The Griffin's Riddle Page 9

  Griffin

  When you take the king of beasts and combine him with the king of birds, you get the most majestic creature of all—the griffin. With the body, tail, and back legs of a lion, and the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle, the griffin is a powerful force on land and in the air. And that is why the griffin has been a symbol of divine power across different cultures.

  One of the earliest images of this regal beast was found in the ruins of a famous palace called Knossos, on the Greek island of Crete. There, in the throne room, beautiful murals of griffins can still be seen today. Other ancient civilizations, such as Egypt and Persia, also included griffins in their art and stories. During medieval times, a knight bearing a griffin on his coat of arms was thought to be a courageous and bold leader.

  According to legend, a griffin chooses only one mate, and if that mate dies, the griffin lives out the rest of its life alone. This sounds sad, but poets found this very romantic. It was also said that griffins love gold and fiercely guard their treasures. Their claws and feathers were believed to heal certain diseases and conditions, including blindness. Medieval merchants made a lot of money selling goblets made from griffin claws (actually antelope horns) and selling delicious griffin eggs (actually ostrich eggs).

  Where did the idea of a half-lion, half-eagle creature come from? One theory is that the creature is based on a dinosaur called protoceratops. If people from ancient times stumbled across the fossilized remains of this dinosaur, they could have easily mistaken the creature for being half bird because it had a very large neck frill and a jaw that was so big it looked like a beak. The body of the protoceratops was the size of a sheep and had four legs. Skeletons of protoceratops have been found in many different places, and this might explain why many different cultures came up with similar stories about a half-beast, half-bird creature.

  Today, the griffin’s image is used to promote many products. The car company Saab uses a griffin in its logo, as does the professional hockey team the Grand Rapids Griffins. Many colleges and schools use a griffin, including Trinity College in Oxford, England.

  Of course, we can’t always know exactly where an idea comes from. That’s the mystery of storytelling.

  STORY IDEAS

  Imagine that you are living a very long time ago and that your father is a traveling merchant. You’ve just arrived in a new village, ready to sell your goods. The people are simple and have never traveled beyond their hamlet, so they are amazed by the things you have in your wagon. How do you convince the villagers that the “griffin” eggs are real, even if they look a lot like chicken eggs?

  It’s a special day at the palace of the griffin king and queen. Their first baby is being hatched. You’ve been invited to witness and celebrate this event. Describe your experience.

  ART IDEA

  Can you draw a griffin? Remember that the front is all feathered, with an eagle’s face and bird legs and talons. The back half is furry, with back legs that end in paws and a long lion’s tail. Don’t forget the pair of wings.

  CREATURE CONNECTION

  Bakeneko

  Have you ever noticed that cats are mysterious creatures? Unlike friendly dogs, who beg for affection, like to hang out with their owners, and come when they’re called, cats can be standoffish, often preferring solitude, and are talented at ignoring their owners. There’s a saying that we own dogs, but cats own us.

  Long ago in Japan, people also thought that cats were mysterious creatures. They believed that even though a cat might live with people, it still possessed the soul of a wild animal. The legend of the bakeneko was born. This creature might look like an ordinary cat, but it was able to shape-shift into human form, and would act in a mischievous manner. While in cat form, the bakeneko could speak human language and walk on hind legs. But the strangest thing of all—it liked to put a napkin on its head and dance. Super weird, right?

  How did this story arise? Well, there are a few theories. In ancient Japan, people used lanterns that were fueled by oil. Mostly, this oil was made from fish. The village cats were like cats all over the world. They craved fish, and so they could often be found licking oil from the lanterns. In order to do this, the cats had to stand up on their hind legs to reach the oil. While licking the oil, the light would shine on their faces, making them look quite wicked. Storytellers are always looking for interesting things to write about—and so, ordinary cats standing on hind legs became magical, transforming cats.

  It was also said that a cat could become a bakeneko if its tail grew very long. Because no one wanted to own a wicked shape-shifting cat, it became common practice to cut off the tails of cats. After centuries of this practice, today there is a breed of cat with a very short tail—the Japanese bobtail.

