by Rona Arato
“Of course it’s magic.” The count loomed above them. “Magic,” he said to the children, “is what you believe it to be.”
Salty stood and held out his hand. “Well, children,” he said. “I’d best be on me way.”
“Where are you going?” Shoshi asked.
“I don’t know, but it won’t be back to the sea. I’ve ’ad enough of boiler rooms and thievery.”
“Why don’t you stay here? You can work in the restaurant,” said Shoshi.
“Thank ye,” Salty said. “Ye are very kind, but I don’t think I’m cut out to stay in one place for very long.”
“Why don’t you join the count and me in our work?” Mr. Thornswaddle said. “We are going to use our circus to continue our quest.”
“I’d be honored,” said Salty.
Aloysius P. Thornswaddle turned to Shoshi and Moshe. “Children, the dragon is an endangered animal. He is too big to remain in your restaurant. Besides, he is not safe here. More and more people will find out about him, and they’ll want to exploit him; possibly use him to terrorize the good people in this neighborhood – even the world.”
“But Snigger is ours,” the children said in unison.
Snigger lifted his head and roared. Then Shoshi remembered the villagers of Vrod and how afraid they were of Snigger. “Moshe, they’re right,” she said. “We can’t keep Snigger safe. He needs to go someplace where no one can hurt him.”
“Where would you take him?” Moshe asked Mr. Thornswaddle.
“Why to our circus, of course.” Mr. Thornswaddle placed a hand on Snigger’s head. “Snigger will be the star of our show. He will delight audiences all over the world. And you, dear children, will see him whenever we return to New York.”
“How often will that be?” Shoshi asked tearfully.
“Once every year. When the snow melts and trees burst into bloom, the …” Mr. Thornswaddle looked at the count.
“The Flying Dragon Circus,” was the Count’s reply.
“Of course, The Flying Dragon Circus shall return, and Snigger shall be the main attraction.”
As if on cue, the dragon rose to his feet, stretched his paws, and bowed.
Shoshi and Moshe applauded. “Snigger, you are going to be a star,” said Shoshi.
“Then you will let us take him?” said Mr. Thornswaddle.
The children looked at each other and nodded. “Yes,” they both said.
“We’ll miss him,” said Moshe.
“But we want him to be safe and happy.” Shoshi wiped away her tears.
“Who knows,” said Mr. Thornswaddle. “When you two are grown, you may join us and travel the world too.”
Shoshi walked over to Snigger and put her arms around his neck. “good-bye, Snigger. We love you.”
Snigger rested his head against her shoulder. He blew out sparks.
Moshe patted his side. “You be a good circus star, okay?”
“Well, good-bye children. For now.” Mr. Thornswaddle, the count, and Salty climbed on the dragon’s back.
“Bye Snigger!” said the children together. “We’ll see you in the circus!”
Snigger spread his wings and leapt into the air. He circled Hester Street three times and dipped his wings, as if waving good-bye. Shoshi and Moshe watched him soar up into the sky, his fiery breath lighting up the night. Then he disappeared among the clouds and was gone.
Text copyright © 2010 by Rona Arato
Interior illustration copyright © 2010 by Linda Hendry
Published in Canada by Tundra Books,
75 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 2P9
Published in the United States by Tundra Books of Northern New York,
P.O. Box 1030, Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009928987
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the publisher-or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency – is an infringement of the copyright law.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Arato, Rona
Mrs. Kaputnik’s pool hall and matzo ball emporium / Rona Arato.
eISBN: 978-1-77049-211-0
I. Title.
PS8601.R35M78 2010 jC813′.6 C2009-902986-3
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) and that of the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s Ontario Book Initiative. We further acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program.
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