That afternoon, he searched beaches and scrubby fields, collecting
feathers lost by sea birds: strong fliers. Using the feathers as quill pens,
and colorful potions as ink, he created twelve squares of illustrated script
on parchment. Next, the wizard donned ragged half-gloves to wrap
thread in wisps of icy wind and stitch the pages together to make a book.
Then he climbed to the tower’s roof and tossed the book to an
enchanted whirlwind that tore it to scraps. Countless bits of bright parch-
ment swirled in glorious patterns until magic knit them together, forming
one lovely page. Graceful as a well-handled kite, it soared and dived.
A north wind whisked it across the ocean. Finally, it settled written-
side down on a stony beach backed by a blue granite cliff. And if words
can be said to wait, the parchment’s words waited.IN A TOWER on a rocky island lived a wizard whose enchantments
centered on the four winds. He made a modest income selling bags
of fair breezes to sailors. One day, a sailor brought him a letter from a
faraway faerie king. Two scant lines, it requested a difficult windspell.
With a thankful heart, the wizard accepted the silver sent in payment,
delighting in thoughts of the intricate spellwork ahead of him.by Maggie Murphy
Illustrated by Tiffany England
6 text © 2018 by Maggie Murphy, art © 2018 by Tiffany England