5 A midnight feast

Chapter 5 A midnight feast As Mabel spoke, they saw the ring on her finger, high above their heads. She was as tall as a giant, but had grown no wider. The effect was wonderfully worm-like. Jimmy's mouth fell open. "Now you've done it," he said.

"That's right, rub it in," Mabel said bitterly. "It's a wishing ring again," she said, quickly, "and I wish I was normal." Nothing happened. Mabel stamped a ridiculously long foot. "Aren't you hungry?" Jimmy asked suddenly. "I am." "Yes," said Mabel, "and my stomach's so far away. Gerald, will you ask my aunt for a picnic while the others help me hide?"

By the time Mabel was hidden by the bushes near the stone dinosaur, Gerald had arrived with a basket. While they ate, they discussed the problem of Mabel. "I have one idea," said Cathy. "But I won't tell you what in case it doesn't work. May I take the ring?" "Alright," said Mabel. "Anything's worth a try."

Cathy thought the ring might change its powers if asked by someone not enchanted by it. She climbed into the hollow dinosaur to try her idea in private. "This is a wishing ring," she said, looking around. It was dark inside the dinosaur but wonderfully cool. "Statues are always cool," she said. "I wish I was a statue. Oh!" Her cry was cut off by a dreadful stony silence. With a sinking heart, Gerald scrambled into the dinosaur and struck a match. There stood Cathy- white and lifeless.

"Somehow the ring's a wishing ring again," Gerald called out to Jimmy and Mabel. "And Cathy went and wished she was a statue." Jimmy climbed up to see. "Oh wow!" he said. "Oh no!" said Mabel. "What about the ring? Will you get it, Gerry?" Gerald thought the ring might have turned to stone too, but it slipped easily off Cathy's cold, smooth marble finger.

Mabel put it on and curled up by the dinosaur. "Will you tell my aunt I'm staying with Cathy tonight?" she asked. "And tell Marie that Cathy's with me." In the middle of the night, Cathy was woken by tingling in her hands and feet. "The magic's worn off," she thought. She was climbing out of the dinosaur when she felt a jolt. The dinosaur was moving. Cathy jumped down and ran to Mabel. As she shook her awake, Mabel began to shrink. "We can go home," Cathy said delightedly. "How?" Mabel asked. Cathy was still as white as new-fallen snow. "You're not real yet, you're just a statue come to life."