The Wishing Eel and Other Grim Tales
Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Contemporary, Fiction & Literature
| Author: | Gill Macdonald | ISBN: | 9781909270527 |
| Publisher: | GemAspect | Publication: | October 12, 2012 |
| Imprint: | GemAspect | Language: | English |
| Author: | Gill Macdonald |
| ISBN: | 9781909270527 |
| Publisher: | GemAspect |
| Publication: | October 12, 2012 |
| Imprint: | GemAspect |
| Language: | English |
The Wishing Eel
The only thing more slippery than an eel is a magic eel, or so fourteen year old Joe discovers when he catches what may be the very last specimen of 'Anguilla Optatio' or Wishing Eel, a breed so rare it is believed to be extinct. But if Joe's luck has changed it's certainly not for the better. The million pounds he wishes for gets paid into the wrong account, the Eel ends up in the rubbish and Joe, kicked (literally) out of the house by his abusive mother, is too late to save either the money or the old man, whose home is torched by an avaricious neighbour. In despair, the least Joe can do is rescue his cat but it's the cat, no ordinary mog, with its tales of magic and mayhem which rescues Joe in the end, as he begins to see that life's not all bad, you just need the courage to go for it.
The Princess and the Pen
Adopted when she was a baby no one knows her true origins but one thing is clear, Erica is no ordinary girl. Not wanting to burden herself with student debt, she decides to get a job and is taken on as a trainee in 'Bed Heaven'. Although not everyone appreciates her unique sales technique, Erica is a natural when it comes to selling beds. When a celebrity comes to the shop with his disruptive son, a big sale is at stake and Erica's hidden talent saves the day. Persuaded to appear on his prime time TV show 'Weird and Wonderful', this leads to an even more extraordinary discovery about her birth.
Hari and Gita
Poor Hari and Gita, bullied by their resentful stepfather and ignored by their father's jealous girlfriend, no one wants them for the weekend. Somehow there's a mix up and the children end up abandoned and alone on the streets of London. They take refuge in Treats Patisserie but behind the façade of delicious cakes and Mrs Treat's welcoming smiles, nothing is what it seems and the Treats have a gruesome side line, which is nearly the death of little Hari.
Madeline and the Magic Pants
An impoverished student with no parental support, Maddy can't afford new clothes. When she finds a pair of flares at her local charity shop which not only fit her and look cool but make her every wish come true, she can't believe her luck. But the magic pants, with their ability to read the human heart, possess a terrible power for evil as well as good and after a near fatal accident Maddy decides to destroy them before they can do any more harm. Too late, her good intentions are no match for the magic pants.
A Magical Tea Party
Thirsty after all that story telling, the cat suggests they go to the nearby café for a drink. There they meet a girl called Jessie who offers to take them to meet her grandmother whose cat has recently died. Cat and grandmother immediately take to one another, the same goes for Joe, who eventually finds the courage to ask Jessie out. A day that began so tragically has an unexpectedly happy ending and Joe is left wondering what has become of the Eel?
The Refuse Collector and his Wife
James is a refuse collector, a kindly man who wants a simple life. Finding the Wishing Eel trapped in a bin bag he sets it free and is granted a wish, as long as he promises to take the Eel back to the canal. All James wants is to own his own home but his wife, appalled by his lack of ambition, forces him to ask for something grander. Out of gratitude, the Eel bends the rules but when the wife's demands become increasingly outrageous it loses patience with them and decides, despite the dangers, to make its own way back. It seems as if all is lost both for the Eel and the refuse collector and his wife, but sometimes endings can be beginnings as they unexpectedly find the means to redeem themselves.
The only thing more slippery than an eel is a magic eel, or so fourteen year old Joe discovers when he catches what may be the very last specimen of 'Anguilla Optatio' or Wishing Eel, a breed so rare it is believed to be extinct. But if Joe's luck has changed it's certainly not for the better. The million pounds he wishes for gets paid into the wrong account, the Eel ends up in the rubbish and Joe, kicked (literally) out of the house by his abusive mother, is too late to save either the money or the old man, whose home is torched by an avaricious neighbour. In despair, the least Joe can do is rescue his cat but it's the cat, no ordinary mog, with its tales of magic and mayhem which rescues Joe in the end, as he begins to see that life's not all bad, you just need the courage to go for it.
