THE LEGEND OF JACK RIDDLE by H Easson Capstone Young Readers a capstone imprint
Table of Contents Cover Title Page Dedication Introduction Chapter 1 THE GINGERBREAD WITCH Chapter 2 JACK RIDDLE Chapter 3 THE TREE GUARDIAN Chapter 4 THE CAROUSEL CAULDRON Chapter 5 ESCAPE Chapter 6 HOME SWEET HOME Chapter 7 MR SCRIMP S NASTY ORDEAL Chapter 8 PROFESSOR AMBROSIUS FOOTNOTE Chapter 9 HANSEL AND GRETEL Chapter 10 SMASH Chapter 11 THE PROPHECY Chapter 12 THE WHITE WITCH Chapter 13 THE MERMAIDS TALE
CHAPTER 1 THE GINGERBREAD WITCH The year 1610 Gretel lay in front of the dying fire and listened to the muffled church bells They rang through the night reaching her in the tiny one roomed shack Her whole family lay sleeping around her and their snores were thick in the smelly air She counted the bells silently in her head Nine ten eleven twelve She smiled Midnight She slipped out from under the threadbare blanket and stood up shivering Quiet as a ghost she tiptoed past the slumbering bodies on the floor Mmmmmmuuummpph Gretel froze and held her breath Her little sister one of six lay next to her feet The young girl had stirred when Gretel tried to edge past her But no she was still sleeping her mouth hanging open Gretel let out a small sigh of relief Reaching the front door she lifted the bolt and slipped into the woods outside She walked quickly through the trees using the moonlight to find her way Frost crunched in the grass beneath her bare feet and she shivered in her thin woolen dress But Gretel needed to reach the village before daybreak She really wanted a good seat to watch the hanging
