Free Beetle by Jill McDougall, Tim Ide

Chapter Four

    Beetle tossed and turned all night. There was no way he could find the queen’s ring. What terrible punishment would she give him? “There is only one thing to do,” he said at last. “I must run away before the sun comes up.” While it was still dark, Beetle rose from his bed and peered out into the garden. Just then, a rooster crowed from the stable yards.
    “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
    “That must be a sign,” said Beetle to himself.
    “When that rooster has crowed three times, I will sneak away.”

    A short time later, the head cook crept up to Beetle’s door. She listened through the keyhole, wondering what Beetle was up to. At that very moment, the rooster crowed from the stable yards.
    “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
    “That is the first one,” said Beetle out loud.
    Hearing this, the head cook grew pale with fright. She rushed off to tell the others what she had heard.
    “He is a magician for sure,” said the head cook. “I heard him say, ‘That is the first one.’”

    “We are doomed!” cried the footman. He crept to Beetle’s door just as the rooster crowed again.
    “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
    “That is the second one,” said Beetle loudly.
    The footman rushed away in a panic. “That magician can see through doors,” he told the others. “While I stood there he said, ‘That is the second one.’”

    The gardener listened at the keyhole next, and soon the rooster crowed again.
    “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
    “That is the third one,” said Beetle in a firm voice. He knew he must get away before the palace guards took up their posts. Creeping to the door, he slowly pushed it open. Then he gasped in surprise. Huddled in a corner were the head cook, the footman and the gardener. Before Beetle could say a word, they fell to their knees.

    “O Great Magician,” cried the head cook.
    “Please don’t tell the queen what we have done.”
    “We will never steal anything again,” cried the footman.
    “Here is her ring,” said the gardener, and he thrust it into Beetle’s hands.
    Beetle scratched his head as the three hurried away. He did not understand what had happened but he was very pleased.
    “Ah, Beetle,” he said to himself, “you may be saved yet.”

     

Chapter Five
     
     
    A few hours later, Beetle bowed low before the queen. He felt very content after a fine breakfast and a stroll in the royal gardens.
    The queen gazed at him with her cruel eyes.
    “Well?” she demanded. “Where is my golden ring?”
    Beetle closed his eyes for a minute. “Your Majesty,” he said at last, “you will find your ring under the apple tree in the royal gardens.”
    “It had better be there,” said the queen, stomping down the stairs.

    The queen went straight to the apple tree and looked among the fallen leaves. Sure enough, there was her missing ring.
    “You have done well,” she said to Beetle. “I am most pleased.”
    Beetle bowed low and started towards the castle gates, sure that he would never return.

    But the queen had not yet finished with him.
    “Wait!” she cried. “I have one last test for you.”
    Beetle’s skinny legs knocked together. His small head shone with sweat.
    “What is it?” he croaked.
    Turning her back, the queen plucked something from the ground and hid it in her hand.
    “Tell me,” she said to Beetle, “what am I hiding in my hand?”

    Beetle gasped. This was the end of him. He had no way of knowing what the queen was holding.
    “Well?” said the queen frostily.
    Beetle sank to his knees. “Ah, Beetle,” he said sadly, “you have been caught for sure.” Hearing this, the queen smiled and opened her hand. A small brown beetle stretched its wings and flew away.
    “Well done,” said the queen, “you have passed the test.”

    Beetle hurried away before the queen could give him any more tests. He was very happy to return safely to his own village. There he lived a quiet life for the rest of his days, and never again did he pretend to have special