A Perfect Time for Pandas: A Merlin Mission

stood in a circle of lantern light, dressed in their long dark cloaks. They hugged Jack and Annie. “Welcome!” said Teddy. “We have been walking the grounds all night, waiting for you. Finally we saw a light above the orchard!”
    “Our flashlight,” said Annie.
    “And then we saw
your
light!” said Jack.
    “We’re so glad you’re here!” said Kathleen.
    “We are, too!” said Annie.
    “Did you translate the last lines of the rhyme?” asked Jack.
    “We did, indeed,” said Kathleen.
    “And did
you
bring the four things to help us break the spell?” asked Teddy.
    “We did, indeed!” said Annie.
    “They’re all in my backpack,” said Jack.
    “Wonderful,” said Kathleen. “We knew if anyone could find them, it would be you two.”
    “You have brought the four special things, and now we are all together. It is time to undo the spell,” said Teddy.
    “Yay!” said Annie.
    “Yay, indeed,” said Teddy. “Come along! Before the sun rises!”
    Teddy and Kathleen started back the way they’d come, and Jack and Annie followed. Together, they wove between the trees in the fresh dawn air.

    Finally they all emerged from the orchard. Kathleen shined the lantern on the door of a wooden cottage.
    “Merlin’s garden house,” said Jack.
    “Yes,” said Teddy. “This is where we broughtPenny from her little nest in the castle. We hoped that she might come back to life in Merlin’s favorite place. But alas, she has not done so.” He sighed.
    Teddy opened the door to the cottage, and they all stepped in. Jack shivered. It was damp and chilly inside, like a tomb.
    Kathleen placed the lantern on a table in the middle of the room.
    “There she is,” Teddy said sadly.
    Penny stood on the table, lit by lantern light. The little penguin was as gray and lifeless as stone.
    “Penny?” said Jack. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been so cute, so warm and … alive.
    “Poor Penny,” said Annie. She touched the penguin’s beak and the top of her head.
    “Bring forth the four things you found to break the spell,” said Teddy.
    Jack reached into his backpack. “Here—this is the first thing we found. It’s from India,” he said. He took out the emerald cut in the shape of a rose. He placed the jewel in front of Penny, where it glowed in the lantern light.
    “The emerald rose stands for love,” Annie said. “The kind of love that rises above our faults and mistakes.”
    Jack pulled out the dried yellow and white flower and placed it next to the emerald rose. “This is from the Swiss Alps,” he said.
    “The glacial buttercup stands for being like a little kid,” Annie said. “The joyful, open spirit of childhood.”
    “This is from Abraham Lincoln, a great president of our country,” Jack said next. He took out the goose-feather quill and put it next to the flower.
    “This quill pen stands for the deepest kind of hope,” said Annie. “The hope that one day all our sorrows will make sense.”
    “And this is from China,” said Jack. He took out the panda bread and put it next to the feather.
    “This is called panda bread,” said Annie. “It stands for protecting animals, for loving them and speaking up for them because they can’t speak for themselves.”
    All four things were lit by the circle of glowinglantern light, along with Penny.
    “Teddy, stand closer, you’re the spell caster,” said Kathleen.
    Teddy stood in front of the table. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he raised his arms and exclaimed, “All four things are here with me, the one who cast the spell. Spell be broken! Penny, come back to life!”
    Teddy opened his eyes. Everyone stared at Penny, waiting for something to happen.
    They waited and waited.
    “Please, Penny … come back to life,” whispered Teddy.
    They all waited another long moment.
    Slowly Teddy lowered his arms. “It’s not working,” he said quietly. “The spell to break the spell, it doesn’t work.” He picked up the small stone penguin and cradled her in his arms. “So you won’t come back to us,” he said. “You’ll never come back to us.” A tear fell from Teddy’s eyes, then another.
    “Oh, Teddy,” said Annie.
    Teddy wiped his face on the sleeve of his cloak.“Don’t look at stupid me weeping,” he said.
    “It’s okay to cry,” said Jack.
    “Are you sad because you think Merlin will banish you from Camelot?” said Annie.
    “No—no.” Teddy shook his head. “I’m sad because … well,