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[Assistant] My first thought was that one of these two must be the brad that the blonde had been talking about.


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[Assistant] Both carried beers, and they grew furtive as they approached, as if intending to sneak up on the girls.


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[Assistant] More than likely the two girls wanted them there, and after a quick burst of surprise, complete with a scream and a couple of friendly slaps on the arm, they'd all head back together.


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[Assistant] Laughing and giggling or doing whatever it was college couples did. It may have turned out that way too, for the boys did just what I thought they would.


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[Assistant] As soon as they were close, they jumped at the girls with a yell.


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[Assistant] The guy is hooted. The pink shirt spilled some of his beer.


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[Assistant] He leaned against the railing near the bag, one leg over the other, his arms behind him.


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[Assistant] Hey, we're going to be starting the bonfire in a couple of minutes, Orange Shirt said, putting his arms around the blonde. He kissed her neck. You two ready to come back? You ready? The blonde asked, looking at her friend. Sure, the brunette answered.


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[Assistant] Pink shirt pushed back from the railing, but somehow his hand must have hit the bag because it slid then tumbled over the edge. The splash sounded like a fish jumping. What was that? He asked, turning around.


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[Assistant] My bag, the brunette gasped, you knocked it off.


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[Assistant] Sorry about that, he said, not sounding particularly sorry. My purse was in there, he frowned. I said I'm sorry. You've gotta get it before it sings.


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[Assistant] The frat brothers seemed frozen, and I knew neither of them had any intention of jumping in to get it.


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[Assistant] For one thing, they'd probably never find it, and then they'd have to swim all the way back to shore, something that wasn't recommended when one had been drinking, as they obviously had been.


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[Assistant] I think the brunette read his expression as well because I saw her put both hands on the upper rail and one foot on the bottom. Don't be dumb, it's gone.


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[Assistant] Pink shirt declared, putting his hand on hers to stop her.


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[Assistant] It's too dangerous to jump, there might be sharks down there, it's just a purse, I'll buy a new one. I need that purse, it's got all my money in there. It wasn't any of my business, I knew.


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[Assistant] But all I could think as I leapt to my feet and rushed toward the edge of the pier was, oh what the hell.


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[Assistant] And the air is perfumed with the scent of pine and earth. Different from the brine and salt of my hometown.


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[Assistant] In time, the front door cracks open, and it's then that I see her. Despite the distance between us, I find myself holding my breath as she steps into the dawn. She stretches before descending the front steps and heads around the side. Beyond her, the horse pasture shimmers like a green ocean, and she passes through the gate that leads toward it.


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[Assistant] A horse calls out a greeting, as does another.


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[Assistant] And my first thought is that Savannah seems too small to be moving so easily among them. But she was always comfortable with horses, and they were comfortable with her.


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[Assistant] A half dozen nibble on grass near the fence post, mainly quarter horses, and Midas, her white socked black Arabian, stands off to one side. I rode with her once, luckily without injury.


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[Assistant] And when she turns away, his ears prick up as she makes her way inside the barn.


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[Assistant] She vanishes then emerges again carrying two pails. Oats, I think.


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[Assistant] She hangs the pails on two fence posts and a couple of the horses trot toward them.


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[Assistant] When she steps back to make room, I see her hair flutter in the breeze before she retrieves a saddle and bridle. While Midas eats, she readies him for her ride.


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[Assistant] And a few minutes later she's leading him from the pasture toward the trails in the forest, looking exactly as she did six years ago.


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[Assistant] I know it isn't true. I'd seen her up close last year and noticed the first fine lines beginning to form around her eyes.


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[Assistant] I had yet to go to Fallujah or Baghdad or receive her letter.


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[Assistant] Which I read in the railroad station in Samoa in the initial weeks of the campaign. I had yet to return home from the events that changed the course of my life.


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[Assistant] Now, at 29, I sometimes wonder about the choices I've made. The army has become the only life I know.


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[Assistant] I don't know whether I should be pissed or pleased about that fact. Most of the time I find myself going back and forth depending on the day. When people ask I tell them I'm a grunt and I mean it.


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[Assistant] I still live on base in Germany. I have maybe a thousand dollars in savings and I haven't been on a date in years. I don't surf much anymore even on leave.


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[Assistant] But on my days off I ride my Harley north or south, wherever my mood strikes me.


