The Swamp Boggles by Linda Chapman Page A

goblins get it off me,” Sophie pointed out.
    Grandpa raised his eyebrows. “But that won’t happen, will it?”
    â€œNo, of course not,” Sophie said, trying to sound sure.
    â€œWear the belt at all times,” he instructed.
    Sophie couldn’t resist. She looked at him innocently. “Even in the bath?”
    Grandpa frowned.
    Sophie bit back her smile. He really didn’t have a sense of humour. “Sorry, Grandpa! I promise I’ll wear it whenever I can – and thosegoblins won’t get it off me.” She tightened her ponytail. “Now, where were we?”
    Her grandpa held up the pillow. “Practising fighting. Attack again. Do it—”
    â€œI know: harder, faster, stronger and without getting hurt.” Sophie sighed. She squared up to him again. “Just call me Indestructo Girl!” she said wryly.
    Taking a breath, she began to fight.
    Â 
    Deep in the Shadow Woods, Ug, the king of the Ink Cap Goblins, was sitting on a throne made out of a mouldy old tree stump, with an ivy crown perched wonkily on his large head. Black splodges covered the crumbling white skin on his squat body. Three other Ink Cap Goblins grovelled in front of him.
    â€œNumbskulls!” Ug glared at them with hisbeady black eyes. “Worm brains! The whole lot of you are a useless bunch of maggot heads! Useless! ” Jumping up, he marched over to them. “What are you?”
    â€œUseless, great King Ug – OW!” yelped the three goblins as he kicked each of them in the bottom.
    â€œIt’s been three days since I used my great cunning and cleverness to steal the key.” King Ug pulled a large iron key from his pocket and brandished it in front of the end goblin, who had a nose like a potato. “And yet I still can’t open the gateway because of this !” He pointed to a hole in the key’s handle. “Tell me what this is, Potato Nose.”
    â€œUm, it’s a hole, King Ug,” stammered the goblin.
    â€œI know it’s a hole, idiot.” King Ug rolled hiseyes. “But what’s so important about this hole, Potato Nose?”
    Potato Nose’s black eyes darted nervously. “It’s… um… it’s… a very round hole.”
    King Ug thwacked the goblin over the head with the key. “A round hole! You caterpillar-brained compost head! It’s not the shape that’simportant, it’s what’s missing from it! In this hole there should be a shadow gem. So, why haven’t you found me one yet? Why? Why? WHY?”

    â€œUm, King Ug?” The goblin next to Potato Nose, who had very big feet, stuck up his hand helpfully.
    â€œYes?” King Ug sighed.
    â€œWe did find one, didn’t we, three days ago, but the Guardian beat you up and you let her keep it.”
    â€œ Let her keep it! ” King Ug spluttered like he was a volcano about to explode. “I did not let her keep it ! I was forced to give it up when you three cowards deserted me! You’re all useless, and so…” He narrowed his eyes cunningly. “And so, I have decided to call in reinforcements.”
    â€œReinforcements?” echoed Potato Nose.
    King Ug rubbed his hands together, making black gunge drip out on to the forest floor. “Yes! Sneaky, slimy reinforcements, who will get one of the gems for us.”
    â€œWho is it?” cried all three of the goblins.
    King Ug smiled craftily. “Just you wait and see!”

I don’t think I’m ever going to be good enough for Grandpa,” sighed Sophie to her best friend Sam later that afternoon as they sat cross-legged on the floor in her bedroom. An old leather book lay on the carpet between them. Sophie fiddled with its cover with a sigh.
    â€œI know he wishes Anthony was the Guardian instead of me.”
    Anthony was Sophie’s twin brother. He and Sophie didn’t get on at all. Anthony hated the fact that Sophie was as good