  The idea that cats can do weird things was not limited to Japan. In ancient China, it was said that a cat could bewitch humans, especially a whitetailed cat. Thus, white cats were not popular. One of the most powerful cats in mythology is the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, whose face is that of a lioness.

  So remember, your pet kitty might be sleeping peacefully on the couch, but if you suddenly can’t find your dinner napkin, don’t be surprised if your cat is wearing it on its head and dancing around the living room.

  STORY IDEAS

  What would you do if your cat started talking to you in a human language? Would you freak out? Would you laugh? Does your cat have something important to tell you? Create a story based on this idea.

  ART IDEAS

  Draw a picture of what you’d look like as a cat. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Are you long-haired or short-haired? Are you orange, striped, black, or white? Do you wear a fancy rhinestone collar, or do you live on your own in the wild?

  SCIENCE CONNECTION

  All About Feathers

  We all know what a feather is, right? Feathers are those things that stick out of a bird. Sometimes they are stuffed into pillows. Sometimes they tickle us and make us sneeze.

  But did you know that feathers are amazing feats of engineering? They do much more than make a bird look pretty. They help a bird fly, which is probably their most important function. They provide thermal insulation, which means they keep a bird warm. They also provide waterproofing. Have you ever heard the saying “like water rolling off a duck’s back”? Now you know what that means.

  Ever wonder why the female mallard duck is covered in plain brown feathers while the male mallard duck has lots of color? Her feathers help her blend into the surrounding forest while she’s sitting on her nest, taking care of her eggs. Providing camouflage is another function of feathers.

  There are different types of feathers. Baby birds are born with downy feathers that fall out and are replaced. Vaned feathers have hollow tubes that grow from the skin. These tubes are called quills, and we sometimes use them for writing. Bristle feathers are found around eyes and beaks.

  Feathers have tiny hairs called barbules. These barbules hook together. They allow feathers to be airtight for flying and watertight for floating.

  We’ve found many different ways to use feathers. Goose down jackets and comforters keep us warm. Feathered fishing lures help us catch fish. And arrows fly straighter if they’re made with feathers. In India, peacock feathers are used in traditional medicines. Eagle feathers are important to Native Americans. They are symbols of honor and usually given to a tribal member after an act of bravery or a good deed. To be given an eagle feather is especially important because the eagle is considered to be the leader of all birds.

  So the next time you take a walk and find a feather lying in the grass, pick it up and give it a careful look. Remember that it not only helps a bird look beautiful, but it also provides flight, insulation, and waterproofing. It’s one of nature’s most amazing creations.

  CREATIVITY CONNECTION

  Make a Worm Compost Bin

  If you live out in the country, or have a big backyard, it’s pretty easy to make a compost pile. But for those of us who live on city lots or i
n apartment buildings, how can we make compost dirt with very little space and just scraps from our kitchen?

  First, what is compost? It’s a rich, dark brown dirt that’s left when organic material (leaves, sticks, flowers, etc.) decays. You can speed up this process by having worms do most of the work.

  Here’s how to create a worm compost bin.

  1. Get a wooden or plastic box with a tight-fitting lid, to keep out pests. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage. Place the bin in a shady part of yard, maybe up on bricks to help with draining.

  2. Fill the bin with bedding, such as leaves, sawdust, and/or shredded newspapers. The most important thing is to make sure the bedding is moist, so spray it with a hose or spritz it with a bottle. Throw in a handful of dirt to help the worms digest their food.

  3. Add some worms. Make sure you get red worms, not fishing worms such as night crawlers and garden worms. Where can you get these red worms? Well, if your friend has a compost pile already, ask if you can dig some out. Or you can order them like Mrs. Mulberry did.

  4. Once the worms are in place, you can start adding your food scraps. Don’t add kitchen scraps that are animal-based, such as meat or dairy, because they take a long time to break down and will attract rats. Also, you will get maggots if you add meat. Yuck! Things you can add include tea bags, coffee grounds, greens, fruits, bread, grains, newspaper, cardboard, and leaves.

