The Magic Wheel 2: And the Time-Travel Adventures of Ding-How, Ah-So, and Mi-Tu

By M. G. Elliott

Have you ever wondered or fantasized about what your pets do when you’re away at school, or hanging out with your friends?

This book will give you a glimpse into their secret lives, and you will be amazed by what you learn about them!

Meet Ding-How, a very wise hamster; Ah-So, a mischievous little mouse; and Mi-Tu, a most dignified and brave Siamese cat. While their human children are away, this daring trio travel back in time on a Magic Wheel to faraway places. They share fantastic adventures filled with fun, danger and wonderful discoveries. Join them when they meet the little boy emperor of China. Follow them and the Minute Men in 1776. Meet Ah-So’s Japanese Samurai ancestor.

Stand in awe and wonderment with them at the open tomb as they learn the true story of Easter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973646280

M. G. Elliott

M.G. Elliott has been writing and drawing since early childhood. Winning a grand prize medal in a writing contest was the encouragement M.G. needed to continue writing. Several years later, as a journalist, M.G. was feature editor of a daily English-language newspaper in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. Other professional writing includes: ghostwriter for a well-known Academy Award-winning actress, public relations director for a Christian television service and publicist for a historical museum. M.G. Elliott passed away in 2016 and resides with her heavenly Father.

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Copyright © 2018 M. G. Elliott.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4627-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4626-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4628-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011919852

WestBow Press rev. date:   11/22/2018

To my heavenly Father, for His inspiration and guidance

Contents

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1    A Time to Remember

Chapter 2    Ready or Not!

Chapter 3    The Forbidden City

Chapter 4    A Shocking Surprise

Chapter 5    The Great Wall

Chapter 6    Home Again

Chapter 7    A Missionary Hero

Chapter 8    Mine, Yours, or Ours

Chapter 9    A Revolutionary Time

Chapter 10    Yankee Doodle Mouse

Chapter 11    Cats and Dogs Unite!

Chapter 12    The Pony Express

Chapter 13    Samurai Mouse

Chapter 14    The Tall Man in the Tall Black Hat

Chapter 15    The Legends of Saint Patrick

Chapter 16    Leprechauns, Fairies, and Rainbows

Chapter 17    He Lives!

The Beginning

Foreword

And the wheel whirls on! Oh no, wait! The wheel is taking us in a new direction. It is taking us back in time, back in history, back to historical sites, and back to visit historical people. Again, our author uses the delightful style of letting us travel with Ding-How, Ah-So, and Mi-Tu. Again, the accuracy of historical facts demonstrates the detailed research completed to document these travels.

The first Magic Wheel book ended with the precious story of the birth of Jesus Christ in all its humble magnificence! The ultimate ending of The Magic Wheel 2 comes with the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ as he rose from the tomb.

He has risen. (Luke 24:6) He has risen indeed! Now He is alive and sits at the right hand of His heavenly Father!

Enjoy these new adventures of The Magic Wheel 2!

Annabelle Zimmerman

Retired Educator

Dinuba, CA

Preface

While I was still in the process of writing my first Magic Wheel book, the seeds for this second Magic Wheel were already taking root. This time, my three little adventurers would go back in time and witness history as it happened. I must admit I found myself under their spell. They took me back with them to witness exciting historical events. What a whirlwind adventure it was! There was excitement, danger, mystery, and just plain fun! I hope you, the reader, will have just as much fun with Ding-How, Ah-So, and Mi-Tu as I did.

I want you to know that reading is the key to knowledge. Whether you read nonfiction books or fiction, reading is a means of growing in knowledge. Fiction stories allow your imagination to fly away on a magic carpet or—in this case—a magic Wheel. My stories are sprinkled with bits of history, but hopefully, in a fun way for you to discover.

I hope you enjoy these new adventures of Ding-How, Ah-So, and Mi-Tu. May their escapades delight you and challenge you to continue to read books—including the greatest of them, the Holy Bible.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the late Bill Kamrath, former instructor of journalism at Redlands High School, Redlands, California, and El Camino College, Redondo Beach, California. His interest and encouragement challenged me to further my writing beyond the field of journalism. As a result, I was able to work as a journalist and as a writer of children’s books.

Thanks to my family, especially Vivian and Karen, for being my personal cheering section, and to my grandson, Jared, for his immeasurable support.