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[Assistant] The Harley was the single best thing I've ever bought for myself, though it cost a fortune over there.


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[Assistant] It suits me, since I've become something of a loner.


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[Assistant] Most of my buddies have left the service but I'll probably get sent back to Iraq in the next couple of months. At least those are the rumors around base.


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[Assistant] When I first met Savannah Lynn Curtis, to me, she'll always be Savannah Lynn Curtis. I could never have predicted my life would have turned out the way it has, or believed I'd make the army my career. But I did meet her.


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[Assistant] That's the thing that makes my current life so strange. I fell in love with her when we were together.


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[Assistant] Then fell deeper in love with her in the years we were apart.


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[Assistant] Our story has three parts, a beginning, a middle, and an end, and although this is the way all stories unfold, I still can't quite believe that ours didn't go on forever.


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[Assistant] I reflect on these things, and as always, our time together comes back to me. I find myself remembering how it began, for now these memories are all I have left.


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[Assistant] Oh, these legs of mine are so useless! And these wings! They aren't strong at all! Neither are they pretty.


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[Assistant] A body full of shiny scales and no eagles to simply munch on me.


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[Assistant] It's so soft and squishy. This is very fun to play with.


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[Assistant] Well that was close. Didn't expect so much trouble in the sea too.


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[Assistant] What? It was just a dream? Oh! Oh, thank goodness! Oh!


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[Assistant] Thus, water begins to freeze from the bottom of the container, layer by layer, giving the minerals and gases time to escape from the top, making ice clear.


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[Assistant] Listening Library presents Magic Treehouse Merlin Missions, Book Number 10, Monday with a Mad Genius. This is Mary Pope Osborne.


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[Assistant] Annie, hurry! Jack's mom called upstairs. It's fifteen minutes till eight. School starts in half an hour. Jack's dad walked into the kitchen.


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[Assistant] Are you sure you and Annie don't want me to drive you? He asked.


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[Assistant] No things, we don't mind walking, said Jack. Their school was only three blocks away.


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[Assistant] Annie, hurry! Their mom called again. You're going to be late.


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[Assistant] The back door banged open. Annie rushed into the kitchen. She was out of breath.


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[Assistant] Oh, I thought you were upstairs, their mom said with surprise. You were outside?


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[Assistant] Yes, said Annie panting. Just taking a quick walk. She looked at Jack. Her eyes sparkled. Hurry, Jack. We really should go now. Okay, I'm coming, said Jack.


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[Assistant] He left up from the table. He could tell Annie wasn't talking about school. The treehouse must be back. Finally.


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[Assistant] Jack grabbed his backpack. Annie held the door open for him. No breakfast? Their mom asked. Too nervous to eat now, mom, said Jack. Me too, said Annie. Bye mom, bye dad.


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[Assistant] Have fun, their mom said. Learn a lot, said their dad. Don't worry, we will, said Annie.


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[Assistant] Morgan must want us to look for another secret of happiness to help Merlin, said Annie. Yep, said Jack. Let's run. Jack and Annie dashed up the sidewalk.


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[Assistant] They crossed the street and headed into the Frog Creek woods. They ran between the trees, through shadows and light, until they came to the tallest oak.


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[Assistant] High in the tree was the magic tree house. The rope ladder was swaying in the chilly morning wind.


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[Assistant] How did you know it was here? asked Jack, catching his breath.


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[Assistant] Teddy! Kathleen! He shouted up at the treehouse.


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[Assistant] Two young teenagers looked out the treehouse window, a curly haired boy with freckles and a big grin, and a smiling girl with sea blue eyes and dark wavy hair. Jack, Annie, the girl said. Come up, come up, said the boy.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie hurried up the rope ladder. When they climbed inside the tree house, they threw their arms around their friends.


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[Assistant] Are we going to look for another secret of happiness? said Annie. To help Merlin?


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[Assistant] Yes, and this time you will travel back to Florence, Italy, five hundred years ago, said Teddy. Florence, Italy? said Jack. What's there? An amazing person who will help you, said Kathleen. Who? asked Annie. Is this person magical? Teddy grinned. Some people might say so, he said. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a book.


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[Assistant] The cover showed a drawing of a man wearing a purple cloak and floppy blue cap.


