..."
Little Goldfish was never seen again.
Little Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from macarons and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
"That's it," said the witch. "I win. I get to keep Henry the Hippo."
"Not so fast," said Cameron. "There is still one front door to go. The front door of the house made from lettuces. And I haven't had a turn yet.
"I don't have to give you a turn!" laughed the witch. "My game. My rules."
The woodcutter's voice carried through the forest. "I think you should give him a chance. It's only fair."
"Fine," said the witch. "But you saw what happened to the goldfishes. He won't last long."
"I'll be right back," said Cameron.
"What?" said the witch. "Where's your sense of impatience? I thought you wanted Henry the Hippo back."
Cameron ignored the witch and gathered a hefty pile of sticks. He came back to the clearing and started a small camp fire. Carefully, he broke off a piece of the door of the house made from lettuces and toasted it over the fire. Once it had cooked and cooled just a little, he took a bite. He quickly devoured the whole piece.
Cameron sat down on a nearby log.
"You fail!" cackled the witch. "You were supposed to eat the whole door."
"I haven't finished," explained Cameron. "I am just waiting for my food to go down."
When Cameron's food had digested, he broke off another piece of the door made from lettuces. Once more, he toasted his food over the fire and waited for it to cool just a little. He ate it at a leisurely pace then waited for it to digest.
Eventually, after several sittings, Cameron was down to the final piece of the door made from lettuces. Carefully, he toasted it and allowed it to cool just a little. He finished his final course. Cameron had eaten the entire front door of the house made from lettuces.
The witch stamped her foot angrily. "You must have tricked me!" she said. "I don't reward cheating!"
"I don't think so!" said a voice. It was the woodcutter. He walked back into the clearing, carrying his axe. "This little boy won fair and square. Now hand over Henry the Hippo or I will chop your broomstick in half."
The witch looked horrified. She grabbed her broomstick and placed it behind her. Then, huffing, she opened the door of the cage.
Cameron hurried over and grabbed Henry the Hippo, checking that his favourite toy was all right. Fortunately, Henry the Hippo was unharmed.
Cameron thanked the woodcutter, grabbed a quick souvenir, and hurried on to meet Marion. It was starting to get dark.
When Cameron got to Marion's house, his friend threw her arms around him.
"I was so worried!" cried Marion. "You are very late."
As Cameron described his day, he could tell that Marion didn't believe him. So he grabbed a napkin from his pocket.
"What's that?" asked Marion.
Cameron unwrapped a doorknob made from cakes. "Pudding!" he said.
Marion almost fell off her chair.
The End
It wasn't long before Cameron got lost. He looked around, but all he could see were trees. Nervously, he felt into his bag for his favourite toy, Henry the Hippo, but Henry the Hippo was nowhere to be found! Cameron began to panic. He felt sure he had packed Henry the Hippo. To make matters worse, he was starting to feel hungry.
Unexpectedly, he saw a dotty goldfish dressed in a yellow top hat disappearing into the trees.
"How odd!" thought Cameron.
For the want of anything better to do, he decided to follow the peculiarly dressed goldfish. Perhaps it could tell him the way out of the forest.
Eventually, Cameron reached a clearing. He found himself surrounded by houses made from different sorts of food. There was a house made from lettuces, a house made from cakes, a house made from cakes and a house made from macarons.
Cameron could feel his tummy rumbling. Looking at the houses did nothing to ease his hunger.
"Hello!" he called. "Is anybody there?"
Nobody replied.
Cameron looked at the roof on the closest house and wondered if it would be rude to eat somebody else's chimney. Obviously it would be impolite to eat a whole house, but perhaps it would be considered acceptable to nibble the odd fixture or lick the odd fitting, in a time of need.
A cackle broke through the air, giving Cameron a fright. A witch jumped into the space in front of the houses. She was carrying a cage. In that cage was Henry the Hippo!
"Henry the Hippo!" shouted Cameron. He turned to the witch. "That's my toy!"
The witch just shrugged.
"Give Henry the Hippo back!" cried Cameron.
"Not on your nelly!" said the witch.
"At least let Henry the Hippo out of that cage!"
Before she could reply, three dotty goldfishes rushed in from a footpath on the other side of the clearing. Cameron recognised the one in the yellow top hat that he'd seen earlier. The witch seemed to recognise him too.
"Hello Big Goldfish," said the witch.
"Good morning." The goldfish noticed Henry the Hippo. "Who is this?"
"That's Henry the Hippo," explained the witch.
"Ooh! Henry the Hippo would look lovely in my house. Give it to me!" demanded the goldfish.
The witch shook her head. "Henry the Hippo is staying with me."
"Um... Excuse me..." Cameron interrupted. "Henry the Hippo lives with me! And not in a cage!"
Big Goldfish ignored him. "Is there nothing you'll trade?" he asked the witch.
