06-GARLIC, GARLIC, AND MORE GARLIC

GARLIC, GARLIC, AND MORE GARLIC We climbed off the train and looked around. Now we just had to figure out how to get to Ratoff Castle. "Excuse me, sir, which way to Ratoff Castle?" I asked a tall, lean rat wearing a ragged coat, His eyes opened wide. He clutched at his garlic necklace. Then he disappeared into the fog without a word. My sister rolled her eyes. "Let me try," she grumbled. "You are absolutely useless, Germeister!" She tapped the arm of a passing female mouse. "Excuse me, could you direct me to Count Vlad von Ratoffs castle?" she said. "Aaaaiii!" shrieked the mouse. She

scampered off, shaking her bracelet of garlic cloves in the air. We decided to check out the souvenir shop across from the station. A mouse with a crooked tail stood behind the counter. He looked at us with curiosity. "Pardon me," I began. "Ye-es?" said the mouse. "Could you direct us to a CASTLE?" I continued. "Ye-es?" said the mouse. "We're looking for the castle of COUNT VON PATOFF," I finished. At the name Ratoff, the mouse's eyes nearly popped out of his furry face. He flung

a handful of souvenir garlic necklaces around his neck. A tag hanging from the necklace read greetings from Transralania. Then in smaller letters it read GARLIC AND ME, PERFECT TOGETHER! How strange. I wondered what it all meant. But I didn't get the chance to ask. Before I knew it, the mouse was shoving us out the door. He clicked the lock behind us and turned out the lights. "How rude!" squeaked Thea. "What a way to treat tourists! I wouldn't buy his silly souvenirs if they were the last ones in town!" she ranted. "Did you see those ridiculous garlic keychains? And who would want to send a garlic postcard?" A few minutes later, we passed a fancy restaurant. I read the menu out loud. "Hearty garlic pot pie, jumbo garlic burgers, pasta with extra garlic..." What a strange menu!

A large mouse came to the door. "Would you like to have dinner, sir?" he asked. His breath smelled like he had just sampled every dish on the menu. "No, thank you," I gasped. "But could you tell us how to get to the castle of Count von Ratoff?" In a flash, the mouse pulled out a big bottle and gulped down the liquid inside. Judging by the stench, it must have been

garlic juice. Get out!" he shrieked, slamming the door in our snouts. What was it with the mice of Ratoff and their garlic? I thought about all of the mice we had passed wearing garlic necklaces. I thought about the garlic bracelets and the garlic wreaths on the front doors. No, this wasn't just a passing trend, I decided. In fact, there is only one reason why rodents would keep so much garlic. A SHIVER ran up my fur. Some say garlic is what you use to keep vampires away....