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[Assistant] He had a long nose, bright kind eyes, with heavy eyebrows and a flowing beard. The title said, Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci, said Jack. Are you kidding? I've heard of him, said Annie. Who hasn't, said Jack. He was an incredible genius.


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[Assistant] This biography of Leonardo will help you on your mission, said Teddy.


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[Assistant] And so will this rhyme from Morgan, said Kathleen.


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[Assistant] She pulled a small piece of parchment paper from her cloak and gave it to Annie. Annie read the words on the paper aloud.


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[Assistant] We need to spend the whole day helping Leonardo da Vinci, said Jack. Yes, said Kathleen. Teddy nodded. I wish you could come too, said Annie. And help us, said Jack. Never fear, said Kathleen.


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[Assistant] You will have the help of the great genius and the wand of Dianthus. Oh, and he said to Jack, did you bring our wand? Of course, said Jack. I always carry it with me for safekeeping. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a gleaming silver wand. The wand of Dianthus, Teddy said in a hushed voice. The wand looked like the horn of a unicorn. It burned in Jack's hand. With cold or warmth, he couldn't tell which.


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[Assistant] In the distance, the school bell started to ring, letting kids know that school would start in 10 minutes. But in the Frog Creek woods, the wind started to blow.


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[Assistant] The treehouse started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.


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[Assistant] A different bell was bonging in the distance. Bright early sunlight poured through the treehouse window. Teddy and Kathleen were gone.


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[Assistant] The tree house had landed in a tall tree in a garden surrounded by green hedges. Beyond the garden was a sea of red tiled roofs.


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[Assistant] In the early 1500s, many artists and craftspeople lived in the city of Florence.


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[Assistant] Leonardo da Vinci was not only a great painter, but also an inventor, architect,


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[Assistant] He turned the page. Come on, we should go, said Annie. The treehouse probably brought us right to Leonardo. We have to find him before he gets away. Oh right, said Jack.


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[Assistant] Annie started down the ladder. Jack packed up their research book and climbed down after her.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie walked around the tall hedge and came to a busy road that ran along a river.


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[Assistant] They stared at all the people going by. There were women in long silk dresses, priests in black robes riding donkeys, and soldiers in blue capes riding horses. I don't see anyone who looks like the guy on the cover of our book, said Jack. Let's ask someone, said Annie. She walked over to a girl selling flowers by the road. Excuse me.


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[Assistant] Do you know a person named Leonardo da Vinci?


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[Assistant] He bought some flowers from me. He said he was going to sketch them later. Her eyes shone with excitement. Where did he go? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] He headed toward the old bridge, the girl said. She pointed toward a covered bridge farther down the road. Thanks said Annie.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie walked quickly along the bank of the river toward the bridge. You were right, said Jack.


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[Assistant] The treehouse brought us right to Leonardo, but while we were talking he kept walking. Don't worry, said Annie. We'll catch up to him.


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[Assistant] The covered bridge was supported by three stone arches. It looked like a long house stretching over the river. As they crossed the bridge, it was hard to look for Leonardo.


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[Assistant] The light was dim and the walkway inside the bridge was filled with people.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie squeezed through the crowd to the other side of the bridge. The sunlight was so bright that Jack still couldn't see clearly. He shaded his eyes with his hand. I still don't see him, he said. We can ask again, said Annie. That girl said everyone knows Leonardo. She headed to a shop near the riverbank.


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[Assistant] Excuse me, did Leonardo da Vinci come in here? Jackass.


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[Assistant] Yes, he just bought his daily loaf of bread, said the baker. He always goes to the cheese shop next. He pointed across the street. Thanks, said Jack. Jack and Annie crossed the busy street to the cheese shop. Is Leonardo da Vinci here? Asked Annie. He just left, said the cheese man. He pointed up the street. He was going to the blacksmiths. Brother, said Jack. Thanks, said Annie, and they headed up the street.


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[Assistant] Me too, said Jack. If we ever catch up to him. Loud hammering noises were coming from a shop.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie looked inside and saw a blacksmith pounding a horseshoe with a huge iron hammer. A fire was roaring in a hearth nearby. Excuse me, Jack shouted. The burly man stopped pounding. Was Leonardo da Vinci just here? Asked Jack. Yes, he paid me for his iron pots, the blacksmith said gruffly. Finally. Do you know where he was going next? Asked Jack.


