Chapter 1

Maggie’s stepmother, Zelia, swished a long stick through the hot, soapy water. She scooped out a tunic and dropped it into another tub. Cool water splashed Maggie’s face.

“That’s the last of the laundry,” said Zelia. “Rinse the rest of those things. I’m going inside to make lunch. After you’ve hung everything on the line to dry, you may come inside to eat. Be sure you don’t drop anything. If you get something dirty, you’ll have to wash it again.”

Maggie nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

Once a week, she had to help with laundry. Her stepmother had lots of children to take care of, so there were always things to do. Maggie had been busy ever since her father had gone to the far side of the forest to cut down trees a few weeks before. She wished she knew when he’d be back.

Maggie reached her hands into the tub of cool rinse water and pulled out one of the twins’ shirts. After wringing out the water, she hung the little blue shirt on the line. As it dripped, the dirt below turned into mud.

Maggie was very careful not to drop anything. She carried the clothes without letting them touch the ground. She hung them so they wouldn’t slip off the rope. Her clothes got wet, but the laundry stayed clean. She always left her special journal of magical creatures somewhere safe on laundry day.

When lunch was ready, Zelia called all the other children inside. Maggie wasn’t finished with the laundry so she tried to work faster. All that work made her extra hungry.

Maggie was hanging the last tunic when she heard a sudden whoosh of wings. Five flying pigs soared over the treetops. They landed in the mud under the dripping laundry. Oh no! Maggie thought. The pigs splashed and played in the mud. “Go away!” she shouted. “Stop that!” The pigs splattered big globs of mud all over the laundry. Maggie would have to wash everything again!

She tried to chase the pigs away, but they flew into the air. Chasing each other between the hanging laundry, the pigs splashed even more mud on the clothes.

Maggie wasn’t sure what to do. Part of her loved watching the pigs fly, but they were going to get her in real trouble. She tugged on her special unicorn tip. If only it worked on pesky flying pigs!

“Get out of here!” she shouted. When that didn’t work, she threw rocks at the pigs to scare them. The pigs finally flew away.

Just then, Zelia came outside and saw Maggie throwing rocks. She did not see the flying pigs. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “What did you do to the laundry?”

“I was chasing off some flying pigs,” said Maggie. “They got the laundry muddy!”

“Flying pigs? Ha!” said Zelia. “Maggie, your lies are getting bigger every day. There is no such thing as a flying pig!”

“But the pigs were here!” cried Maggie. “They flew away right before you came outside.”

“I saw you throwing rocks at our clean clothes, but I didn’t see any pigs!” said her stepmother. “Now you have to wash everything again yourself.”

Maggie sighed. “I know,” she said. She knew she shouldn’t argue. She’d only get in more trouble if she did. Zelia stomped back inside as Maggie took all the clothes off the line again and put everything back into the soapy water. She scrubbed and scrubbed until her hands were sore. When each item was clean, Maggie dropped it into the tub of cool water. She rinsed and rinsed, then hung the clothes on the line.

Maggie was finally about to go inside for lunch when she heard the whoosh of wings again. The pigs were coming back! Maggie grabbed a stick and waved it in the air as the pigs circled around the laundry. “Go away!” Maggie shouted until her throat was sore and the pigs finally flew off.

Zelia came outside again. “Why were you shouting this time?” her stepmother asked.

“The pigs came back,” said Maggie.

“Stop lying!” Zelia told her. “You can have something to eat when you learn to tell the truth.”