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The Haunted Valley

by Arnold Rust

22 pages; saddle stitched; catalogue #03-2598; ISBN 1-4120-2019-0; US$13.50, C$14.99, EUR11.00, £7.50

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About the Book John Hunter aged seven and his little sister Bonnie live on a beautiful farm situated in a long fertile valley surrounded by mountains. The valley is called the "Lazy River Valley" but is haunted by a witch as we soon see. One night Bonnie is captured by an ugly old witch who flies off with her. John enlists the help of their Palimino called Figo. He discovers that Figo not only can speak but fly as well, a secret only children can share. To free John and the big big palimino fly off to the witches den high up in the mountains and with the witch in hot pursuit, manage Bonny and take her home. In the second episode the witch poses as a big green frog and captures both children when they venture too close. She drags them off to the "Dark Forest" where we meet her henchmen "The Devil's Knuckles" who are set off to guard the childen while she sleeps the day away-always waiting for darkness to do her ugly deeds. Once again, Figo comes to their aid and they manage to escape.

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About the Author Born and educated in Cape Town, South Africa, I qualified as a medical doctor in 1961. My postgraduate studies took me to London, England and back to South Africa. My wife and I moved to Canada ten years ago and we live in Nova Scotia where I work as a specialist Radiologist. During my years in South Africa I became interested in flying and yachting and hold a Yacht Master Ocean certificate. For the past forty years I have been telling stories to my children and grand children. One of my children's youth tales was published in the eighties as "Reis van die Seeswael"(Journey of the yacht Sea Swallow) There are many bits and pieces of unpublished work lying around and it's time to do something about them now. I have traveled extensively in Europe and North America and most of my writing has been of a technical nature for medical journals and meetings.

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Excerpt from The Haunted Valley

John thought he was dreaming for a moment but he dressed, just pulling some old clothes on over his pajamas and putting on his shoes. He ran as fast as he could down the stairs, out the front door and headed straight for the barn. What to do when he got there, he was not quite sure, but he ran like never before. He was gasping for air when he got to the horses stables where Figo stood behind the stall door wide awake with his ears pointed forward as if he was expecting him. Could it be the horse knew what had happened?

"Oh, Figo," John cried, "The ugly witch, she got Bonny and fl ew away with her."

"I know," the horse replied.

"What can we do?" John replied before he realized he was speaking to a horse. "Figo...You speak!"

"Yes. Let's keep it to ourselves. I only speak to children. Grownups will only laugh and won't believe it. Anyway don't just stand there like that silly black mare next to me, open the door and jump on my back. There's work to do."

John opened the door and jumped on the Palomino's back. Figo ran out of the door and galloped off into the night with the young boy on his back. Once they were out of sight of the farm something really strange occurred. From the side of the big horse's shoulders there suddenly appeared two huge wings. He fl apped them. "I'm a bit stiff," he explained and fl apped and stretched his wings again. Then suddenly, before John knew what was going on, they had taken off and were sailing up into the sky. "You can fly?" John said nearly falling off.

"That's obvious isn't it? Hold on to my mane or you will fall off." Figo made a steep turn and headed up higher and higher. "Witch's Mountain is this way."

"Witch's mountain, I never heard of it?"

"There's lots you don't know. Just hold tight and look around you*"

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Catalogue Information

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