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[Assistant] Sunlight shone down on hundreds of tents and stalls.


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[Assistant] The market was jam-packed with shoppers. It was hard to see over the heads of all the grownups.


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[Assistant] We could spend all day looking for Leonardo here, said Jack. This is not good, said Annie.


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[Assistant] Hey, maybe we should use the wand now, said Annie. This situation fits the rules. Finding Leonardo is not just for our good, it's to help Merlin, and I think we've tried our hardest. Okay, let's use it. Jack slipped the wand of Dianthus out of his bag and handed it to Annie. Five words, he said. I know, I know, she said.


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[Assistant] She held up the wand and counted her words on her fingers. Help us find Leonardo now. Jack and Annie held their breath and waited, but nothing changed. Everything around them looked exactly the same. It's not working, said Jack. What did we do wrong? I don't know, said Annie.


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[Assistant] Look at the birds over there, said Annie. She pulled Jack over to a stall that sold caged birds. Only one bird was singing, a brown bird with a reddish tail. He was very plain, but he sang beautifully with whistles and trills. Hi, you, said Annie. The bird tilted his head and looked straight at Annie. He chirped softly. Come on, Annie, we can't waste time here, said Jack. We have to keep looking for Leonardo.


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[Assistant] But didn't you hear his song, said Annie. He wants to fly away. He wants to be free. Jack looked around for the bird seller. He was standing nearby talking to a customer. Forget it, Annie. We don't have money to pay for him, said Jack.


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[Assistant] But he wants me to help him, said Annie. I can feel it. She reached toward the cage door. Annie, don't, said Jack.


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[Assistant] But Annie unlatched the door. The bird hopped onto the ground.


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[Assistant] Oh no, said Jack. He grabbed for the bird, but he was too late. The brown bird was already flying away into the blue sky. Yay, said Annie. Hey, shouted the bird seller, rushing over to them. Were you trying to steal my bird?


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[Assistant] Jack turned to see a tall man in a purple cloak and floppy blue cap.


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[Assistant] Yet a long nose, bright kind eyes with heavy eyebrows, and a flowing beard. He looked exactly like the man on the cover of their book. Leonardo, said Annie. The wand worked.


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[Assistant] But I caught him trying to steal my bird, said Marco. No Marco, the girls said they were setting him free, said Leonardo. And I believe her. Then let them pay me, the bird seller said. We don't have any money, Annie said in a small voice. I will take care of it, said Leonardo. He put down the basket he was carrying.


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[Assistant] It was filled with flowers, cheese and a loaf of bread. He pulled out a gold coin. The bird seller let go of Jack and took the coin.


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[Assistant] Marco, when I lay in my cradle as a child, a bird flew down and struck me with its tail, said Leonardo. Ever since then, I have wished, I know, I know, interrupted Marco, to be a bird yourself. You have told me this many times, Leonardo. The bird seller turned away to help a customer. Leonardo turned to Jack and Annie.


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[Assistant] Yes, he said, to be a bird myself, which is why I often buy birds from Marco and set them free. So you see, my friends, you and I are kindred spirits. Yes, we are, said Annie grinning. Thanks for helping us, said Jack.


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[Assistant] But Leonardo didn't give Jack a chance to finish. He kept talking.


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[Assistant] In truth, I love all creatures, every bird and animal known to man and even the ones not known. He laughed heartily. Me too, said Annie. Me too, said Jack. Leonardo picked up some bird feathers from the ground. Ah, beautiful, he said, holding them up to the sun. I will sketch these later.


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[Assistant] He tucked the feathers into his basket with the bread and cheese and flowers. Well.


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[Assistant] I must be on my way now friends. He said, good day.


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[Assistant] Before he could think of anything to say, Annie shouted, Mr. DaVinci, Leonardo. Leonardo looked back at her. Yes? Do you, uhm, do you need any help today? Annie asked. Jack and I would really, really like to help you. All day, somehow.


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[Assistant] Jack was embarrassed. He was sure Leonardo would say no.


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[Assistant] Yes, perhaps you could be my apprentices just for today. Great, said Annie. What's an apprentice? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] Apprentices help a master artist or skilled worker, said Leonardo. They work hard and study hard in hopes they'll become masters themselves someday. Cool, said Jack. Come along then, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] He started walking again. Jack and Annie hurried alongside him. They left the crowded market and started up a cobblestone street. Do you children live in Florence? Asked Leonardo. No, we're from, uhm, far away, said Jack. We're here on a mission, said Annie. We're looking for the secret of happiness. Leonardo smiled.


