Prince Justin did his best to try and soothe his insulted friend, but Sophie was too angry to be pacified.

A dodge, jump, and a flip and she was out of his sight and on her way back to the castle that she has deemed to be her home.

On her way out of the palace however she overheard some soldiers talking and made an interesting discovery. Apparently Madame Sullivan had captured the Witch of the Wastes and stole her magic from her. Now she was a senile old lady that the King was planning to send to an asylum.

'Note to self. Stay far away from anything to do with Madame Sullivan.' Sophie thought when she heard of the witch's fate.

Now at the Kingsbury door to the castle, Sophie's temper was just cooling down when she heard a gasp of pain as she slammed the door open.

Getting inside she turned around to see Howl closing the door with one hand holding his face in pain.

"You! What are you doing?"

"I was one my way to rescue you. But it looks like you beat me to it."

"BEAT YOU TO IT? I WOULDN'T NEED RESCUING AT ALL IF YOU HADN'T LIED AND GOTTEN ME INTO THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE! Dear Brother."

Sophie's temper had returned with a vengeance having come face to face with the cause of her palace visit.

"Now Sophie, calm down. How was I supposed to know they would come back for you the very next morning? Besides it turned out alright didn't it? I mean you're alive aren't you?"

"ALIVE? THAT CRAZY SULLIVAN LADY THROUGH A SPEAR AT MY HEAD! IF JUSTIN HADN'T SAVED ME I WOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW!"

Howl cowered against the door for a moment trying to think of something that would calm her enough to allow him room to escape to his room.

"Sophie"

Sophie turned to the little boy at the top of the stairs who called out her name.

She could tell that he had been crying, his eyes and face almost as red as his hair.

"SOPHIE! You're alive!" Michael cried out as he rushed down the stairs enveloping Sophie in the biggest hug his little body could muster.

"I.. I.. I tth- thought you left us."

"Oh Michael. I would never just leave you like that. And thanks to my friend you don't have to worry about the King coming to take me away again."

"New friend?"

"That's right. A few days I save a young man from the sticky clutches of the witch of the waste's blob men. Who wanted his heart because he was a very handsome blonde." Sophie began leading Michael to the sofa so they could sit down. Luna curling up in his lap.

"It turns out however that the young man I saved was Prince Justin in disguise."

"Really?"

"Yes, I saw him again today and that's not all."

Sophie told Michael all that had happened today in as much detail as she could without making her story sound boring, like the hours they simply talked in the garden and what they talked about.

When she got to the part where Luna struck fear in the heart of a dog and chased it all around the room and how the dog could fly, sort of, Michael looked down at the smug cat in his lap in wonder.

Sophie finished telling the rest of story including the spear, justin saving her, but excluding how Madame Sullivan insulted in a way that she deemed the worst way she could ever imagine. Ending with her escape and the information about the Witch that she had discovered.

"Really? The witch is gone?"

"Yes really. She is gone. From what I heard Madame Suliman took away her magic and now she is an ancient looking, senile old lady. I also heard how the King is planning to lock her away in an asylum."

"Wow. HEY MASTER HOWL DID YOU HEAR? THE WITCH OF THE WASTES IS GONE!"

Howl, who had retreated to the top of the stairs for an easy escape should Sophie's anger return, had been listening intently to her story.

'Sounds like Madame Sullivan is still acting like a greedy, spoiled, witch.'

"I heard Michael, and I must say that is wonderful news." he replied with a smile.

"Sophie, do you think that you might really have magic? Even though you're not really master Howl's sister?" asked Michael.

Sophie thought for a moment. She did have magic, but it wasn't like Howl's. Could she really trust Michael and Howl with her secret.

Well, perhaps Michael could be trusted with have of her secret.

Howl, she wasn't so sure. She would just have to see.

"I don't think I do Michael."

"oh."

"I know I do."

"Huh." Michael looked up in surprise.

Sophie smiled at him. Then she tilted her head up and lifted Michael off the sofa into the air.

"Wow, this is amazing Sophie. Can you turn a log into a frog like Master Howl?" Michael asked as Sophie set him and Luna back down on the sofa cushions.

"No Michael. My magic isn't like Howl's or other wizards and witches. My magic is simple, like picking things up with my mind or making healing tonics that can cure fevers. It is so special that I have to keep it secret. In fact, besides Luna, I have never told anyone about my magic before. Not even my own sisters."

"Oh. Well don't worry Sophie. I won't tell anyone your secret. Even if they try to put a curse on me I still wouldn't tell."

"Thank you Michael, and I guess we can call it our secret now."

"And Master Howl can keep the secret too. RIGHT MASTER HOWL?"

