"What is it?" Princess Addie asked. "What is a parfait?"

Prince Liam took three skinny dessert glasses out of his magic box. "I've never seen striped ice cream before," he said, and handed one to Addie.

Pink ice cream was layered with strawberries and whipped cream. A long spoon stuck out of two glasses. "Who's the third one for? Not Violet, I hope!"

The green snake came twining down the rope. "S-s-silly bird," it hissed. "I got s-s-so clossse, but s-s-she got away. Isss thisss glasss for me? I don't need a s-s-spoon!" It plunged its head right into the third parfait.

Addie and Liam gobbled up the delicious dessert. The green snake finished soon, too. Now it had pink blobs on top of its purple stripes. It hissed happily and curled up in a corner, just like the coil of rope it used to be.

The prince and princess jumped at a loud slapping sound. They looked over the edge of the balloon basket.

Down below, the whale's tail flapped up out of the water then came crashing down for another loud slap.

"What is it?" Addie called.

The whale's head came up into the air. It blew a spout to the right.

Addie and Liam looked that way. In the west, big dark clouds piled up until in moments they blocked the sun. The storm clouds tumbled around, filling up more and more of the sky. Lightning flashed!

"Oh oh," Liam said. "That looks like trouble."

"Big trouble," Addie said. "The wind is blowing us straight toward the storm!"

"Turn us around!"

"I can't steer a balloon. It goes where the wind goes!"

"What'll we do?" Liam scooted close to Addie.

She looked around. The snake had turned back into rope. She threw one end over the edge of the basket and down, down, down to the water. "Please help us!" she called to the whale.

Her huge sea friend chomped onto the rope and swam away from the storm.

Addie hung on tight, and the hot air balloon followed the whale.

Liam laughed. "I like to run with a balloon, too!"

Hiss! The balloon started drifting down.

"What's that?" Addie yelled. "I didn't pull the rope to let out air!"

"Turn up the fire," Liam said. "Give it more hot air so we can go up again!"

"I can't reach it. You try."

Liam tried. "Nothing is happening!"

The hiss got louder and louder, and the balloon went lower and lower, and the storm grew closer and closer.

"Look!" Princess Addie cried. "An island!"

Just in time, the whale let go of the rope, and the basket drifted down to land on the sand. The great pink balloon came fluttering down like a silk scarf and flopped on the beach.

"What now?" Liam asked.

Addie saw curtains of rain coming closer. "We'll make a beach hut by turning the basket over. Help me!"

Now they huddled under the basket. "When the storm is over," Addie said, "we can go looking for pirate treasure. I'll bet they buried it here on this island!"

"I think I saw a big red X on a hill," Liam said. "That must be the spot to dig."

The wind moaned and howled. Rain tapped on the basket, then rattled and knocked, then knocked even louder.

"Anyone in there?" came a loud growly voice. "Come on out!"

"A monster, a monster!" the prince and princess screamed.

The basket tipped back, and there stood—

"Daddy!" Liam yelled. He jumped up and hugged Daddy's knees. We thought you were a monster. We were on a deserted island hiding from a horrible storm after our balloon popped."

Daddy laughed. "Addie, the trouble you get into with your magic box! Come on, time for bed, you two. I'll read you a story."

"With a whale?" Addie asked.

"Sure. Clean up quick!"

Addie set the big cardboard Magic Box upright and pushed it to Box Corner. Liam gathered up everything except his lunchbox. Together they opened Mommy's Magic Box. The carved wooden lid was too heavy for just one of them to handle. They dumped in their crowns and cloaks and jump rope. The lid came down, thump!

No knowing what surprises it would hold tomorrow!

.

~ another tale begins tomorrow ~