Free Unicorn Uproar by Carolyn Keene Page A

called out: “Huzzah, fair maidens! Do you like magic?”
    Nancy turned to see a woman wearing hoop earrings and a tunic decorated with stars.
    â€œYou mean like card tricks?” George asked.
    â€œCards are for playing Fish,” the woman scoffed. “But if it’s magic you’re looking for, Enchanted Elly has just the thing for you!”
    Out from behind her back Enchanted Elly pulled a magic wand. Lavender ribbons streamed from the long silver stick. But the best part was the glittery purple star on top.
    â€œIt’s awesome!” Nancy exclaimed.
    â€œAnd it can be yours for a mere pittance,” Elly said.
    â€œA what?” Nancy asked, scrunching her nose.
    â€œThat’s medieval for five dollars,” Elly said. She nodded at the flower garlands on the rack.
    â€œI’ll even throw three garlands into the deal.”
    â€œBuy it, Nancy,” George whispered. “You love purple!”
    â€œAnd I love this garland!” Bess said, patting her head.
    â€œSo what do you say, Red?” Elly asked, nodding at Nancy.
    Nancy knew Elly was talking to her because she had reddish-blond hair. She also knew she wanted that magic wand more than anything.
    â€œI say yes!” Nancy said, digging into her jacket pocket for a five-dollar bill. “I’ll take it!”
    â€œIs it really magic?” George asked Elly. “I mean, does it come with a spell book or something?”
    â€œYou make up the spells,” Elly explained. She raised the wand into the air. “Then you just point—and poof!”
    Elly handed Nancy the magic wand. Then she selected garlands, which she placed over Nancy’s and George’s heads.
    â€œThere, m’ladies!” Elly declared. “Now beauty will follow you wherever you go.”

    â€œYou mean bees will follow us!” George groaned, looking up at the dried flowers encircling her dark curls.
    As the girls left the Wizardly Woods, Nancy couldn’t take her eyes off her new wand. She waved it in the air, making the lavender ribbons twirl.
    â€œOhmigosh,” Bess gasped. “I never saw anything so amazing!”
    â€œThanks,” Nancy said, still gazing at her wand.
    â€œNo, not your wand, Nancy,” Bess said. She pointed into the distance. “That!”
    Nancy looked to see where Bess was pointing. Then she gasped too.
    Inside a fenced-in pen was a magnificent white creature with a mane and tail like a horse. But a single silver horn on the creature’s head told Nancy it wasn’t a horse at all. It was—
    â€œA unicorn!” Nancy cried.

Chapter Two

Spells Bells
    The girls raced to the fence. The unicorn stood at the far end of the pen, too far away for them to get a good look.
    â€œMy mom said there would be a unicorn here at the fair,” George said. “But I thought she was joking!”
    â€œThat’s no joke,” Bess said, staring over the fence at the unicorn. “That’s got to be for real.”
    Until now Nancy had seen unicorns only in books and as stuffed animals in toy stores. But the unicorn inside the pen looked pretty for-real to her.
    â€œThe sign says his name is Sparkle,” Nancy pointed out.
    â€œProbably because his horn sparkles in the sun!” Bess declared.
    The girls were about to call out to Sparkle when a jingly noise made them turn around. Nancy giggled when she saw Toby Leo from their third-grade class walking over. He was wearing a floppy jester’s cap with tiny gold bells sewed to the ends!
    â€œAre you supposed to be a jester, Toby?” Nancy asked.
    â€œWhat did you think I was?” Toby said, shaking his head to jingle his bells.
    â€œThe Mr. Drippy ice cream truck?”
    â€œHa, ha, very funny,” Bess said.
    â€œFunny is right!” Toby said.
    â€œJesters used to tell jokes to the king and queen. Do you want to hear a joke?”

    â€œGo for it,” George said with a