Howl didn't answer. Unknown to the trio, he went up to his room after hearing about the witch. So he didn't hear the secret.

'Oh well, probably for the best. Don't know if Howl could handle knowing he is not the only one in the castle that has magic anymore.' Sophie thought when she realized that Howl wasn't listening and hadn't heard about her magic.

"Never mind Michael. Perhaps we could let Howl figure it out on his own."

Michael looked a little sad at this, but agreed.

"Ok Sophie. How bout another story? Like the one you told the other day about the turtle and the duck."

"Alright then Michael. Let's see…"

Sophie trailed off for a moment thinking about what story she should tell. One particular story that she enjoyed came to mind.

"How about the story of The Talking Eggs?"

"But eggs don't talk Sophie."

"They do in this story." Sophie stated before beginning her tale.

" Long ago in a place far away. There lived a mean, lazy, disagreeable woman who had two daughters. The eldest daughter was just as mean, disagreeable and lazy as her mother, while the younger daughter was sweet, kind, and hardworking.

Because of this, and the fact that the woman loved her eldest daughter more than her youngest, the sweet girl was forced to do all the work around the house. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, chopping firewood and all the other tasks that that the woman could think of and was too lazy to do herself.

One day the youngest daughter was sent to get water from a well on the of the forest surrounding her family's home. When she got there she saw an old woman in a raggedy old cloak.

The woman looked so hot and thirsty that she got right to work getting the woman a drink of cool water from the well. The old woman was so grateful that she wanted to give the sweet girl a gift. But the the sweet girl refused and before the old woman could insist or protest she picked up her bucket and raced back to her house.

When she got there however, her so called mother was in a very foul mood. She complained about her taking to long, bringing hot water instead of cold, and how she so worthless and stupid. She was so cross in fact that she raised a hand to beat her.

The poor girl was so frightened that she ran as far and as fast as she could into the woods, before she collapsed on the ground with tears rolling down her face.

Suddenly the old woman from the well appeared.

"Dear child, why are you crying?"

"My Mother was angry at me for something that wasn't my fault. Now I am too scared to go home." She replied rubbing the tears from her eyes.

" There, there. Don't cry. You can come home with me and I will give a hot meal and a warm bed. But you must promise me that you will not laugh at anything you see."

I now joyful little girl promised and the two of them were on their way.

They went down a path covered with brambles and thick branches, which parted for them as they went by and closed up again behind them.

When they reached the old woman's cottage the little girl was amazed at what she saw.

A two headed cow with horns like corkscrews that sounded like a donkey.

Chickens that were literally of every color. Some hopping on one leg, some running around on three, or four or more. And instead of clucking they whistled like song birds.

Despite all the ridiculous and funny things she was seeing. She stuck to her promise about not laughing and kept silent.

The old woman lead her into the cottage and asked her the put a pot on the fire for supper, and the little girl did as she was told.

When the fire was hot and the pot of water was boiling, the old woman gave her a bone and asked her to put it in the pot for supper.

She did as she was told and before her eyes the bone turned into a thick, rich, beef stew.

Then the old woman gave her a single grain of rice to grind up in a mortar for supper. Again she did as she was told, soon the bowl was full of rice enough for them both.

Then the old woman sat down in a chair, and removed her head from her shoulders.

She began to comb out and braid her hair. Fixing it up before putting it back on her shoulders satisfied with how it looks.

Now the little girl was frightened by this display, but the old woman had been so kind to her that she said nothing of the matter and went back to finishing supper.

After they had eaten their fill the old woman lead her out onto the porch to watch a party taking place in her yard.

A party of rabbits. Wearing coats and dresses, playing music, and having a grand time.

After the party ended, she was lead back inside and she fell asleep in a nice, soft bed.

The next morning, after breakfast, the old woman said it was time for her to go home.

"But before you leave child, I wish to give you a give. Take the basket that is on the porch and go out into the hen house. There you will find many eggs that will speak to you. Listen carefully to them. If an egg says do take me, then help yourself and put it in your basket. If an egg says don't take me, then you leave it be. After you have all your eggs and are on your way home, start throwing the eggs over your shoulder as you get close to your house so they break open on the road behind you. There will be a surprise for you inside them."

Listening to the old woman's words she took the basket and went into the chicken coop.

There were dozens of eggs!

Some looked like plain, ordinary eggs while others were made of gold, silver, and jewels!

She stopped, and listened carefully to the eggs.

It was the ordinary eggs that said DO TAKE ME, DO TAKE ME.

All the Gold, Silver, and Jeweled eggs said DON'T TAKE ME, DON'T TAKE ME.

