Carnival at Candlelight

another growl, but he didn’t sound angry. He sounded as if he was telling them to hurry. He crouched down so they could climb on.
    “I’ll go first,” Jack said to Annie. “I’ll hold on to his mane, and you hold on to me.” Jack slipped off his backpack and dropped it onto the terrace.
    “Take the book of rhymes,” said Annie.
    “Got it,” said Jack. He tucked the book under his arm and carefully climbed onto the lion’s back.
    Annie climbed on behind Jack and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Jack twisted his fingers into the lion’s mane. The mane felt surprisingly soft.
    “Okay we’re ready” said Jack.
    The lion stood up. He trembled slightly. Then he leapt off the terrace.

    “Ahh!” Jack yelled. The rhyme book slipped from under his arm and fell down into the flooded square below.
    “Oh, no! Our book!” cried Jack.
    “Hang on!” cried Annie.
    The lion flapped his great wings and rose through the sky. Jack pressed his knees into the lion’s warm back and clung to his mane.
    The lion flew toward the fireworks. A shower of red sparks was opening like an umbrella. Booms and whistles filled the night. Fiery bits rained down through the darkness, whistling into the canal.
    “Help! We’re heading straight into the fireworks!” cried Annie.
    The lion dipped and turned away from the fireworks. The red showers gave way to bursts of blue and green.
    “Which way do we go?” shouted Annie.
    As the lion flew back toward the square, Jack saw the gold weather vane on top of thewatchtower.
It was in the shape of an angel.
    “The angel of gold!” shouted Jack.
    The weather vane was no longer pointing north with the winds. The angel was turning slowly around and around, pointing in all directions.
    “Fly closer to the angel!” shouted Annie.
    The lion turned and flew toward the watchtower. As they drew near the golden angel, Jack called out, “Which way do we go? Which way?”
    The weather vane turned in a full circle and then came to a complete stop. The angel was pointing toward the southeast, over the choppy water.
    “To the sea!” Annie called over the wind.
    The lion turned and soared into the wind, his strong wings shining like gold.
    “Oh, wow!” cried Annie.
    The flying lion glided past the fireworks and over the wide canal. Leaving Venice behind, he flew high over the stormy seas.
    Jack gripped the lion’s mane with all hismight. The lion sailed in and out of thick, fast-moving clouds. He flew above crashing waves and past bolts of lightning. He flew through screaming winds and pelting rain.
    In the middle of the sea, far from land, the lion began circling above the water. “What’s he doing?” cried Jack.
    “Looking for Neptune!” shouted Annie.
    “But Neptune’s not real!” said Jack.
    “I know!” shouted Annie. “We’ll have to use our imaginations! Like Lorenzo! Try to imagine Neptune!”
    Jack tried to imagine Neptune, but he was too scared to think clearly.
    “Neptune!” shouted Annie. “Rise from the water! Save Venice, Neptune! Help us!” Annie’s voice was lost in the wind.
    Jack wrapped his arms around the lion’s neck. He buried his face in the lion’s mane. He tried desperately to imagine Neptune.
    The lion let out a roar. With his hands underthe lion’s throat, Jack felt as if he himself were roaring. The lion roared again. The roaring made Jack feel stronger and calmer. The details of Tiepolo’s painting came into his mind.
    In his imagination, Jack saw Neptune, Ruler of the Seas, with his white beard and long hair, his strong arms and shoulders. He saw a lovely lady who was Venice, the Grand Lady of the Lagoon…. He saw Neptune giving the Grand Lady a gift….
    “I see something!” cried Annie.
    Jack opened his eyes and sat up. “Where?” he cried.
    “In the water!” said Annie.
    Clinging to the lion’s mane, Jack peered down into the darkness below. Lightning flashed over the sea. Jack saw a huge three-pronged spear rising out of the foaming, churning waves.
    The sea below the spear began to heave and billow. Lightning flashed again, and Jack saw a great mass of swirling seaweed rising from thewaves.
Not seaweed—hair!
Jack realized. A man’s giant head and neck appeared above the surface of the water. Then the man’s massive shoulders, chest, and arms rose above the storm-tossed sea. The giant loomed high above them, as tall as a mountain.

    “Neptune!” cried Annie.
    The lion let out a roar and then another and