  5. After you add the scraps, mix them into the bedding. Put moist newspaper over the top to keep out the flies and to keep the soil moist so the worms are happy.

  6. As the lovely compost dirt is made, push it to one side of the bin and add food scraps to the other side. Now you can use the dirt whenever you like.

  CREATIVITY CONNECTION

  Write a Riddle

  Riddles are questions that are tricky to answer. They are puzzling on purpose. That is why they are so much fun. For example: What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries? Answer: A towel. Here’s another example: I’m black and white and read all over. What am I? Answer: A newspaper.

  If you’d like to create your own riddles, here are some steps that might help.

  1. Start with the answer. Make it something that everyone is familiar with. For example, let’s choose cat. Now that you have the answer, begin working on the question.

  2. Create a list of words and phrases, everything you can think of that describes your answer. Use a thesaurus to help with some words you might not have thought of.

  Furry

  Four paws with claws

  Whiskers

  Purring sounds

  Long, swishing tail

  3. Now think about your answer in other ways. How does it feel to be the answer? How does it smell or taste? What does it do or want? Think of some phrases that use like or as.

  Likes to hunt at night

  Wants to eat mice

  Wants to sleep in sunbeams

  Wants to nap all day

  Quiet as the night

  Prowls like a shadow

  Plays with yarn

  Hates water!

  Here is a riddle for cat:

  OUT OF SIGHT, IN THE NIGHT, WAITING FOR A MOUSE DELIGHT. WHO AM I?

  Now you try.

  For more great reads and free samplers, visit

  LBYRDigitalDeals.com

  ALSO BY SUZANNE SELFORS:

  The Imaginary Veterinary Series

  The Sasquatch Escape

  The Lonely Lake Monster

  The Rain Dragon Rescue

  The Order of the Unicorn

  Ever After High

  Next Top Villain

  General Villainy: A Destiny Do-Over Diary

  The Smells Like Dog Series

  Smells Like Dog

  Smells Like Treasure

  Smells Like Pirates

  To Catch a Mermaid

  Fortune’s Magic Farm

  COVER

  TITLE PAGE

  WELCOME

  MAP

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER 1: Board Game Day

  CHAPTER 2: Worm Trouble

  CHAPTER 3: A Dragon Detour

  CHAPTER 4: Invaders at the Gate

  CHAPTER 5: Victoria the Sneak

  CHAPTER 6: Emergency Code Red

  CHAPTER 7: Troll Tonsillitis

  CHAPTER 8: Trollville

  CHAPTER 9: Playing Dress-Up

  CHAPTER 10: Goat Man

  CHAPTER 11: Cat Man

  CHAPTER 12: An Amazing Maze

  CHAPTER 13: Satyr Soldiers

  CHAPTER 14: Jailbirds

  CHAPTER 15: Grumpy Griffin

  CHAPTER 16: A Royal Riddle

  CHAPTER 17: The Trusted Advisor

  CHAPTER 18: The Royal Nest

  CHAPTER 19: Mr. Tabby Again

  CHAPTER 20: Special Soup

  PUT YOUR IMAGINATION TO THE TEST

  CREATURE CONNECTION: Griffin

  CREATURE CONNECTION: Bakeneko

  SCIENCE CONNECTION: All About Feathers

  CREATIVITY CONNECTION: Make a Worm Compost Bin

  CREATIVITY CONNECTION: Write a Riddle

  DON’T MISS THE FAIRY SWARM

  ALSO BY SUZANNE SELFORS

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2015 by Suzanne Selfors

  Illustrations copyright © 2015 by Dan Santat

  Cover art © 2015 by Dan Santat

  Cover © 2015 Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Little, Brown and Company

  Hachette Book Group

  1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104

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  Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The Little, Brown name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  First ebook edition: February 2015

  ISBN 978-0-316-28688-6

  E3