‘Have you ever seen a shark, Grandad?’ asked Meara.
‘I swam with them when I was younger,’ said Grandad.
‘How about a giraffe?’
‘Oh yes! Did you know they have blue tongues?’ said Grandad.
‘What about a dinosaur?’
‘I’m not that old,’ chuckled Grandad.
‘I’ve never seen a dinosaur, or a shark, or a giraffe,’ sighed Meara.
Grandad patted her on the shoulder and said, ‘Have I ever told you about the magical Golden Hare?’
‘The what . . .?’ asked Meara.
‘The Golden Hare can jump to the moon in two-and-a-half leaps.
‘Its ears can hear the tiniest spider scratch an itch.’
‘Its golden hair shines brighter than the sun.
‘How do you know all of this?’ asked Meara.
‘My grandad told me all about the Golden Hare when we went exploring together.’
‘You had a grandad?’
‘Yes, I did! He’s your great-great-grandad.’
‘Did you ever find the Golden Hare?’
‘Only once.’
‘Let’s go and find it! Please, Grandad!’ said Meara.
‘I suppose we might be able to spot it again,’ said Grandad, ‘if we follow the clues in my nature journal.’
The very next day, they packed up food, supplies and a tent, and set off across the fields with Grandad’s pet otter, Cara.
Meara was reading from Grandad’s old journal. ‘It says the Golden Hare loves precious things.’
‘There are so many precious things all around us,’ said Grandad, ‘and lots of gold.’
Just then, a bright flash of gold swooped by, and Meara jumped. ‘What was that?’ she asked.
‘Let’s follow it and find out!’ said Grandad.
‘Oh, it was just a bird,’ said Meara, disappointed.
‘That’s not just any bird,’ said Grandad. ‘It’s a goldfinch! They are called “the bright flame of the forest”. Maybe it will lead us to the Golden Hare.’
‘Look! Look! There’s something gold shining in that tree!’ shouted Meara. Together, Meara and Grandad climbed the tree to see what was glowing.