Syaire Jacob Cook was a little wizard. He lived in a warm house with a red door, soft rugs, and a very round teapot.
Syaire wore a blue hat. The hat was a bit too big. It slid over his eyes.
“Oops!” said Syaire.
He liked to make tiny magic. He could make socks hop into a basket. He could make toast pop up and say, “Good morning!” He could make one blue bubble float above his spoon.
But Syaire was shy. Big magic made his tummy go wiggle-wiggle.
One rainy morning, Prince came to visit. Prince was not a real prince. He was a small golden dog with a paper crown.
“Woof!” said Prince. “My bell is gone!”
Prince’s bell was shiny and red. It hung from his blue collar. When Prince ran, it went jingle-jingle.
Now there was no jingle.
Prince looked under the table. He looked in the slipper. He looked inside the teapot.
“Tea?” asked Syaire.
“Not bell,” said Prince sadly.
Then the house said, “Booooo.”
The curtain moved. The lamp blinked. From the dark hall came Ghost.
Ghost was pale and floaty. He wore a long scarf with yellow stars. He did not look scary. He looked sniffly.
“Boooo,” said Ghost again. Then he sneezed. “Boo-choo!”
Prince hid behind Syaire’s boots.
Syaire held his little wand. “Did you take Prince’s bell?” he asked.
Ghost nodded. “I heard jingle-jingle. I wanted it. My house sounds are too quiet.”
Syaire looked at Ghost. Ghost had watery eyes.
“You can ask,” Syaire said gently.
“I forgot how,” whispered Ghost.
Prince peeked out. He was still sad about his bell. But he saw Ghost’s droopy scarf.
“We can find it,” said Prince. “Together.”
So the three friends searched the house.
They went to the kitchen. Syaire waved his wand.
“Crumb, crumb, show the way!”
Golden crumbs made a little trail. They went past the bread box. They went under the chair. They went all the way to the upstairs room.
In the upstairs room was a toy chest. Its lid was closed.
Ghost floated close. “My bell is in there,” he said.
“It is Prince’s bell,” said Prince.
The toy chest was very heavy.
Syaire’s tummy went wiggle-wiggle. He had never used opening magic on something so big.
“I am little,” he said.
Prince put one paw on Syaire’s shoe. “You are my wizard,” he said.
Ghost put his cold, floaty hand near Syaire’s wand. “Please,” he said. “Could you help?”
Syaire took a slow breath.
“Open, open, toy chest bright,” he said. “Open with a friendly light!”
His wand made a small blue spark.
Pop!
The toy chest opened.
Inside were blocks, a teddy bear, three socks, and Prince’s red bell. It glowed like a tiny apple.
“Jingle!” cried Prince.
He picked up the bell in his mouth and danced in a circle. Jingle-jingle! Jingle-jingle!
Ghost smiled. “It is a lovely sound,” he said.
Prince stopped dancing. “You may listen,” he said. “But no taking.”
“No taking,” Ghost promised.
Syaire had an idea. He tapped the toy chest with his wand.
“Kind little sounds, come out and play!”
Out flew five tiny silver bells. One bell for Ghost’s scarf. One bell for the lamp. One bell for the red door. One bell for the teapot. One bell for Syaire’s blue hat.
Jingle, jingle, jingle!
Ghost laughed so hard that he floated upside down.
The warm house was not quiet anymore. It had happy sounds everywhere.
Prince wore his red bell again. Ghost wore a silver bell on his starry scarf. And Syaire had learned a new spell: the Friendly Light spell.
As a reward, the toy chest gave Syaire a little gold wand box. Inside was a bright blue wand star.
Syaire put it on his wand. It twinkled.
“My magic can help,” he said.
“Yes,” said Prince.
“Yes,” said Ghost.
Then the teapot said, “Tea time!”
And everybody laughed. Jingle-jingle!