Chapter 7

The wolf stepped forward and began to pace around the wizard, baby and bear.

 

The bear, not the most confident of characters, shook and shivered. The wolf smelled the fear and spoke in as gentle and reassuring voice as he could,

 

“Do not fear me…I come to you in peace.”

 

“What do you want from us Sir? How can we help you?”

 

The wizard had exceptional manners, a result of several years spent in a boarding school that held up traditional values.

 

“The pigs that you mention did me a great disservice many moons ago and I wish to see that justice is served.”

 

As he spoke, the wolf turned slowly around, displaying a tail that must once have been magnificent but was now pitifully short and lacking in fur. The wizard gasped in shock,

 

“What happened to you?”

 

The wolf adopted a sad, miserable face,

 

“I am a sociable wolf, unlike those who have gone before me, I do eat meat, granted, bur prefer it to be plastic wrapped, organic and from Tesco. I recently have begun to experiment with baking and spent a whole afternoon making cheese scones for my new neighbours. They had been busy for a while building houses, three of them there were, strange little chaps. Well, I took my scones to share a cup of tea and get to know them and would you credit it, they wouldn’t let me in! Unfortunately, I am allergic to cats and the pig owned a great fur ball of a cat that made me sneeze…the unfortunate result of which was the house flattened. I tried to apologise but the little guy ran off squealing. I followed him to another queer house made from sticks and lo and behold the same thing happened again! I couldn’t let them think I was a bad neighbour and needed to apologise and hand over my cheese scones so I followed them to another house. I knew I had little chance of being allowed in the front door so thought that if I entered through the chimney they would have to see me and accept my housewarming gift. Well, there was a warming gift…but unfortunately it was my bottom that was warmed when they lit the fires as I shimmied down the chimney.”

 

The wolf winced as he remembered the somewhat nasty experience.

 

“I would like to meet the pigs again, and apologise if my actions in any way gave them cause for concern or offended them.”

 

The wizard, baby and bear were amazed by the wolf’s story and looked at each other for advice on how to proceed. The wizard spoke first,

 

“What do you suggest, Mr Wolf?”

 

“As it happens I have recently set up my own business, it’s a spa, you know, like a health spa. I offer hotel accommodation, a pool, sauna, massage and the best in fine dining, as I said before I have a particular interest in baking and cooking. I would like to offer the pigs a free stay at my farm, what I mean to say is at my health spa, to relax, grow large on fine food, and bathe in special oils and herbs and spices. However, as the pigs misinterpreted my previous dealing with them, I fear they would not accept the gift from me…perhaps you could offer the gift on my behalf?”

 

The boys looked at other uncertainly before the bear spoke,

 

“The pigs wish to stop you in your tracks my new friends, I suggest that you take Mr Wolf up on his offer and encourage the pigs to leave for an extended holiday, only then, without their interference will you discover the lock that is awaiting your key. The pigs are keen on eating and drinking and relaxing and are very much in need of a break after their dealings with the witch, I doubt that you will meet much resistance from them if you put the offer to them with care.”

 

At that moment, the wolf lifted his nose to the air and sniffed,

 

“The pigs are approaching; I can smell their scent on the breeze. They will not accept my gift of apology from me so I must go, here’s the address of my health spa, send them and I will be waiting.”

 

The wolf pushed a card into the wizard’s hand, on it was written,

 

B.B.Wolf,
Health Spa,
Bacon Road,
Sausageville.

 

The words ‘Health Spa’ had been written over some tippex that the wizard could vaguely see hid the letters ‘p.g f.rm’

 

Within seconds, the pigs appeared from the trees. The bear shrieked and hid behind the wizard, trembling.

 

The largest pig grunted and snuffled, his trilby hat sliding around on his sweaty forehead.

 

“You disappoint us bear, your first mission and you have failed us.”

 

The baby spoke up,

 

“Are you by any chance the three little pigs? Of the brick bunker? If you are then we have good tidings for you!”

 

The pig was a little suspicious, but not enough to be cautious.

 

“We are. What do you mean to tell us?”

 

The baby knew…he had them!

 

“You have won a prize! A long stay at a wonderful new health spa where you can bathe, rest, sleep, play and most importantly of all, eat to your heart and stomach’s content!”

 

The boss pig, although cleverer than his brothers and a criminal mastermind in his own right, was by nature a greedy soul and unable to resist temptation. His fat jowls wobbled with delight,

 

“Really? How wonderful! We can eat as much as we like? With no exercise? Oh my brothers, we will grow fat with fine food!”

 

Under his breath, the wizard whispered,

 

“I think that may be the plan…”

 

The boss pig turned to him,

 

“Did you speak, boy”

 

“Only to say that I have the address here for you and the holiday begins now, whenever you like you are free to go.”

 

The boss pig looked at his brothers,

 

“I am tired of being at the mercy of that old witch, this is our chance to be free and live the rest of our days in luxury, are you with me?”

 

The other two pigs had always admired their older brother for his logic and cleverness, and indeed he had kept them safe in the past.

 

“We are, let’s go now, will there be ice-cream and chocolate?”

 

“Bound to be, maybe there’ll be pizza too and jelly babies!”

 

Without another glance at the boys and the bear, the pigs took the address from the card and trotted off to find the health spa, behind them, from the trees, came a low, menacing growl and a chuckle…before too long, the baby, wizard and bear were alone again.