The Brave Apprentice: A Further Tales Adventure
P. W. Catanese
Language: English
Pages: 240
ISBN: 0689871740
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
"Seven at one blow!" That's what they say about the Brave Little Tailor -- he killed seven foes with one blow. But no one can prove it's even true. Besides, that took place a long time ago, and the Brave Little Tailor is now an old man. So what happens when an army of angry trolls invades his kingdom?
Meet Patch Ridlin. He's a tailor's simple apprentice in the remote village of Crossfield. He's a hard worker who's never wanted for much, except maybe a little adventure. But when he rescues his friend Osbert from an aging and decrepit troll, Patch finds himself something of a town hero. Word of his bravery quickly spreads throughout the countryside, and Patch is summoned to the king's castle. King Milo needs his help to wage war on a gang of trolls threatening to destroy the kingdom.
Soon Patch finds himself engaged in an all-out battle against the trolls. With only the help of a fool named Simon and a maddening riddle, can Patch figure out the troll's fatal flaw? Or is the kingdom destined to perish?
couldn’t be his own self leaping up and screaming, “Don’t drink, Simon, it’s poison!” And surely Addison wouldn’t seize him by the collar and shake him and call him that awful word, and Gosling and Ludowick wouldn’t look at him with those horrified, thunderstruck expressions, and Mannon wouldn’t be reaching across Addison, trying to choke him. The world seemed all wrong, like a forgery of the world he knew—the colors were blurred, the voices didn’t sound right, his head and arms and legs felt
second troll standing by the true shore of the lake. This one was not as tall as Hurgoth, but wider and thicker; his skin was white with veins of gray and black, like a living chunk of marble. “Murok, you know what to do!” Giles shouted. The creature turned and stomped back through the forest, heading for the cave. “What now, Giles?” Addison was coming back toward them, his hands balled into tight fists. “Why don’t you t-t-take me to your wise k-k-king, and see what he will do with me,” Giles
Sweeting’s breath had been so weak, so shallow near the end. Patch supposed it had slowed and slowed until it finally just stopped, like a clock winding down. He was reminded of seeing his friend Osbert after he died. A lock of gray hair lay across Sweeting’s face. Patch brushed it to the side and smoothed it. “Will Sweeting. I wish we could talk one last time. I know the answer is there. I’ve thought about it, but I just can’t figure it out.” “Do you know what I can’t figure out?” A deep voice
fox. No, I will take my chances with you, Patch Ridling. And besides, if this works, I need to see the look on Giles’s face!” It was like a fever dream, returning to Dartham. The sounds of the struggle grew louder as Patch retraced his steps and they drew closer to the eastern wall. There was a shriek unlike anything he’d ever heard. It could only be a troll in mortal agony, and it gave him hope. But a moment later, there was a long scream from some poor fellow, a scream that seemed to rise up
books, he draws cartoons and works for an advertising agency. Interestingly, the letters in “P. W. Catanese” can be rearranged to spell “want escape?” Paul figures that’s why people read books like his. To his readers, Paul writes: “Hope you enjoy them. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten most of the original fairy tale that this story is based on—everything you need to know is right in these pages.” Visit Paul on the Web at pwcatanese.com.