Never Trust a Troll! by Kate McMullan Page B

not have their DSA tunics yet. The headmaster was holding a clipboard and collecting pennies from the Class I students. And there beside the scrubbing block was Sir Mort!
    Wiglaf waved hello to the old knight. “How good it is to be back at school!” he said.
    “I love it here already!” said Dudwin.
    “Iggy-way!” cried Daisy. The pig galloped across the castle yard and sprang into Wiglaf’s arms. “Daisy!” cried Wiglaf, swaying under the weight of his dear pig. “How I have missed you, girl!” He put her down.
    “E-may, oo-tay,” said Daisy.
    “How did you like living at the Royal Palace?” Wiglaf asked.
    “Onderful-way,” said Daisy. “I-yay ook-tay a-yay ose-ray etal-pay ath-bay every-yay ay-day.”
    “That’s why you smell so sweet,” said Wiglaf.
    “You do smell good, Daisy,” said Dudwin. “How do you like my new cap?”
    “Ery-vay ice-nay, said Daisy.
    “The wizard gave it to me,” said Dudwin. “Watch this!”
    “Dudwin,” warned Wiglaf. “What did I tell you?”
    “I just want to show Daisy,” said Dudwin.
    “Not now,” said Wiglaf. “Not with everyone around.”
    Erica ran over to them.
    “Wiggie!” she cried. “Can you believe we’re in Class II? I plan to run for class president. Can I count on your vote?”
    “Sure,” said Wiglaf.
    Janice came bounding across the yard next. “Hey, Wiggie! Hey, Dudwin!” she said. “I’m so glad to be back!”
    Wiglaf saw that Janice had tooth marks on her neck and arms. Her baby brother, Bibs, was clearly still in his biting stage.
    “Have you heard? A dragon’s in the neighborhood!” Janice clapped her hands together. “The excitement starts already!”
    “What dragon?” asked Wiglaf. “Do you mean Bubbles? We saw a notice about him on the message tree near Pinwick.”
    “That’s the one!” said Janice. “Bubbles is said to be a terrible monster. If he shows up, I shall run him through with my lance!”
    Now Angus hurried over to greet them.
    “Wiglaf!” he said. “I have saved you the cot next to mine in the Class II dorm.”
    “Thanks!” said Wiglaf.
    Angus turned to Dudwin. “Go pay Mordred your eight pennies before he runs out of new DSA tunics, Dud,” he said.
    “Right!” said Dudwin, who had sold a dragon fang necklace he’d made at camp for exactly eight pennies.
    “See you later, Wiggie!”
    Wiglaf watched his brother join the other new students. One lad stood out from the bunch. He was a head taller than the others. His ears were pointed. And his skin was bright green.
    “It looks like a troll lad is in Dud’s class,” said Wiglaf.
    “He is,” said Angus. “Trolls are big and strong, so Uncle Mordred thinks they’d make great dragon slayers. He put the word out that trolls are welcome at DSA.”
    As Wiglaf watched, the troll bent down and picked up a big nightcrawler worm from the ground. He dangled it over his mouth. The other new students reacted with a mix of horror and delight.
    The troll let go of the worm and caught it on his pointy tongue. Then he closed his mouth and swallowed.
    “Guh-huh, guh-huh, guh-huh!” laughed the troll.
    “Oooh, gross!” cried some students.
    Yet many others looked at the troll with admiration.
    “What a show-off,” said Angus.
    “Maybe it’s because he’s the only troll here,” said Wiglaf. Right then and there, he decided to become the troll’s friend. He would tell Dudwin to be extra-friendly to him, too.
    The lunch bell sounded. Moments later, Wiglaf and Angus were picking up trays in the dining hall.
    “What’ll it be?” asked Frypot. “Cream of eel-and-moat-weed soup? Chopped eel on a bun? Or the soup ’n’ sandwich combo?”
    It looked like the lunch menu hadn’t improved over the summer.
    “What do you recommend?” asked Angus.
    “Made the soup week before last,” Frypot said. “And the chopped eel smells funny.” He shrugged and tossed the lads a few small parchment packets. “Whichever you take, douse it with red pepper