The unknown wonderlands E-Book

Connie Glass-Enczmann

• Herausgeber: BoD - Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 137

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Two friends, witnessing a boulder transform into a flying crystal rock, seize the opportunity to embark on magical and unexpected adventures with their dog. During their journey, they meet Jan, who asks them to help in the search for a healing remedy to save his Wonderland Xanton. As they venture deeper into the unknown, they encounter mysterious beings, including an Elf, talking bears, and other strange creatures. The question remains: will they prevail? The answer lies within the captivating tale that unfolds before you.

Leseprobe

To Tara-Lee - who could’t get enough of adventure stories and to Corina - for the lovely book illustrations

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction to the Tale

1. On the way to Africa

2. Arrival in Kendinga

3. The mysterious Dog & the flying Boulder

4. The Plan

5. Tex on his nightly Excursion

6. Visit in Xolani’s hut

7. Eagle Country

8. The Elf

9. The Horses in the Paddock

10. Stag Tau

11. Cosmo

12. The Guardians of the Forest

13. The old Man from the Swamp

14. The Foggy Valley

15. The Tree Village

16. Xanton

17. Landing on the Tower

18. Task accomplished

19. Cosmo’s Miracle Root

FOREWORD

“Ms. Dingelbong, please share your story with us,” my African students persistently requested.

Actually, my name is Tara Dingbaum, but for my students, I will always be affectionately known as Ms. Dingelbong.

Regardless, they were equally captivated by my stories as I was by the African tales that the children and their parents often shared with me.

I am delighted to fulfill their wish and immortalize my extraordinary adventures in this book, ensuring that they can be read and experienced by children worldwide.

Sincerely,

Tara Dingelbong

Teacher at Kendinga Primary School, Africa

INTRODUCTION TO THE TALE

Tara was born in Africa, but when she was nine, her parents decided to move to Europe. She quickly settled in at school and made friends, but she still longed to go back home. She remembered the amazing sunsets, the roars of lions, the calls of hyenas, and seeing her favorite animals, the elephants. She missed her friend Khaya, the school in Kendinga, and the village children.

Realizing that Tara was homesick, her parents surprised her with a flight ticket to visit her grandparents in Pumpulas on her eleventh birthday.

And that’s where the story begins!

CHAPTER 1

ON THE WAY TO AFRICA

Tara, hurry up! The plane won’t wait for you forever! “I’m coming, Mom!”

Tara slid down the stair railing and dashed out of the house. Her mom and her adorable dachshund, Benny, were already waiting in their trusty VW Beetle. Benny pressed his snout against the car window, wagging his tail with excitement. He always loved car rides.

“Finally!”

Her mom smiled warmly, realizing again that Tara was just like her dad. Brown hair and big, expressive brown eyes. She was definitely a South African girl.

“Sorry, Mom. I almost forgot Grandma’s and Grandpa’s presents. Grandpa can use them as bargaining chips. I have so many fond memories of our adventure tours in the bush.”

“I know! I miss South Africa, too. Okay, let’s go!”

Her mom put the foot on the accelerator and sped down the street.

“You don’t want to get a ticket, Mom!”

“I’ll do my best!”

Tara’s mind wandered back to her grandpa. He was a ranger at a game reserve and an incredible adventurer. When they were in the bush, he showed her how to track wild animals and explained which animal droppings could be identified by their shape and color. He also taught her about the importance of dung beetles in the African bush.

She remembered how she and the village children would often watch the dung beetles. They would mold dung into round balls and bury them.

Grandpa would explain that these little animals played a very important role in the ecosystem. They fed on dung, used it to fertilize the soil, and even raised their offspring in it.

“I can’t wait to be back home!”

“You’ll be in a whole new world soon, and hence experience many more adventures.”

“Yep, Mom!”

What Tara didn’t know was that her upcoming adventures would lead her to realms where she would meet beings she had never seen before.

