A Poetry Contest at Spellzany Castle

MARY STEPPED OUT of her carriage in front of Spellzany Castle， admiring as usual its towers topped in huge， colorful marble crowns， wizards' hats， and jesters' caps.Her aunt， Queen Ursula， robed in ink-bottle patterned blue silk， ran out and hugged her.

\"Auntie， thanks for inviting me！\"

\"Thank you for traveling across the kingdom to be here！ You love poetry， so I knew you'd want to see me present my Royal Rhyming Poem Contest prize.\"

\"You aren’t nervous about？”\"Not a bit，\"said the queen brightly as they strolled through the castle's carved doors. \"I'm sure the party will go smoothly.\"

Mary didn't feel so certain.

Spellzany Castle's name sprang from its history of attracting zany magic spells. If a frost fairy's too-strong charm covered a throne room's floor with ice， if a magical prankster filled a moat with pudding， or if a sorceress's bungled self-improvement spell gave a castle's rats gourmet cooking skills， it happened at Spellzany.

On Mary's visits to the castle， such events kept her running around assisting her aunt. When the two weren't advertising free ice skating or pudding or writing rat-sized recipes， they were calling in the realm's head wizard to break especially troublesome enchantments.

Now Mary asked Ursula， “Hasthe chief wizard figured out why so many spells hit Spellzany？\"

\"His latest theory is that the castle's fanciful architecture makes it a magnet for oddball magic， \" said the queen.leading the way into her dining hall.\"But please don't worry.Everything's been absolutely normal around here for a whole week.Do you like my party's Mother Goose theme？\"

“It's perfect！” said Mary，admiring the cakes， artfully decorated by the very talented rat chefs， picturing Miss Muffet， Little Bo-Peep， Wee Willie Winkie， and more.

Soon hundreds of poetry lovers， from villagers to princes to pixies， streamed into the room， and Mary helped Ursula greet them. But just as Mary congratulated the contest's winner-a beaming dryad wearing her glossiest spring leaves-in stomped an orange- winged fairy clutching a letter.

\"So my wonderful poem didn't win your contest？\" the fairy screeched at Ursula.“Fine！ I hope you do see the talent in my stuck-in-rhvme-forever spell.\"

Waving her wand at the startled company， she shouted， “Rhymelall-time！\" and buzzed out an open window， laughing.

Mary and Ursula exchanged unhappy looks as a blacksmith moaned， \"Our raving and ranting won't bring disenchanting！\"

Ursula said to Mary，\"A new mix-up.How to fix up？ The expert wizard of our nation flew south today on his vacation.\"

While her jester lifted the guests's spirits with his acrobatic recitation of\"Humpty Dumpty.\" Ursula fetched all the contest entries and showed Mary the fairy's dull， nineteen-page poem entitled “Ode to Pond Scum：”

\"The honored poem was judged first-rate.This fairy's poem is not that great.\"Ursula sighed. \"We can't give in and let her win.\"

\"Oh yes， we can. I have a plan！\" Excitedly， Mary described her idea.

\"Mary， my dear， I'm glad you're here！\"said Ursula.She called her herald and instructed him to rush an urgent note to the fairy：\"Pond Scum\" ranks tiptop after all.Flit straight back to my banquet hall！

The minute the herald left for the fairy's cave， Mary hid behind a velvet curtain. Meanwhile， Ursula dashed to the nearby podium and explained Mary's scheme to the crowd， adding， \"Do nothing distracting， or she'll guess we're acting.Don't look toward hidden Mary. Gaze amazed at the fairy.\"

Hearing the fairy's wings whirring， Mary peeped out and saw her zip in bright as a firefly in a glittery yellow gown. She landed triumphantly before Ursula， who delivered a brief but lively speech：\"Feast your eves. Here's your prize！\" But as the fairy eagerly reached for the gold pen， Mary leaped out. snatched her wand， waved it at her， and cried， \"Rhyme all- time！\"

“So this is my lot-I'm caught by your plot！” screamed the fairy. Without her wand， she could use only low-level magic to try to spoil the celebration. Still， glancing at the lovely desserts， she snapped her fingers， commanding \"Revenge is near. Come， rats. Race here！\"

At the sound of squeaking， the fairy gave Mary a victorious grin. But instead of the pastry-gobbling horde she'd expected， in ran the castle's rats， proudly wearing their new chefs' uniforms and carrying fifty freshly baked cheesecakes for the guests.

Completely crushed， the fairy gestured to Mary to return her wand， saying， \"I will not fight. I'll put things right.\"

In spite of everything， Mary felt sorry for her.

Handing back the wand， she said gently， “After you spell-break， stay and eat cheesecake.\"

The fairy brightened a little， faithfully unrhymed everyone， and—further encouraged by the queen's forgiving smile-joined the line at the refreshment table.

\"Mary， I'm grateful to you， \"said Ursula.

\"But I do apologize for yet another Spellzanyenchantment.\"

\"No need， \"said Mary happily. Then she thought up a rhyme：“Sunny or rainy， I love Spellzany！\"

poetry：詩歌

prankster：愛搞惡作劇的人；

愛開玩笑的人

assist：幫助；協助

Enchantment：魔法；著迷；妖術

disenchant：使清醒；使不抱幻想

vacation：假期；度假

curtain：窗簾；門簾

Triumphantly：耀武揚威地

snap：噼啪地響；打響指

brighten：高興；好轉

apologize：道歉；謝罪