The witch thought for a moment, then said, "I do like to be entertained. I'll release him to anybody who can eat a whole front door."
Big Goldfish looked at the house made from macarons and said, "No problem, I could eat an entire house made from macarons if I wanted to."
"That's nothing," said the next goldfish. "I could eat two houses."
"There's no need to show off," said the witch. Just eat one front door and I'll let you have Henry the Hippo."
Cameron watched, feeling very worried. He didn't want the witch to give Henry the Hippo to Big Goldfish. He didn't think Henry the Hippo would like living with a dotty goldfish, away from his house and all his other toys.
The other two goldfishes watched while Big Goldfish put on his bib and withdrew a knife and fork from his pocket.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Big Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Big Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
Eventually, Big Goldfish started to get bigger - just a little bit bigger at first. But after a few more fork-fulls of cakes, he grew to the size of a large snowball - and he was every bit as round.
"Erm... I don't feel too good," said Big Goldfish.
Suddenly, he started to roll. He'd grown so round that he could no longer balance!
"Help!" he cried, as he rolled off down a slope into the forest.
Big Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Average Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from cakes.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Average Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Average Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from cakes. She gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After a while, Average Goldfish started to look a little queasy. She grew greener...
...and greener.
A woodcutter walked into the clearing. "What's this bush doing here?" he asked.
"I'm not a bush, I'm a goldfish!" said Average Goldfish.
"It talks!" exclaimed the woodcutter. "Those talking bushes are the worst kind. I'd better take it away before somebody gets hurt."
"No! Wait!" cried Average Goldfish, as the woodcutter picked her up. But the woodcutter ignored her cries and carried the goldfish away under his arm.
Average Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from cakes and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
Little Goldfish stepped up, and approached the house made from macarons.
"I'll eat this whole house," said Little Goldfish. "Just you watch!"
Little Goldfish pulled off a corner of the front door of the house made from macarons. He gulped it down smiling, and went back for more.
And more.
And more.
After five or six platefuls, Little Goldfish started to fidget uncomfortably on the spot.
He stopped eating macarons for a moment, then grabbed another forkful.
But before he could eat it, there came an almighty roar. A bottom burp louder than a rocket taking off, propelled Little Goldfish into the sky.
"Aggghhhhhh!" cried Little Goldfish. "I'm scared of heigh..."
Little Goldfish was never seen again.
Little Goldfish never finished eating the front door made from macarons and Henry the Hippo remained trapped in the witch's cage.
"That's it," said the witch. "I win. I get to keep Henry the Hippo."
"Not so fast," said Cameron. "There is still one front door to go. The front door of the house made from lettuces. And I haven't had a turn yet.
"I don't have to give you a turn!" laughed the witch. "My game. My rules."
The woodcutter's voice carried through the forest. "I think you should give him a chance. It's only fair."
"Fine," said the witch. "But you saw what happened to the goldfishes. He won't last long."
"I'll be right back," said Cameron.
"What?" said the witch. "Where's your sense of impatience? I thought you wanted Henry the Hippo back."
Cameron ignored the witch and gathered a hefty pile of sticks. He came back to the clearing and started a small camp fire. Carefully, he broke off a piece of the door of the house made from lettuces and toasted it over the fire. Once it had cooked and cooled just a little, he took a bite. He quickly devoured the whole piece.
Cameron sat down on a nearby log.
"You fail!" cackled the witch. "You were supposed to eat the whole door."
"I haven't finished," explained Cameron. "I am just waiting for my food to go down."
When Cameron's food had digested, he broke off another piece of the door made from lettuces. Once more, he toasted his food over the fire and waited for it to cool just a little. He ate it at a leisurely pace then waited for it to digest.
Eventually, after several sittings, Cameron was down to the final piece of the door made from lettuces. Carefully, he toasted it and allowed it to cool just a little. He finished his final course. Cameron had eaten the entire front door of the house made from lettuces.
The witch stamped her foot angrily. "You must have tricked me!" she said. "I don't reward cheating!"
"I don't think so!" said a voice. It was the woodcutter. He walked back into the clearing, carrying his axe. "This little boy won fair and square. Now hand over Henry the Hippo or I will chop your broomstick in half."
The witch looked horrified. She grabbed her broomstick and placed it behind her. Then, huffing, she opened the door of the cage.
Cameron hurried over and grabbed Henry the Hippo, checking that his favourite toy was all right. Fortunately, Henry the Hippo was unharmed.
Cameron thanked the woodcutter, grabbed a quick souvenir, and hurried on to meet Marion. It was starting to get dark.
When Cameron got to Marion's house, his friend threw her arms around him.
"I was so worried!" cried Marion. "You are very late."
As Cameron described his day, he could tell that Marion didn't believe him. So he grabbed a napkin from his pocket.
"What's that?" asked Marion.
Cameron unwrapped a doorknob made from cakes. "Pudding!" he said.
Marion almost fell off her chair.
The End
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