My friends, as well, gave me much encouragement, especially Annabelle Zimmerman.

And thank you to the new friends I met during the preparation and publishing of this work. Your expertise is most appreciated.

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1

A Time to Remember

L ook what I found! exclaimed Jimmy, waving a book triumphantly in the air. He, Mother, and the twin sisters, Betsy and Becca, were in the local bookstore. They were looking for another book of fiction adventure stories.

What did you find? asked the twins as they hurried over to Jimmy.

It’s another book about them, Jimmy answered, grinning broadly. You know, them: Ding-How, Ah-So, and Mi-Tu.

Hearing their excited conversation, Mother joined them and asked, Is it a new book about their adventures?

Yes, it is, replied Jimmy. May we buy it? he asked, giving Mother the book.

Can we, please? begged the twins.

So you enjoyed the first book about their adventures? Mother asked as she turned the pages. "Hm, it looks like their new adventures are very different this time—not at all like the first book."

What do you mean, Mommy? asked the twins.

Are the adventures more exciting? Jimmy asked.

Yes, it certainly appears so, replied Mother. Come along, kids. Let’s buy the book so we can find out what our furry little travelers are up to now.

Yay! exclaimed all three children as they happily followed Mother.

On the way home, they stopped at Aunty M’s house. When she heard their car drive up, she hurried to the front door and stepped outside onto the porch.

Hi, everyone! she called out.

Aunty M! squealed the twins, rushing into her open arms. Happy greetings were exchanged as everyone moved into the house.

Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

There goes Aunty M’s cuckoo clock, laughed Jimmy. It reminds me of Ah-So and all those cuckoo clocks going off at the same time.

He’s such a funny little mouse, laughed the twins.

Yep, that he is, agreed Jimmy as he looked closely at the finely carved wall clock. Aunty M, can you tell us how a cuckoo clock works?

Well, as you can see, it’s a cleverly handmade timepiece, replied Aunty M. This particular clock is made to look like a mountain cottage, called a chalet. Chalets are found in Switzerland. They are wooden houses with steep roofs, balconies, and large overhanging eaves. The windows all have wooden shutters painted in bright colors, she explained. On this little wall chalet, a clock face replaces the front door. The carved figures of a farmer and his wife, plus carved trees, flowers, and garden tools complete the scene.

The different colors make the chalet look real, said Betsy.

Yes, and I like the farmer and his wife, added Becca. They look happy.

See the little window? asked Aunty M.

Where? asked the twins.

Right here, said Jimmy, pointing to the little window above the clock face.

The shutters are closed, the twins said.

They’re closed now, explained Aunty M, but at the start of each hour, the shutters open, and a little carved bird pops out on a spring and cuckoos the time.

What makes the clock do that? Jimmy asked.

See how the pendulum and those three small chains, the ones with carved pinecones attached, hang down from inside the clock? The pinecones are weights. The pinecones, their chains, and the pendulum are connected to a mechanism of tiny wheels and gears inside the chalet. These all work together to make the clock keep correct time, and they enable the little cuckoo bird to announce the time, said Aunty M.

What makes the pinecone weights move? asked Betsy.

It’s magic, whispered Jimmy.

Aunty M chuckled. "See how the pendulum swings from side to side? It is perfectly balanced to keep it swinging. That makes the weighted chains lower with each swing. To keep the clock working, the chains must be carefully pulled back up once a week. Depending on the size of the cuckoo clock, it takes five to eight days for the clock to run its course.

Smiling, Mother added, "And there really is such a bird as a cuckoo, and it really does say cuckoo."

Oh! How funny! laughed the twins.

And do you know there are many different kinds of cuckoo birds there are all around the world? continued Mother. In fact, there’s a bird here in California called a roadrunner, and it actually belongs to the cuckoo family.

Wow! That’s a surprise! exclaimed Jimmy. "Does it cuckoo too?" He laughed.

Funny guy! said Aunty M as she reached out and tousled Jimmy’s hair.

Is that the same kind of bird that teases a coyote in the cartoons, Mommy? asked Becca.

Yes, it is, replied Mother. But in real life, it doesn’t say beep-beep."

"It says cuckoo-cuckoo," laughed Jimmy, moving away from Aunty M’s reach.