At last, the airport was in sight, and her mom found a parking spot right in front of the terminal. Together, they pulled the heavy suitcase out of the trunk and tied Benny’s dog leash around his broad neck. Before they could run into the airport, the small and somewhat plump Benny had trouble keeping up with their fast steps.

His eyes were on Tara, and he felt like she was about to leave him.

“Don’t be sad, Bennie,” she whispered, patting him. “I’ll be back soon. Take good care of Mom.”

His tail wagged back and forth.

Meanwhile, her mother finished all the paperwork at the airline counter since Tara was an unaccompanied minor.

They said goodbye with a hug.

Tara and the flight attendant went through a long hose that led to the plane’s interior, right to her seat.

The plane took off and made a steady noise. Watching the clouds outside the window, her eyelids grew heavy, and she fell asleep quickly.

“Gong!”

The sound and the flight attendant’s announcement reminded the passengers that they were about to land.

Shortly after, the plane came to a stop on the runway.

CHAPTER 2

ARRIVAL IN KENDINGA

Her grandparents were already waiting in the air terminal of the small provincial airport. Large fans were attached to the ceiling, turning noisily. These fans created a pleasant breeze, making the sweltering heat inside the building more bearable. As Tara and the attendant entered the hall, she spotted her grandparents.

“Grandpa! Grandma!” she exclaimed, rushing towards them.

“Welcome to Kendinga, sweetheart! You’ve grown so much! We’ve missed you dearly!”

“I’ve missed both of you, too!” Her eyes were shining with excitement.

Grandpa took Tara’s luggage. “Let’s all go home.”

“Yep!” Tara agreed, eagerly following her grandparents towards the exit.

The scorching sun was beating down on them. Thankfully, the journey to their car wasn’t too long. Her grandfather turned the key in the ignition, and the engine rumbled to life, accompanied by a few rattlingnoises.

“I think we need to have that pickup truck checked up! We don’t want to get stranded in the bush and encounter a lion!” her grandfather said with a twinkle in his eye.

“Nope, Grandpa, definitely not!”

They drove slowly to Pumpulas, a small town about ten miles away from Kendinga. There were potholes in the gravel road, and the ride was bumpy. The car bounced up and down, and the suspension of the vehicle groaned.

Sometimes wildlife crossed the road, but this was all not new to Tara.

During the drive, Tara couldn’t resist the urge to ask her grandparents about their experiences while she was away. They told her about a new foal born to one of their horses, a new dog they had adopted, and various other exciting updates in the village.

Finally, they arrived at Tara’s grandparents’ house. She jumped out of the car and into the large, adventurous garden, where she was warmly greeted by a medium-sized dog.

“That’s Tex!” her grandfather explained. “He was a stray dog, but we took him home, and he’s been protecting us ever since. There’s something strange about him, though. He sometimes just disappears!”

Tara smirked, intrigued by the mystery of Tex. “That’s interesting,” she said. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Tara noticed that something was different in the garden, but she couldn’t quite place it at that moment.

“Was the garden bigger? Strange, I’ve never noticed that rock or boulder under the old pepper tree before,” she wondered.

But her curiosity was short-lived, and the day slipped away quickly. It was fillled with unpacking, conversations, and eating.

As darkness descended and the moon cast a bright glow, it was time for bed. Tara’s grandmother showed her to her room, which her grandparents had furnished especially for her.

“Dream something beautiful,” Grandma whispered before leaving the bedroom.

“Thanks, Grandma.”

Tara was tired from the long flight but still too excited to fall asleep right away.

“What is it with this mysterious dog, Tex? I will definitely find out. In any case, I’m going to visit my best friend Khaya tomorrow,” she decided before she gradually dozed off.

CHAPTER 3

THE MYSTERIOUS DOG & THE FLYING BOULDER

The radiant full moon illuminated Tara’s room, awakening her from her slumber. The moon cast dynamic shadows of the tree branches on the wall.