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[Assistant] Ah yes, I discovered that secret some time ago, he said. You did? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] Yes, it's something I sought and now I have it, said Leonardo. It's really quite simple. What is it, said Jack? The secret of happiness is fame, said Leonardo. Really, fame? Said Annie. Yes, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] And the rhyme says that to learn the answer we have to stay with him all day. Yep, said Jack.


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[Assistant] You didn't mind that part. Spending the day with one of the most amazing geniuses who ever lived seemed like a great idea.


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[Assistant] On the top of the building was the enormous eight-sided dome that they'd seen from the treehouse. How did anyone ever build that? Jack wondered.


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[Assistant] Leonardo pointed to a short dark haired girl standing by herself.


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[Assistant] The girl didn't look at all like an angel to Jack. She looked like an ordinary kid.


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[Assistant] Leonardo put down his basket, untied a small book from his belt, and pulled out a piece of chalk. He started to draw.


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[Assistant] With just a few quick lines he had created an angel. The drawing looked just like the real girl.


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[Assistant] He took the drawing from Leonardo and carefully slid it into his bag between the pages of their research book.


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[Assistant] Leonardo put away his chalk and sketchbook and picked up his basket. Come along, he said.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie half walked and half ran, trying to keep up with Leonardo's long strides.


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[Assistant] When I travel through the streets, I am always gathering information. Leonardo said, I observe like a scientist. For instance, after years of observation, I now know there are ten different types of noses.


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[Assistant] Really? said Annie. She felt her nose. Yes, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Jack tried to get a good look at the noses they passed. He saw flat ones, round ones, straight ones, but many were hard to describe.


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[Assistant] My observations have also led me to conclude that there are many more types of mouths than noses, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] She held up two fingers trying to measure the distance between her nose, mouth, and chin. I think you're right, Leonardo. I study people's expressions and gestures, said Leonardo. I study their hands, their eyes, their hair. But to be a truly great artist, you must learn to combine your observations with your imagination. Suddenly he stopped. Look up, look up. Jack and Annie stopped and looked up. See the clouds, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] And that little one looks like a dog's head, said Annie, like a Scotty puppy. A Scotty puppy, thought Jack. He squinted, trying to see a puppy. Excellent, said Leonardo. And you, Jack, what about that one? He pointed at a long cloud. What do you see? Jack studied it. Uh, well, I guess it sort of looks like a boat, he said. Wonderful, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] I look at a watermark on a wall and see an old woman's face. I look at a food stain on my tablecloth and see a horse. I study rain puddles and rocks and see oceans and mountains.


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[Assistant] I imagine that the very first drawing might have been a simple line drawn around the shadow of a man on the wall of a cave, said Leonardo. Wow, breathed Annie. Pretty cool, thought Jack. He liked Leonardo's way of thinking. Listen now to the cathedral bells, said Leonardo. Jack listened. The bells played notes that went up and down. Bong, bing, bong, bing.


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[Assistant] You have much to do this Monday, Leonardo da Vinci. Get to work. Leonardo laughed. So let us be on our way, my friends. And the great genius took off, walking quickly through the streets of Florence.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie hurried to keep up with Leonardo. So where are we going? Annie asked.


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[Assistant] To the palace of the great council, said Leonardo. I was hired to paint a fresco in the council hall. I had been working on it for months. What's a fresco? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] It is a work of art painted onto a wall, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] One must spread plaster on the wall and then paint very quickly before it dries. Sounds like fun, said Annie. Not for me, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] I believe great art requires much thought. I like to paint slowly and I change things as I go along. So for this fresco, I have invented a special oil paint that dries very slowly. Does it work? Said Jack. Too well, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] But today all will be well. Leonardo said cheerfully. I have a plan to speed up the drying process. This morning I will fix everything.


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[Assistant] Leonardo led Jack and Annie into a square with a large building. There it is, he said. The Palace of the Great Council.


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[Assistant] The palace looked like a fortress. It had rough-looking stone walls and a tower that rose high into the air.


