galloped into the goat pasture. Again.
75
Yet another monster was terrorizing
the goats. A pink monster this time.
“ROOAARR!” it said. “EAT
GOAT —”
“No!” said the Princess in Black.
“No eating goats. I don’t want to fight
any more monsters today! I have had it.
It’s my BIRTHDAY. And it’s time for
PRESENTS. Do you hear me? I said,
IT’S TIME FOR PRESENTS!”
The pink monster winced. Its ears
rang. The Princess in Black yelled
quite loudly.
The pink monster was questioning
its decision to leave Monster Land.
77
Sure, Monster Land had no goats.
But it also had no yelling princesses.
78
Now things were awkward. It
seemed today was the Princess in
Black’s birthday. She was expecting
presents. And the pink monster hadn’t
brought a thing.
79
It checked its pockets. Oh, goody!
Stones! Pink stones it had found in
a cave. There were twelve of them.
They would have to do.
The pink monster held out the
stones. The pink monster cleared its
throat.
it roared politely.
The twelve princesses waited in the
tower room. Princess Magnolia was
still gone. It had been a long time.
“Perhaps she’s playing hide-and-
seek again?” said Princess Zinnia.
84
They searched the castle. No
Princess Magnolia.
said Princess Sneezewort. “She was
in there last time.”
They went to the broom closet.
Princess Sneezewort reached for the
door handle.
Just then, Princess Magnolia came
out. Her hair was extremely messy.
Her dress was inside out and back-
ward. One of her glass slippers was
missing.
86
“Princess Magnolia, you keep dis-
appearing,” said Princess Sneezewort.
“Every time it’s time for presents.”
“I do?” said Princess Magnolia.
“Yes, you do,” said Princess
Sneezewort. “Don’t you want
presents? Where do you keep
going?”
Princess Magnolia looked down.
Her hands were full of stones. She
held them up.
“To get presents for you!” she
said. “After all, presents make a
party particularly perfect.”
87
She handed out the stones. There
was one for each princess. They were
clear and pink and very pretty.
“They’re perfect!”
said Princess
Sneezewort.
“Absolutely
perfect.”
It all was. The company. The games.
The gifts. It was the most perfect party
Princess Magnolia had ever had.