She was disappointed, and so wanted to take just one of the jeweled and gold eggs. But she did as she was told taking all the eggs that said that she could take them and set off for home.

When she got near the house she started throwing the eggs one by one over her shoulder. When she ran out eggs, she turned around and she was shocked.

Out of the eggs came wonderful treasures. Gold, jewels, silk gowns, and best of all a magnificent carriage with two beautiful white horses.

She loaded all the treasures in her new carriage and then rode back home in style.

When her mother saw her, she instantly began to fawn over her saying how much she missed her and asking what had happened to her.

She gave her a nice supper and managed to coax out the story of how she got all that treasure from her.

When her youngest daughter was asleep, the mother went to her eldest and her favorite daughter. She told her of a plan on how they could get more riches if she went to the old woman and as her sister did then they could steal the carriage full of treasure and go to the city to live like rich ladies.

"Why do I have to go? Why can't we just take the carriage and go to the city now?" the lazy girl asked.

"Because then there would be enough for the two of us to live without having to work. Don't you want your own pile of treasure and your own carriage?" her mother replied.

The eldest agreed and left early the next morning to find the old woman.

After finding her and convincing her to take her in like the woman had done with her sister, which for the eldest daughter was no easy task, the two of them were on their way.

Instead of the branches parting the way as they had done for her sister, the eldest daughter had to fight her way through the underbrush while the old woman walked behind her in a disappointed manner.

When they finally reached the cottage the eldest daughter, who like her sister was made to promise not to laugh, laughed straight out at the two headed cow and the whistling chickens.

When it came time to make dinner, she hardly lifted a finger, the old woman had to prepare the fire and pot herself. When she was asked to put the bone in for supper she dropped it disdainfully, complaining and instead of turning into a thick stew the bone stayed a bone.

When she was asked to make the rice she wouldn't touch the mortar so there was no rice at all.

The old woman was very unhappy about her behavior. When she sat down had took of her head to do her hair the eldest daughter moved fast and stole her head from the rest of her.

She then threatened the old woman to give her more treasure than she gave her sister.

"You are a very cruel and wicked child. But I must have my head back."

And so the old woman told the girl exactly what she had told her sister regarding the hen house and the talking eggs.

The wicked girl then left the head on the porch, leaving the body to feel around for it's head inside.

Taking a basket the eldest daughter went into the hen house. There were lots of eggs, just like before with plain eggs saying DO TAKE ME and gold, silver and jeweled eggs saying DON'T TAKE ME.

"Ha, you think I am going to listen to a bunch of stupid eggs and miss out on the best eggs! The Best Treasure! The old woman must be insane!"

The eldest daughter then snatched up all the gold, silver and jeweled eggs and took them with her despite the fact that they were shouting as loud as they could DON'T TAKE ME, DON'T TAKE ME, DON'T TAKE ME!

Ignoring the now angry eggs, the eldest daughter made for home. As she got close to the house she began tossing the eggs over her shoulder. When she ran out she turned around, expecting to see all her richest, and screaming in fright!

Out of the eggs came wolfs, hornets, bats, and other horrible things that growled angrily at her and began to chase after her.

Her mother hearing her screams rushed out with a broom and tried to beat the wicked creatures away but they would not break off their pursuit of the two of them for several hours.

By the time they got home it was dark. They were cold, hungry, and very sore from all the bites and stings that they have received.

The angry mother blamed her youngest daughter for her misfortune and promptly went into the house to beat her. But the house was empty.

The youngest daughter had overheard her so called family's plan. While they were gone, she took her carriage and treasure and headed off to the city to live out the rest of her days as a rich lady.

Sophie finished off her story with a dramatic The End.

Michael and Calcifer stared at her with wide eyes and open mouths. Luna was asleep in Michael's lap.

Sophie started to squirm a bit in her seat. Had her story been that bad?

"That was GREAT Sophie! Tell us another one! Please." begged Michael.

Sophie smiled. The rest of the afternoon was spent telling tales of heroic deeds, brave knights, and clever maidens.

They had to stop when it was time to make dinner. Despite Michael's protesting.

"Can you tell us another one tomorrow? Please Sophie?"

"Of course Michael. As many as you want." Sophie replied smiling.

With the exception of being dragged to the palace and the near death experience. This had been a good day.

'Never a dull moment around here is there? Wonder what tomorrow will bring.'

The Story of The Talking Eggs is written by Robert D. San Souci with pictures by Jerry Pinkney. It is a great story and I do not own anything from it. This was a abridged version that I have made for this chapter. I recommend this book for anyone who likes to laugh and enjoys wicked people getting their just rewards.

Also I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. See you after the holidays.