Aunty M laughed and said, I read an article once that described the roadrunner’s call as a series of six to eight low, dovelike coos. It also makes a clattering sound with its large bill.

"We prefer beep-beep," giggled the twins.

That’s a surprise about the kind of call it makes, said Jimmy. What else did the article say?

Aunty M thought a moment before answering. The article described the roadrunner as being famous for running fast. It can run as fast as seventeen miles an hour.

Wow! That’s fast! exclaimed Jimmy.

Indeed, agreed Aunty M. Because they move so quickly, they prey upon rattlesnakes. They use their wings like a matador’s cape—

What’s a matador? interrupted the twins.

Girls, it’s rude to interrupt when someone is talking, Mother gently corrected.

Sorry, Aunty M, apologized the twins.

Apology accepted, replied Aunty M. A matador is a person who teases a bull in a special enclosure to demonstrate his skill in outsmarting the bull. Getting back to the snake, the roadrunner snaps up a coiled rattlesnake by its tail. It then cracks the snake like a whip and slams its head against the ground to kill it.

Rattlesnakes—yuck! groaned the twins.

Yes, but here’s the best part, continued Aunty M, grinning broadly. After they kill it, they swallow it whole, but they are often unable to swallow the entire length at one time.

Ick! That’s gross! howled the twins.

Aunty M laughed and said, This doesn’t stop the roadrunner from its normal routine. It will continue to meander with the snake dangling from its mouth, consuming another inch or two as the snake slowly digests.

That’s pure yuck! laughed Jimmy.

Yes, it is, chuckled Aunty M.

Aren’t you glad you’re not a roadrunner? added Mother, joining the laughter.

They also feed on other animals, including insects, scorpions, lizards, other snakes, rodents, and small birds, added Aunty M.

Just how big is the roadrunner? asked Jimmy.

The article described it as a large ground bird with black-and-white mottled feathers. It measures from twenty to twenty-four inches from the tip of its long, white-tipped tail to the tip of its large bill. It has a distinctive head crest and stands ten to twelve inches tall—

Wait a minute, interrupted Jimmy. Excuse me for interrupting, Aunty M, but what do you mean the roadrunner is a ground bird? It has wings but doesn’t fly?

If it senses danger or is traveling downhill, it will fly. However, because it has short wings, it can’t keep its large body airborne for more than a few seconds, replied Aunty M. That’s why it has strong, long legs and strong feet with two forward toes and two behind. This enables it to run very fast. Even so, it has to be watchful for hawks, raccoons, certain snakes, skunks, coyotes, and even house cats. These are all natural enemies of roadrunners, and they prey upon roadrunner nests to eat their eggs and hatchlings.

Where do they live? asked Betsy.

Do they have a safe place to hide? added Becca.

They live mostly in dry, desert like areas, replied Aunty M. They make their nests among the chaparral, scattered throughout the area where they live.

Will we get to see one? asked Betsy.

Perhaps, if we’re in the right place at the right time, answered Mother. But right now, we must go home.

Okay, kids, time for hugs, smiled Aunty M with outstretched arms.

Bye, Aunty M, shouted the twins, returning her hugs.

Bye, Jimmy said with a quick hug.

The two adult sisters hugged each other affectionately. See you later, Sis.

Bye, M. If you don’t have other plans, come home with us after church Sunday. I’ll make tacos.

That would be fun. I’ll bring dessert, replied Aunty M.

Later that day…

Hey, kiddos, I have a little time before I start preparing dinner. Shall we open the new book and find out what our little friends are up to?

Yay! the twins happily exclaimed.

Jimmy! called Mother. Are you interested?

Here I come, replied Jimmy as he hurried into the living room.

Mother opened the new book and began to read.

2

Ready or Not!

M i-Tu sat sunning himself on the wide bedroom windowsill. His bright blue eyes were half closed as his fur drew in the warmth of the sunlight. The window was open, and as he listened to birds singing in a nearby tree, he could not keep his whiskers from twitching ever so slightly. Mi-Tu was a sleek Siamese cat, and although he had no need to hunt birds for food, the twitching of his whiskers was simply a natural reflex. He sighed contentedly as he remembered how he came from Thailand to live in Hong Kong, China, with his two best friends, Ding-How and Ah-So. Ding-How was a very wise hamster, and Ah-So was a delightful—but mischievous—white mouse from Japan.

The three furry friends shared a cozy home