The Princess and the Pen
Adopted when she was a baby no one knows her true origins but one thing is clear, Erica is no ordinary girl. Not wanting to burden herself with student debt, she decides to get a job and is taken on as a trainee in 'Bed Heaven'. Although not everyone appreciates her unique sales technique, Erica is a natural when it comes to selling beds. When a celebrity comes to the shop with his disruptive son, a big sale is at stake and Erica's hidden talent saves the day. Persuaded to appear on his prime time TV show 'Weird and Wonderful', this leads to an even more extraordinary discovery about her birth.
Hari and Gita
Poor Hari and Gita, bullied by their resentful stepfather and ignored by their father's jealous girlfriend, no one wants them for the weekend. Somehow there's a mix up and the children end up abandoned and alone on the streets of London. They take refuge in Treats Patisserie but behind the façade of delicious cakes and Mrs Treat's welcoming smiles, nothing is what it seems and the Treats have a gruesome side line, which is nearly the death of little Hari.
Madeline and the Magic Pants
An impoverished student with no parental support, Maddy can't afford new clothes. When she finds a pair of flares at her local charity shop which not only fit her and look cool but make her every wish come true, she can't believe her luck. But the magic pants, with their ability to read the human heart, possess a terrible power for evil as well as good and after a near fatal accident Maddy decides to destroy them before they can do any more harm. Too late, her good intentions are no match for the magic pants.
A Magical Tea Party
Thirsty after all that story telling, the cat suggests they go to the nearby café for a drink. There they meet a girl called Jessie who offers to take them to meet her grandmother whose cat has recently died. Cat and grandmother immediately take to one another, the same goes for Joe, who eventually finds the courage to ask Jessie out. A day that began so tragically has an unexpectedly happy ending and Joe is left wondering what has become of the Eel?
The Refuse Collector and his Wife
James is a refuse collector, a kindly man who wants a simple life. Finding the Wishing Eel trapped in a bin bag he sets it free and is granted a wish, as long as he promises to take the Eel back to the canal. All James wants is to own his own home but his wife, appalled by his lack of ambition, forces him to ask for something grander. Out of gratitude, the Eel bends the rules but when the wife's demands become increasingly outrageous it loses patience with them and decides, despite the dangers, to make its own way back. It seems as if all is lost both for the Eel and the refuse collector and his wife, but sometimes endings can be beginnings as they unexpectedly find the means to redeem themselves.
The Wishing Eel
The only thing more slippery than an eel is a magic eel, or so fourteen year old Joe discovers when he catches what may be the very last specimen of 'Anguilla Optatio' or Wishing Eel, a breed so rare it is believed to be extinct. But if Joe's luck has changed it's certainly not for the better. The million pounds he wishes for gets paid into the wrong account, the Eel ends up in the rubbish and Joe, kicked (literally) out of the house by his abusive mother, is too late to save either the money or the old man, whose home is torched by an avaricious neighbour. In despair, the least Joe can do is rescue his cat but it's the cat, no ordinary mog, with its tales of magic and mayhem which rescues Joe in the end, as he begins to see that life's not all bad, you just need the courage to go for it.
The Princess and the Pen
Adopted when she was a baby no one knows her true origins but one thing is clear, Erica is no ordinary girl. Not wanting to burden herself with student debt, she decides to get a job and is taken on as a trainee in 'Bed Heaven'. Although not everyone appreciates her unique sales technique, Erica is a natural when it comes to selling beds. When a celebrity comes to the shop with his disruptive son, a big sale is at stake and Erica's hidden talent saves the day. Persuaded to appear on his prime time TV show 'Weird and Wonderful', this leads to an even more extraordinary discovery about her birth.
Hari and Gita
Poor Hari and Gita, bullied by their resentful stepfather and ignored by their father's jealous girlfriend, no one wants them for the weekend. Somehow there's a mix up and the children end up abandoned and alone on the streets of London. They take refuge in Treats Patisserie but behind the façade of delicious cakes and Mrs Treat's welcoming smiles, nothing is what it seems and the Treats have a gruesome side line, which is nearly the death of little Hari.
Madeline and the Magic Pants
An impoverished student with no parental support, Maddy can't afford new clothes. When she finds a pair of flares at her local charity shop which not only fit her and look cool but make her every wish come true, she can't believe her luck. But the magic pants, with their ability to read the human heart, possess a terrible power for evil as well as good and after a near fatal accident Maddy decides to destroy them before they can do any more harm. Too late, her good intentions are no match for the magic pants.
