Lolliland

Chapter One

IT WAS a beautiful day, as almost all days in DeliLand are. The sun was out. It was a Saturday and Beebo did not have to go to Kindy School today.

The smell of freshly-baked pancakes woke Beebo from his peaceful slumber.

"Hmmm. Pancakes. Yummy!" exclaimed Beebo.

He ran out to the kitchen without washing his face, brushing his teeth or making his bed.

Mummy Biddy was in the kitchen baking pancakes. But before Beebo could sit down, Mummy, as usual overreacting, screamed: "Beebo Beedle! Go and wash your face and brush your teeth before you sit down at the table. And change your clothes too!"

"Oh brother!" sighed Beebo.

"Oh yes, and wake your brother, too!"

"But Mummy!" protested Beebo as he walked back into his room to wash his face and brush his teeth.

Chapter Two

Beebo slid back into the kitchen and pulled out a big pink lollipop from the fridge.

Just as he unwrapped it and slipped it into his mouth, Mummy screamed in her high-pitched voice: "Beeeeeeee-bohhhhhh!!!"

Poor Beebo. He had to replace the wrapping on the lollipop and return it to the fridge.

"You can have it later in the day, but not for breakfast!" said Mummy.

Chapter Three

After breakfast, Beebo stepped out of the house.

He ran to the field of purple flowers which Daddy Melville and Mummy Biddy often called Salvation Jane or Patterson's Curse.

And there sitting in the middle of the field was ... a box!

It was by far no ordinary box. It was bright and colourful. All the colours of the rainbow seemed to be on the box. And it was glowing too!

It almost blinded Beebo.

He looked around. There was not a being in sight.

Beebo pushed open the lid of the box.

Rays of light in all colours shot out from the box.

It was awesome!

Then a voice spoke from inside the box. It said: "Welcome to THE BOX, Beebo Beedle. Step in. Don't be scared."

It was eerie. But Beebo wanted to know more and see more.

He stepped into THE BOX. And as he did, THE BOX grew in size. It grew so big that it was as tall as Beebo, although Beebo was not all that tall. He was only two- and- a- half feet tall.

But THE BOX was now all around poor Beebo and he could not see outside.

"Uh-oh. I better get out," thought Beebo.

But just as he said that, SPLAT!!

"Beezy! Milly!"

Both Beezy and Milly had fallen into THE BOX as well.

And now all three looked in amazement at one another as THE BOX lifted off the ground and began to spin.

And spin and spin and spin!

"Waaaaahhhhh!!!!" screamed Milly.

Chapter Four

"Look out! I think we're falling!" yelled Beebo.

THUD! THE BOX landed and all the walls of THE BOX fell back as if to let Beebo, Beezy and Milly out.

Beebo, Beezy and Milly stared out into a strange land.

Lollipops were everywhere. They were in reds and greens and yellows. And boy were they huge!

Beezy ran out of the box towards the nearest one, a bright red lollipop.

... And he licked it.

"Youch!"

"Who said that?" asked Beezy.

"I did, you confounded round and pale thing!" answered the red lollipop, turning around.

Beebo and Beezy were really surprised. "Urp" was all Milly said.

Beebo's jaw fell and he stood there staring at the red lollipop with his mouth open. At last he asked: "You can ... talk?"

"Of course," answered the red lollipop. "I am, after all, a soldier in His Majesty's army."

"Wow!" said Beezy.

"Double wow!" said Beebo.

"Waaaaaaahhhhh!" cried Milly.

"But you're a lollipop!" said Beebo. "You're for licking and sucking. You're not supposed to be so big or be able to walk and talk!"

The red lollipop looked at all three of them and screamed, "FOR LICKING AND SUCKING??!! Yeuch! Get away from me and don't you dare lick me again! How would you like it if I came up to you and started licking your face and hands?"

Beebo and Beezy looked at each other and grimaced in disgust.

Chapter Five

The red lollipop took Beebo, Beezy and Milly to see the King.

As they entered the palace, Beebo noticed that it was lined with rows of lollipops and peppermint sticks.

They were all hot, sticky and sweating droplets of coloured water.

And they were all staring fiercely at Beebo, Beezy and Milly.

They all looked so hot, grumpy and sweaty.

Then they saw ... HIM! THE KING! He was a superfantabulousmegahumongous pink lollipop (much like the one Beebo was eager to suck this morning at breakfast).

"Who are you and what do you want?" barked the King.

Beezy ran behind his brother and Milly said what she always does: "Waaaaahhhhhh!!!!"

And Beebo spoke: "I am Beebo and this is my brother Beezy and my sister Milly. We are from DeliLand. All we want is to go back home. Who are you and what is this place? And will you help us get home?"

"I am King Lol and these are my people of Lolliland. Have you come to help us?"

Beebo did not understand what King Lol meant. He scratched his head. "Help you?"

"Yes. My people and I are all sticky and sweaty because our three suns have moved closer to the land. We have lost some soldiers already as they dripped away and became nothing but sticks."

Beebo thought for a moment.

Milly began to cry again.

Beezy wasn't helping. But he was getting hungry and Beebo was getting worried. Beezy had started eyeing King Lol and licking his lips. This could mean trouble.

"I know!" exclaimed Beebo. "I know what you can do! But first, what will you give us if we help you?"

"Some of your soldiers?" suggested Beezy still licking his lips.

"We will help you return to your DeliLand," said King Lol.

"Just that...?" asked Beezy before Beebo nudged him.

"OK. It's a deal," agreed Beebo.

Chapter Six

ALAKABOOM!!

Beebo, Beezy and Milly were all at home in the kitchen where King Lol and the Lolengineers studied the fridge.

"This is good!" said King Lol. "We will build a Frijland just like this for my people to live in."

ALAKABOOM!! and they disappeared.

"Oh, there you are," said Mummy Biddy. "I've been looking all over for you! There are snacks for everyone. Beebo, if you like you can have that lollipop now."

Their eyes widening, Beeby and Milly looked at Beebo.

"Uh, no Mummy. I don't want it."

Mummy looked at Beebo in disbelief. She couldn't remember Beebo ever saying "No" to a lollipop.

"Uh, Beebo ... what's this puddle of red water on the floor?" asked Mummy examining the puddle closely as the three adventurers slipped out of the room.

"Beebo? Beezy? Milly?