Tara rose from bed, slipped on her cozy flip-flops, and made her way to the window. There, she was mesmerized by the majestic, gnarled pepper tree, its age evident in its size and intricate branches.

Suddenly, Tex sprinted towards the pepper tree.

“Tex!” Tara exclaimed in surprise.

The dog, held in and listened, but then he shook his head as if his ears were irritated before sprinting toward the tree. There, he stood before the boulder, undecided. Tara mumbled, wondering what he was thinking about.

With an unexpected leap, he landed on the boulder and made noises, as if communicating in dog language. The rock transformed into a glittering stone, radiating a brilliant light that resembled a massive crystal. It spun at incredible speed before vanishing, along with the dog.

Tara rubbed her eyes several times, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

“No way! This is unreal!”

She was focusing on the tree’s trunk, but the boulder was nowhere to be found. To get to the bottom of it, she crept down the stairs and right into the garden.

Walking around the tree several times, she confirmed that the boulder had indeed vanished. Puzzled, she returned to her bedroom, pulling the duvet over her head. That night, she lay awake long, convinced that the dog held a secret.

“Tex, I’m going to uncover the truth behind your story. I’ll promise!” Finally, she drifted off to sleep.

CHAPTER 4

THE PLAN

The next morning, after breakfast, Tara visited her friend Khaya, who lived across the street from Grandpa and Grandma.

Khaya was already thirteen years old. She always looked a bit wild with her dark curly hair. Tara secretly admired Khaya for her cool appearance and exciting stories. They’ve always been best friends.

“Khaya!” Tara exclaimed, knocking at the door.

She glanced through the window but couldn’t see her friend. Instead, she saw Khaya’s mother, Nana.

Hello Tara! It’s lovely to see you! Please come in!

“Thanks! Is Khaya home?”

Nana smirked. “Yes, she is! Why are you in such a hurry?”

“I have to tell Khaya an incredible story!”

Nana smirked again. “I see! She’s just behind the house.”

Tara dashed past Nana and flung open the door that led to the backyard.

Her friend was just feeding a carrot to her hamster.

Hey Tara, it’s great to see you again!

They exchanged a firm African handshake before settling on the floor.

“So, what’s on your mind? Why are you so excited?”

“I have an incredible story to share with you! It’s actually a secret! It sounds unbelievable, but I assure you, it’s not made up!”

“Alright, I’m all ears!”

When Tara told her the mysterious occurrences in the garden, Khaya’s round, brown eyes widened in intrigue.

“Wow, that’s quite a peculiar thing! I need to ponder over it.”

“That takes too much time, Khaya. Let’s devise a plan immediately.”

“Time is of the essence here, but perhaps you’re correct.”

Tara had piqued Khaya’s curiosity.

“Um, weird, weird! Let’s investigate the boulder in your garden, Tara!”

They dashed across the gravel road into Tara’s backyard and straight to the pepper tree.

“There’s no boulder here! Tara, are you certain that it was right under the tree?”

“Yes, it was!” Tara affirmed.

“How about we meet at 10:30 pm tonight to unravel the mystery?”

“Yes, that’s a fantastic idea, Tara. I have to pick up my little brother from the village school anyway.”

They exchanged a hearty high-!ve and said goodbye.

CHAPTER 5

TEX ON HIS NIGHTLY EXCURSION

Finally, at 10:30 pm, the girls met at the front gate. “Tara, we’ll unravel the mystery, trust me!”

“Absolutely, but we must be quiet.”

“No worries!”

They quietly approached the pepper tree to avoid waking up the grandparents.

“Here you are! The boulder is back from its excursion!”

“Wow! It’s quite large! Let’s examine it, Tara! It appears to have a life of its own!”

They stared at the boulder briefly.

“Let’s climb on it and see what happens!”

Both girls jumped onto the boulder and waited.

“It’s not moving!”

Khaya jumped off the rock and attempted to lift it.