A Magical Tea Party
Thirsty after all that story telling, the cat suggests they go to the nearby café for a drink. There they meet a girl called Jessie who offers to take them to meet her grandmother whose cat has recently died. Cat and grandmother immediately take to one another, the same goes for Joe, who eventually finds the courage to ask Jessie out. A day that began so tragically has an unexpectedly happy ending and Joe is left wondering what has become of the Eel?
The Refuse Collector and his Wife
James is a refuse collector, a kindly man who wants a simple life. Finding the Wishing Eel trapped in a bin bag he sets it free and is granted a wish, as long as he promises to take the Eel back to the canal. All James wants is to own his own home but his wife, appalled by his lack of ambition, forces him to ask for something grander. Out of gratitude, the Eel bends the rules but when the wife's demands become increasingly outrageous it loses patience with them and decides, despite the dangers, to make its own way back. It seems as if all is lost both for the Eel and the refuse collector and his wife, but sometimes endings can be beginnings as they unexpectedly find the means to redeem themselves.
The only thing more slippery than an eel is a magic eel, or so fourteen year old Joe discovers when he catches what may be the very last specimen of 'Anguilla Optatio' or Wishing Eel, a breed so rare it is believed to be extinct. But if Joe's luck has changed it's certainly not for the better. The million pounds he wishes for gets paid into the wrong account, the Eel ends up in the rubbish and Joe, kicked (literally) out of the house by his abusive mother, is too late to save either the money or the old man, whose home is torched by an avaricious neighbour. In despair, the least Joe can do is rescue his cat but it's the cat, no ordinary mog, with its tales of magic and mayhem which rescues Joe in the end, as he begins to see that life's not all bad, you just need the courage to go for it.
The Princess and the Pen
Adopted when she was a baby no one knows her true origins but one thing is clear, Erica is no ordinary girl. Not wanting to burden herself with student debt, she decides to get a job and is taken on as a trainee in 'Bed Heaven'. Although not everyone appreciates her unique sales technique, Erica is a natural when it comes to selling beds. When a celebrity comes to the shop with his disruptive son, a big sale is at stake and Erica's hidden talent saves the day. Persuaded to appear on his prime time TV show 'Weird and Wonderful', this leads to an even more extraordinary discovery about her birth.
Hari and Gita
Poor Hari and Gita, bullied by their resentful stepfather and ignored by their father's jealous girlfriend, no one wants them for the weekend. Somehow there's a mix up and the children end up abandoned and alone on the streets of London. They take refuge in Treats Patisserie but behind the façade of delicious cakes and Mrs Treat's welcoming smiles, nothing is what it seems and the Treats have a gruesome side line, which is nearly the death of little Hari.
Madeline and the Magic Pants
An impoverished student with no parental support, Maddy can't afford new clothes. When she finds a pair of flares at her local charity shop which not only fit her and look cool but make her every wish come true, she can't believe her luck. But the magic pants, with their ability to read the human heart, possess a terrible power for evil as well as good and after a near fatal accident Maddy decides to destroy them before they can do any more harm. Too late, her good intentions are no match for the magic pants.
A Magical Tea Party
Thirsty after all that story telling, the cat suggests they go to the nearby café for a drink. There they meet a girl called Jessie who offers to take them to meet her grandmother whose cat has recently died. Cat and grandmother immediately take to one another, the same goes for Joe, who eventually finds the courage to ask Jessie out. A day that began so tragically has an unexpectedly happy ending and Joe is left wondering what has become of the Eel?
The Refuse Collector and his Wife
James is a refuse collector, a kindly man who wants a simple life. Finding the Wishing Eel trapped in a bin bag he sets it free and is granted a wish, as long as he promises to take the Eel back to the canal. All James wants is to own his own home but his wife, appalled by his lack of ambition, forces him to ask for something grander. Out of gratitude, the Eel bends the rules but when the wife's demands become increasingly outrageous it loses patience with them and decides, despite the dangers, to make its own way back. It seems as if all is lost both for the Eel and the refuse collector and his wife, but sometimes endings can be beginnings as they unexpectedly find the means to redeem themselves.
