About the Author

Marjorie-Ann is happily married to Peter and they live in the village

of Whitwell where she was born. 45 years on sees her as a loving
mother to her son and loving Nana to her two grandchildren. She has
been an active volunteer teachers assistant for many years and loves
art and crafts, which she shares with children in school.

Dedication

With gratitude to my best friend my husband Peter, for his loyal

support always in all that I do and in all that concerns me.

A trio of childrens fantasy tales

Copyright Marjorie-Ann Gladman (2015)

The right of Marjorie-Ann Gladman to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for
damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British
Library.

ISBN 9781784555627 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781784555634 (Hardback)

www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2015)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ

Printed and bound in Great Britain

8

Acknowledgments
To my wonderful son Julian for always being there for me when I
need him most.
For my dear sister Christine for her belief and loving support
throughout the years.
Also, my dear friend Maxine Hunt for encouraging me never to
give up on my quest in life.

Grizzle the greedy green goblin was sitting all alone in a

moonlit faerie glen. With his legs crossed, he was perched
upon the top of a very large leathery old toadstool. His ugly
green face was twisted with his evil thoughts as he busily
made his plans. He knew they would earn him lots and lots
of lovely gold.
O how I do love gold, he muttered greedily.

10

He chuckled, rubbing his hot greedy hands together as he

shivered with excitement, thinking about the golden coins
he would put into his treasure chest. He thought of all the
human folk who walked through this way with their
children to play in this very beautiful glen. He knew he had
to stop them from doing so somehow. For they could spoil
his evil plans with their goodness. His thoughts raced on. He
spoke aloud to himself.
Now they are all fast asleep and out of my way its time
to put my plan to work.
Muttering, he jumped down from the toadstool. Then,
dancing and jigging about in a very strange manner, he sang
a very sad magic lullaby that would invade the peaceful
dreams of all mortals and their offspring living close by. He
bid them as they slept to keep away from the lovely glen
that was about to change into a sinister place of darkness,
danger and fear.
His moody melancholy voice drifted upon the air. The
magical atmosphere of the glen slowly faded away as it
became moonless and dark.
A moaning wind arose. It was icy cold. A smelly,
swirling green fogginess withered the soft grass. The ground
became hard and dry and most uncomfortable to walk on.
The fogginess choked all the leaves on the trees and they
fell silently from their branches, making a smelly, dirty
looking carpet on the stony ground. The trees were now
very ghostlike.
Their branches creaked and swayed
ominously, looking almost as if they were alive. All the
sweetly perfumed blossoms and wild flowers wilted and
drooped. Frightened woodland creatures sensed the danger
and fled in fear of their lives to find safety. All mortals
would now be so afraid, no longer wishing to come here.
The glen was no longer a place of beauty and peace. Grizzle
the greedy green goblin was now in control and he meant
11