“Uh-oh! It’s too heavy!”

“Let’s take a closer look under it. Maybe there’s a dent in this thing.

The girls cautiously crawled on the ground.

“Can you see anything?”

“No way! That boulder appears to be firmly attached to the ground. What should we do next?”

“Hmm, didn’t you mention that your dog barked or yelped in some dog language before it disappeared? I mean, were there any specific words or phrases?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“So, let’s wait for Tex and surprise him. Otherwise, we’ll never uncover the secret. What do you think?”

“Absolutely, Khaya!”

They crouched behind a bush near the pepper tree.

The friends didn’t have to wait long.

“He’s here!”

Tex dashed towards the boulder. Before hopping on it, he spun around like a top to make sure he wasn’t being watched.

Then, with a mighty leap, he landed on the rock and started making strange noises. In a flash, the dog and the boulder were gone!

“Woohoo! I heard the magic words!”

Khaya was jumping up and down with excitement, and they both gave each other a high-five.

“Should we wait for him? We could try our luck when he returns!”

“Yep! Sounds good!”

Time passed, and they both started yawning non-stop. It felt like an eternity, and the clock was already striking twelve at night when the stone and its passenger were suddenly flung back out of nowhere.

“Whoa! Doggie is back!”

“Shhh.”

They watched as Tex dashed into his dog house, plopping down on the floor. The girls climbed onto the boulder and, together, they whispered the magic words: “Skystar, rise!”

Silence descended upon the scene, and the rock remained steadfastly unmoved. The boulder didn’t transform into a dazzling crystal, and there was no sign of Skystar’s movement at all.

“Hmm, let’s give it another attempt,” Tara suggested.

“Skystar, rise!” they repeated, yet still, nothing transpired.

“What’s the secret?”

Tara kicked the rock with her shoe.

Move, you stupid boulder!”

Khaya shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know. We’ll unravel that mystery, no worries. But not now, I suppose. I suggest we try again tomorrow night.”

“Cool!” Ulale Kahle.”

“Ulale Kahle, Tara.”

CHAPTER 6

VISIT IN XOLANI’S HUT

The following morning, Grandpa decided to drive to the village.

He walked to the pickup truck and placed his backpack inside. Tex leaped onto the back of the pickup.

“Wait for me, Grandpa!”

“Very well, then hop on!”

Tara joined Tex on the back of the open pickup truck and secured him with a leash.

“The dog is safe, Grandpa! We can go.”

“Okay. Hold tight, Tara!”

She and the dog observed their surroundings during the drive. The African village was characterized by traditional round huts. Suddenly, Grandpa stopped the car.

“We’re here! Stay in the car, Tex!”

He quickly entered one of these huts with Tara in tow. Grandpa had come to visit Xolani, the village healer.

The round hut had a grass roof and was supported in the middle by a pole. The interior was spacious and surprisingly cozy, despite the lack of furniture.

“Sawubona, Xolani!”

“Sawubona, Peter!”

They greeted each other with the traditional African handshake and asked how everyone was doing.

“Unjani, Xolani?”

“Ngiyaphila, ngiyabonga”

“Unjani, Peter?”

“I’m doing great, thanks Xolani.”

The healer, an expert in the medicinal properties of local herbs and roots, had a spread-out cloth on the floor filled with dried plants tied together. Tara’s eyes widened as they noticed a shelf stacked high with glasses filled with liquids.

The men began with a casual conversation about the weather and the well-being of the family. Finally, Grandpa spoke up, revealing the purpose of his visit.

“Xolani, I need some deworming herbs and salt for my horses.”

“Amakhambi ami ayakuphilisa amahhashi akho. Uzobona,” Xolani replied.

“I understand that your herbs are effective for my horses. That’s precisely why I’m here.”

The healer grinned as he skillfully mixed the herbs according to his recipe and wrapped them in old newspaper. Stepping out of his hut for a moment,