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[Assistant] The palace is a very important place, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] It is where the Governing Council of Florence meets. Come along.


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[Assistant] And the latest work of Leonardo da Vinci.


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[Assistant] Leonardo bounded up some steps and down a corridor. Jack and Annie hurried after him until he passed through another grand doorway and stopped.


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[Assistant] Leonardo put down his basket and raised his hands. My fresco, he said. Oh man. Breathe Jack.


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[Assistant] The city has paid me to paint a scene from a battle once fought to defend Florence, said Leonardo. They wanted me to paint a scene of glory.


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[Assistant] But I believe war is a beastly madness. I hope my painting shows that. Oh, it does, said Annie. Jack nodded. It was the scariest painting he'd ever seen. Zorro, call Leonardo.


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[Assistant] He was a sturdy looking teenager with a red face and wavy black hair.


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[Assistant] No, the paint is still very damp to the touch, said Zoro.


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[Assistant] Then let us proceed with our plan, said Leonardo. Did the pots arrive from the blacksmith?


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[Assistant] Yes, over there, said Zorro. He pointed at two large iron pots beneath the platform. And you brought the wood, said Leonardo. Yes, said Zorro. He pointed to a pile of wood stacked against a wall.


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[Assistant] Leonardo set down his basket and headed over to the platform.


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[Assistant] What's the plan, Leonardo? asked Annie as she and Jack followed him.


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[Assistant] My apprentices and I will fill the pots with wood and lift them onto the platform, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] He put down his bag and he and Annie hurried to the wood stack. Kindling? She said.


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[Assistant] Small pieces of wood, said Jack. They catch fire first and help get the big pieces started.


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[Assistant] The apprentices on the platform pulled on the ropes. The heavy pots swung into the air. Steady, steady, Leonardo shouted.


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[Assistant] The apprentices slowly hauled up the pots, then they pulled them onto the platform and placed them in front of the fresco. Light the fires, shouted Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Zoro lit a candle from a torch burning at the entrance of the hall. He carried the candle up the ladder and used its fire to light the kindling. Soon the wood in the pots began to blaze.


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[Assistant] Soon flames were shooting high into the air, warming the fresco.


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[Assistant] Standing with Leonardo below the platform, Jack and Annie stared up at the battle scene. The room grew hotter and hotter.


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[Assistant] With the fires blazing above and smoke curling through the air, Jack felt like he was in the middle of the battle himself. He could hear the clanging swords, neighing horses and shouting men. He could feel the beastly madness of war that Leonardo had talked about.


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[Assistant] Suddenly Jack heard real shrieks. Leonardo's apprentices were all yelling. It is dripping, master, one cried. The paint is running, shouted another.


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[Assistant] Jack looked back at the fresco. The helmets of the warriors were melting down over their furious faces.


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[Assistant] Ahh! Cried Leonardo with a look of horror. Kill the fires! Kill the fires!


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[Assistant] Leonardo's apprentices looked around wildly as if they didn't know what to do. Water from the fountain! Leonardo roared. Hurry!


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[Assistant] They took off after the others, following them down the stairs to the courtyard. The apprentices were filling buckets with water from the fountain.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie grabbed two of the full buckets and clumsily followed the others back up the stairs. This is like, like Edo.


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[Assistant] Jack said to Annie, remembering their recent trip to old Japan. Yeah, said Annie, except that was a city on fire. This is just paint melting. True, thought Jack.


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[Assistant] But Leonardo was acting like it was a matter of life and death.


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[Assistant] Inside the hall, Leonardo and the apprentices carried the buckets up the ladder. They splashed water over the flames in the two iron pots, but it was too late.


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[Assistant] The helmets and faces and swords of the fighting men had become a messy blur of streaks and blotches. The painting was ruined. Leonardo stared for a long moment at the wall. Then he climbed down the ladder and walked away.


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[Assistant] When he got to the door, Zorro shouted, Master, wait! But Leonardo kept walking. We have to follow him, Annie said to Jack. He seems really upset, said Jack. I know, said Annie.


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[Assistant] But we have to do what the rhyme says. Help the genius all day long. But what if he doesn't want our help anymore? Said Jack.


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[Assistant] Have you seen Leonardo da Vinci? Oh yes, he just got home, one woman said. He lives just over there, said her neighbor. She pointed to a narrow building across the street. Thank you, said Annie.


