Chapter 7: Follow Me

"Stand back!" Wolfie shouted at the leopard. "I have a sword and I'm not afraid to use it!" he shouted. "Oh, brother," whispered Lincoln. There was no way Wolfie's tiny sword could ward off the huge leopard. But if Lincoln and his 10 sisters rushed in to rescue Wolfie, the leopard might leap up and attack him.

Lola nudged Lincoln's arm. She pointed at the pocket of his coat. She held up her hands, pretending to play the flute. Lincoln had forgotten all about their magic flute! He remembered Teddy's words: Playing this flute will deliver you from danger. But what can the flute do? Lincoln wondered. How can it help us? he wondered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the flute anyway.

"You play-just blow over the mouthpiece," whispered Lucy. "We'll make up a song," said Luna. "Remember, whatever we sing will come true," said Lori.

Lincoln nodded and held up the magic flute. It glistened in the light of the moon. Lincoln wasn't sure he was holding it right, but he hoped it wouldn't matter. He closed his eyes and blew gently across the mouthpiece.

Music streamed from the silver instrument! The pure sound wafted through the air like a feather in the wind. The melody was simple, yet beautiful. Lincoln's sisters started singing, making up a song:

Leopard, hey leopard,
Listen to our sound.

The leopard turned its head and looked at Lincoln and his 10 sisters. It pricked up its spotted ears.

Follow us, follow us
Follow us and the clown.

Clown? thought Lincoln. Is that me? he thought. He didn't love his sisters choice of words, but he didn't have time to worry about it. The leopard rose to its feet and began walking toward Lincoln and his 10 sisters.

Lincoln was so scared that he almost turned and ran away. But he didn't dare. He knew that as soon as he stopped playing the flute, the magic would end. Luan tugged on Lincoln's sleeve, and they started walking slowly down the path, back toward the palace. The leopard padded silently after them as Lincoln's sisters kept singing:

Wolfie, hey, Wolfie,
Jump down, jump down . . .
Follow us, follow us,
Follow us and the clown.

Without a word, Wolfie bravely hopped down from the tree. He followed the leopard, Lincoln, and the 10 sisters. They all walked down the path between the trees. Lincoln had no idea where they were going. He only knew he should keep playing, his sisters should keep singing, and they should all keep moving.

Lincoln heard branches breaking. He heard grunting and snorting. The giant bear lumbered out from behind some trees. But Lincoln kept playing, and his sisters kept singing:

Bear, hey, bear,
No need to frown.
Follow us, follow us,
Follow us and the clown.

The bear followed Lincoln, the 10 sisters, the leopard, and Wolfie down the path. The moonlight grew brighter and brighter. The magic music was making the night as bright as day!

Next, the hyena's laugh rippled through the air. WHOOP-WHOOP! The hyena slunk out from behind a tree trunk. Lincoln kept playing, and his sisters kept singing:

Hyena, hey, hyena,
We're glad you've been found.
Follow us, follow us,
Follow us and the clown.

The hyena joined the parade. More creatures appeared: the gazelle and the ostrich and the peacock. The sisters sang to them as Lincoln played the magic flute:

Hey, gazelle! Hey, ostrich!
Hey, the bird with a crown!
Follow us, follow us,
Follow us and the clown.

The animals all joined the parade. Lincoln heard Wolfie laughing with joy. He looked back and saw the little boy waving his arms as if he were conducting the magic music, a big grin on his face. Lincoln kept playing, and his sisters kept singing:

All creatures who fly,
Fly after this tune.
All creatures who walk,
Walk under the moon.
All creatures who crawl,
Crawl over the ground.
Follow us, follow us,
Follow us and the clown.

Baboons and bunnies, snakes and squirrels, lizards and foxes-all the ordinary and extraordinary creatures in the woods followed Lincoln and his 10 sisters. On the other side of the wide square, candles twinkled in the rear windows of the palace. Lincoln wondered where he should lead all the wild creatures. Where was the zoo? he thought. How could he and his 10 sisters get the animals get the animals back into their cages? But his sisters had another idea, as she sang:

To your forests and plains,
Where you're all free to roam,
To your lands near and far,
Go home now, go home . . .
Go home now, go home . . .
Go home now, go home . . .

As the 10 sisters sang the last words over and over, the creatures had begun to vanish into thin air. The leopard, bear, hyena, ostrich, gazelle, peacock, baboon, and crane all disappeared. Soon, the only animals left in the woods were the ones that belonged there.

The sisters stopped singing, Lincoln stopped playing, and Wolfie stopped waving his hands. The bright light faded to silver moonlight, and the cats, squirrels, and bunnies scampered off into the dark. The garden became quiet and peaceful again, except for the chirping of the crickets.

"Where did the wild animals go?" asked Wolfie. "Home," said Lana simply. Lincoln put the flute back in his pocket and Lucy heaved a sigh. "Good work," he said to his 10 sisters. "But did you have to keep calling me a clown?" he asked. His sisters giggled. "Sorry Linc, but 'clown' sounds good with so many other words," said Luan. "I'm glad they went home," said Wolfie. "I wanted them to be free," he said. "Listen, Wolfie," said Lincoln. "Don't ever, ever again try to free animals from a zoo," he said. "Someone could have gotten hurt!" he said to Wolfie. "I'm sorry," said Wolfie. "I promise I'll never do it again," said Wolfie. "I promise I'll never do it again. "But how did you make them follow you?" asked Wolfie.

"It wasn't us," said Lynn. "It was like our music," said Leni. "Was it magic?" asked Wolfie. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it was," said Lisa. "Music is magic," said Wolfie thoughtfully. "I love music," he said. "I love music too, dude," said Luna. "Cool," said Lincoln. "I really love it!" said Wolfie. "Uh . . . good," said Lucy. "I love it more than anything!" said Wolfie. He whirled around, clapping his hands and dancing for joy. What a weird kid, thought Lincoln.

As Wolfie twirled, the palace clock sounded: bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong, bong. "Seven," said Lori. "Seven o'clock," she said. Wolfie stopped twirling and stumbled dizzily.

"Oh, no, I must go!" he cried. "I will be late!" he said. Wolfie grabbed Lincoln and his 10 sisters. "Come with me!" said Wolfie. "You have to come with me!" he said. "Uh, okay," said Lola. Why is Wolfie so frantic? Lincoln wondered. Wolfie pulled Lincoln and his 10 sisters toward the palace. "Hurry, I cannot be late!" he cried. "Late for what?" asked Lincoln.

Before Wolfie could answer, someone called his name. "Wolfie, where are you?" It was Nan. She was standing on the back terrace of the palace. "Wolfie!" she called again. "Coming!" shouted Wolfie. "Poor Nan, she is waiting for me!" he said. "Papa is waiting for me!" he said. "The whole world is waiting for me!" he said.