Rufus Shares the Roar — Under the castle gate, Rufus rubbed a dented shield with a cabbage leaf until it smelled sharp and green. Read the full story →
Under the castle gate, Rufus rubbed a dented shield with a cabbage leaf until it smelled sharp and green. He wanted the old festival badge to shine before the courtyard band arrived. The badge showed a tiny lion and a little star, nothing grand, but Rufus polished it with both claws and hummed, “Pom-pom, parade-o!” His tail tapped the cobbles in a sneaky drumbeat.
The more he buffed, the sillier the shield became. First it gave a squeak. Then it puffed a warm breath smelling like toasted chestnuts. Rufus leaned close, expecting dust, and the tiny lion opened its metal mouth. “RAWR-la-la!” it sang, loud enough to bounce off every tower block.
From the archway came the band: flutes, kettledrums, and three goats with bells on their horns. They had not been late at all; they had been waiting for Rufus’s shield to remember the first note. Rufus lifted it high, and each roar became music for everyone’s feet. Next time you see that little lion under the star, dare it not to sing “RAWR-la-la!” again.