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[Assistant] She and Jack walked quickly to the building. A stone arch opened onto a wide pathway. They walked under the arch and down the pathway to a sunny cobblestone courtyard. A big white horse was tied to a cart. Chickens pecked the dirt between the warm stones. Hi guys. Annie said to the horse and chickens. Jack pointed to an open doorway across the yard. He's in there, I hear him. He said.


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[Assistant] Annie and Jack move quietly across the courtyard. They stopped outside a window.


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[Assistant] Leonardo was pacing up and down inside. His cap and cloak were on the floor. His hair was wild. I'll leave Florence. That's what I'll do.


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[Assistant] If I felt that bad, I'd want people to help me. Come on, at least we can give him his stuff.


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[Assistant] Annie put the basket down, then she looked up at Leonardo. We'd better go, Jack said softly to her. Wait, Annie stepped farther into Leonardo's room. We'd like to help you, she said. Leonardo scowled again. You cannot help me, he said. Do as your brother says, little girl, go now. But Annie didn't move. Excuse me, but we're supposed to help you all day, she said.


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[Assistant] You made us your apprentices for the day, remember? Can you not see that I am miserable? Said Leonardo. But why are you miserable? Said Annie.


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[Assistant] You said that fame was the secret of happiness, and you're still famous.


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[Assistant] What good is fame in the face of failure? Shouted Leonardo. This fresco was to be my masterpiece. What good is fame when everyone will now laugh at me and mock my failure? Go, please. Oh, okay. I'm sorry, said Annie in a small voice. We just wanted to help. She and Jack turned to go. Wait, wait, wait, said Leonardo. Forgive me. Jack and Annie looked back at Leonardo.


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[Assistant] The great genius rubbed his face inside, then he waved his hand. Please, forgive me. Come in, come in, he said. Thanks, said Annie. And she and Jack stepped inside Leonardo da Vinci's studio.


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[Assistant] Chapter 6, Thousands of Ideas.


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[Assistant] A low fire burned in the hearth. Sunlight slanted across the warm room.


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[Assistant] Jack caught his breath as he looked around Leonardo's studio.


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[Assistant] There were mirrors, wooden trunks, globes, paint pots, and brushes. Sketches, paintings, and handmade maps were all over the walls. There were stacks of old books, half-built furniture, piled up papers, theater masks, pieces of costumes, and musical instruments. Oh man, murmured Jack. I love this room. Me too, said Annie. Please sit at my table. Let me get you something to eat, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] He pushed a bunch of things to the side of a long wooden table and pulled up two chairs.


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[Assistant] Leonardo took the cheese and bread from the basket by the door, and gave some to Jack and Annie. The cheese was dry, but tasted good. And the bread was really delicious. Hard and crackly on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. Mmmm. I wonder how they make it like this, Jack thought.


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[Assistant] Just recently Michelangelo accused me of never finishing anything. Michelangelo? The great artist? Said Jack.


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[Assistant] Leonardo snorted, you think Michelangelo is a great artist? Have you seen his statues? Those men with their big muscles? They look like sacks of walnuts. Jack and Annie laughed. Leonardo tried to hide a smile as he looked at them. In truth, Michelangelo is a great artist, he said. Still, he should not accuse me of never finishing anything, even if it is true. Why don't you finish things? Asked Annie.


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[Assistant] The other is that there are too many things I want to do and there's never enough time. What else do you want to do? Ask Jack.


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[Assistant] He put down his bread and cheese and crossed to a wooden trunk in the corner of his studio. He raised the lid of the trunk and stared for a moment at its contents. Leonardo turned back to Jack and Annie. His eyes were bright again. Whatever was in the trunk had made him happier. Come, look, he said. Jack and Annie walked over to the trunk and peered inside. It held dozens and dozens of plain black books, large ones and small ones.


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[Assistant] Notebooks, said Leonardo. I have filled over a hundred of them with my ideas. Oh, said Jack, his eyes wide. Jack keeps notebooks too, said Annie. Do you mind if we look at them? Asked Jack. No, not at all, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie started picking up the notebooks and turning the pages. The pages were crammed with doodles and writing.


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[Assistant] They showed sketches of people's faces, animal heads, flowers, trees, rivers, mountains, the sun and the moon.


