Grace Woollyhop’s Musical Mystery

Chapter Two The Woollyhop Shop

Jess turned to Goldie. “Where did you last see Hopper?” she asked.

“In the place where I got my scarf,” said Goldie. “The Woollyhop Shop.”

“The Woollyhop Shop?” said Lily, eyes sparkling. “Where’s that?”

“I’ll show you,” said Goldie. “We can see if that messy toad is still around.”

“Maybe we could get you a new scarf while we’re there!” said Jess.

The girls hurried after Goldie through the forest to a grassy meadow dotted with pink daisies and bobbing buttercups. In the center stood a green-painted barn with a yellow sign over the door.

“The Woollyhop Shop,” read Jess. “The one-stop shop for all your woolly wants!”

They opened the door and peeped inside.

Brightly colored balls of wool were piled on the shelves. Colorful scarves, hats, and sweaters hung on painted hangers. On the counter was a basket labeled, SNUGGLE SOCKS FOR MICE, HAMSTERS, AND NEWBORN KITTENS!

Two sheep stood near a loom with a half-finished pink blanket on it.

A pair of fluffy lambs skipped by, carrying balls of pretty raspberry-pink wool to the loom.

“Hello!” the smaller lamb cried as she spotted Goldie and the girls.

The other lamb and the two sheep looked up, smiling.

“Welcome to our shop!” the biggest sheep called. “I’m Mr. Woollyhop.”

The two lambs ran over to Jess and Lily.

“I’m Grace Woollyhop,” said the smaller lamb. “That’s my big brother Hamish and our Ma and Pa.”

Jess grinned. “This is Lily, and I’m Jess.”

Mrs. Woollyhop bustled over. “Can we help you?” she asked.

“We hope so,” said Lily. She quickly explained about the creatures from the Witchy Waste. “Have you seen Hopper the toad nearby? She’s been spotted around here.”

The Woollyhops shook their heads.

“We haven’t seen Hopper, but we’ll look out for her,” Mrs. Woollyhop said.

“Please don’t let her in the shop,” said Jess. “Hopper’s very messy. She might ruin all your lovely wool!”

“She stole Goldie’s scarf,” added Lily. “May we choose another one for her?”

Grace skipped up and down, her fluffy tail swishing. “We can make a new one on our magical loom!” she cried.

“Magical?” asked Jess.

“Mr. Cleverfeather the owl invented it,” explained Mr. Woollyhop. “It’s very fast. We’re making fluffy blankets for today’s concert, so everyone can be comfy and cozy while they enjoy the show.”

Grace showed the girls the loom. It was a wooden frame, with strings stretched across it like a harp. It had a silver tube and a cone-shaped funnel at the back, and a large tray at the front.

“What color would you like your scarf to be?” asked Grace.

“Glittering gold, please,” said Goldie, “just like my old one.”

Hamish tipped balls of sparkling golden wool into the funnel. Then he spoke into the silver tube. “Scarf!”

With a click and a clunk and a shwoop shwoop shwoop, the loom began its work. It was so fast that Lily and Jess could hardly see what was happening. Then out of the front appeared a length of golden fabric. It grew and grew until, with a final shwoop, the finished scarf dropped into the tray.

“Wow!” Jess gasped.

“That is magical!” said Lily.

Grace draped the scarf around Goldie’s shoulders.

The girls were just admiring it when Hamish said, “Yuck! What a stench!”

Dirty yellow sparks flew around the loom. Smelly ones!

Jess glanced at Lily and Goldie. They all knew that Grizelda the witch made smelly sparks!

Click, clunk, shwoop shwoop shwoop went the loom.

“That’s funny...” said Hamish. “It’s started working without any wool!”

They all watched the magical loom curiously. Soon a woolly purple object dropped into the front tray.

Lily picked it up. “It’s a hat!”

“Not just any hat...” added Goldie. “I think it’s a witch’s hat!”

“Oh, no!” cried Jess. “Grizelda’s definitely here somewhere!” As she spoke, something bright caught her eye. “Look!”

An orb of yellow-green light hovered in the doorway, then exploded in a huge shower of stinky sparks.

The sparks cleared to reveal the bony witch, wearing high-heeled, pointy-toed boots, a purple tunic, and tight black pants. Her green hair swirled around her head like octopus tentacles.

The sheep family huddled behind a rack of woolly sweaters, but Lily, Jess, and Goldie bravely faced the wicked witch.

“What do you want, Grizelda?” Jess demanded.

“Ha! The interfering cat and the meddling girls!” the witch snapped. “Well, this time you won’t be able to stop my plans! Friendship Forest will be mine!”