Chapter 3

Maggie herded the sheep toward Peter. “I’ll watch them from here,” she said, keeping her distance.

“Fine,” Peter grumbled. “We’ll go to the meadow by the pond in a few hours.” He sat down and started to play his flute again. While the sheep were happily munching grass, Maggie picked wild daisies.

She had a wonderful idea! She would make a beautiful daisy crown for her new unicorn friend. When she had enough flowers, Maggie sat on a rock and began making the chain. It didn’t take her long to finish. Examining her handiwork, she wondered if the unicorn would like it.

As the day grew hot, the sheep lay down for naps. Peter stopped playing his flute. Maggie settled back to watch the high, puffy clouds. She saw a bunny with big ears and a castle with tall towers. Maggie watched the clouds float by and rested her eyes for just a moment . . .

Suddenly, she was startled by the laughter of goblins. She listened closely then, but all she could hear were the birds singing in the trees and the bees buzzing around the wildflowers. Thinking that she must have imagined it, she closed her eyes. The goblins’ laughter rang out, louder than before.

Maggie sat up. The goblin laughter had been real! She turned to warn Peter that the sheep were in danger, but he was gone. The sheep were gone, too, luckily.

The laughter grew louder. The goblins had almost reached the meadow. There wasn’t time to run away. They’d see her before she reached the path. Most goblins weren’t smart, but they were fast. If she ran, they were sure to catch her. Maggie had only one choice. She’d hide in the tall grass and hope they didn’t see her.

Maggie threw herself onto the ground. She could hear the goblins talking now. Worse, she could smell them. Goblins were extra stinky.

“You took my squirrel! I hungry!” shouted one goblin.

“You ate my rats!” cried another. “That squirrel mine!”

“Snickle, Geebo, be quiet!” shouted a third voice. “I hungry for tasty sheep! I hungry for tasty shepherdess! They gone now! You noisies scare sheep away! I still hungry! That squirrel mine!”

The goblins shoved and pushed each other. They fell down with a thud and rolled around on the ground. Maggie could hear them grunting. If they came any closer, they might roll right over her!

Maggie held her breath. The goblin smell was strong enough to make her nose burn and her eyes water.

An ant walked across Maggie’s cheek and she squeezed her eyes shut. When something tickled her arm, she tried not to move.

The goblins were knocking each other around the meadow when something bit Maggie’s wrist. Her eyes flew open. A tiny horse had landed on her. It was smaller than a bumblebee, but had wings like a butterfly and hooves as small as the heads of pins.

Soon, an entire herd of little horses landed on Maggie. Some nipped her with their tiny teeth. Others kicked her with their tiny hooves. Maggie bit her lip. She didn’t want the goblins to hear her.

One tiny horse landed on her ear and stomped its feet, tickling her. Without thinking, she moved her hand just enough to brush it off. The tiny horse fell to the ground and looked up at her with terrified eyes.

One of its wings was broken!

Maggie gasped when she realized what she’d done. She felt awful. She hadn’t meant to hurt the little horse! Now she’d have to help it, but she wasn’t sure how. And the goblins were getting closer!