1 Ch1-A Royal Invitation

Christmas in Camelot Mary Pope Osborne

Protogae Once upon a time, in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. A boy named Jack and his sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.

Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places they read about in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there. They discovered that during their adventures, no time at all passed in Frog Creek. Jack and Annie eventually learned that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay, an enchantress from Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur. On one of their journeys, Jack and Annie visited Morgan's library in Camelot and brought hope and courage to King Arthur.

Now it is winter. Jack and Annie have not seen Morgan or the magic tree house for many months.…

CHAPTER ONE A Royal Invitation Sunlight had faded from the late-afternoon sky. Puffy snow clouds were moving in. "Let's hurry. I'm cold," said Jack. He and Annie were walking home from school. Their Christmas vacation was just beginning. Cooo—cooo.

"Wait," said Annie. "Look." She pointed to a white bird sitting on a bare tree branch at the edge of the woods. The bird was staring straight at them. "It's a dove," said Jack. "It's a messenger," said Annie, "from Morgan." "No," Jack said, afraid to get his hopes up. They hadn't seen Morgan le Fay in a long time. He really missed her. "Yes," said Annie. "She has a mission for us. I can feel it." In the hush of the cold twilight, the dove spread its wings and flew into the Frog Creek woods.