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[Assistant] One notebook was filled with drawings of horses. Another had sketches of bridges and buildings. Another had drawings of birds and machines. Many of the drawings in the notebooks had labels written in a strange language. You cannot read my notes, can you? said Leonardo. Jack and Annie shook their heads. Hold them to a mirror, said Leonardo. Jack and Annie stood in front of a wall mirror.


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[Assistant] Leonardo had written everything backward from right to left across the page. So the word bird was written as D backward, R backward, I backward, B backward.


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[Assistant] Oh, I've written down thousands of ideas, said Leonardo. For example, he opened a notebook and read,


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[Assistant] Fossils of tiny sea creatures have been found in the mountains of Italy.


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[Assistant] It is my belief that ocean water once covered the mountains millions of years ago. Your belief is right, said Jack. Leonardo looked at Jack with surprise. You seem so certain, he said.


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[Assistant] Well, I know from science books that the oceans once covered many mountains of the earth, and that's why you can find sea fossils there, said Jack. We read lots of books, said Annie.


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[Assistant] Indeed, said Leonardo. Then he picked up another notebook and read, If a wolf stares at you, your voice will become hoarse. Uhm, that's not true, said Annie. It is not, said Leonardo. Well, think about it, said Annie.


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[Assistant] How can an animal make a person horse? And why would they want to? Leonardo nodded. Yes, I think I agree with you, he said. He cleared his throat, then he read another idea. A spider hatches its eggs by staring at them. No, said Jack and Annie together. No, said Leonardo. Trust us, said Jack, smiling. This is really fun, he thought.


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[Assistant] The moon may be bright because it is made out of rippling water. Jack shook his head. Actually, it's made out of rocks, he said. It's bright because it reflects the light of the sun. Jack knew lots of facts about the moon. And did you know there's no wind on the moon? Said Annie.


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[Assistant] There must be a way to use a natural force, such as steam or wind.


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[Assistant] Yes, a train, said Annie. A train is this thing we've imagined. It's like, uhm, like wagons connected to each other, said Jack. And they run over tracks that go across the land. Interesting, said Leonardo. He closed his eyes as if trying to imagine it. And then there are planes, said Annie.


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[Assistant] I too believe humans can fly like birds. And today, I shall prove it. You will? said Jack.


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[Assistant] Yes, until now I have been fearful of testing my idea, said Leonardo, but the two of you have given me courage. What is Leonardo talking about, Jack wondered.


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[Assistant] I am sure my plan will work now, said Leonardo, and it will bring me everlasting fame.


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[Assistant] We don't really know that much about flying, Jack said.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie climbed into the cart and sat beside Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Today, the great bird shall rise aloft, high into the sky, said Leonardo, and the universe shall be filled with wonder.


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[Assistant] To a steep hill just outside the city walls, said Leonardo. One day you will tell people that you were with me on this historic Monday. You saw the mad genius Leonardo da Vinci and his great bird.


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[Assistant] Cool, but can you tell us exactly what you're planning to do? Said Jack.


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[Assistant] For 25 years I have sketched birds and bats, said Leonardo. I have studied all their movements, their gliding, their flapping, their landing, and their rising into the air. I have asked myself over and over, why can a person not fly as birds do? So years ago I began building my great bird. Your great bird? Asked Annie.


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[Assistant] Ha ha, laughed Leonardo. Wait and see, wait and see.


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[Assistant] A horse pulled the cart through the city gates, heading into the countryside. The chilly air was warmed by bright sunlight.


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[Assistant] Leonardo tugged on the reins and his horse turned off the main road and started up a narrow rocky path. The cart bumped past pale green olive trees and yellow fields of wildflowers. Soon it came to the bottom of a steep hill. Leonardo pulled the reins and his horse halted. There, can you see it? He said, my great bird.


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[Assistant] He pointed to a strange looking structure on the top of the hill.


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[Assistant] The wings are like those of a bat, only much, much larger, large enough for a man, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] About a month ago, on a moonlit night, my apprentices and I brought it to the top of this hill. I did not have the confidence to try it then, but now I do. Jack was confused.


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[Assistant] He knew people didn't fly airplanes until the beginning of the 1900s. Uhm, maybe you should work on this one a little longer.


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[Assistant] He said, I mean maybe, no, no, today is the day, I feel it, said Leonardo. Stay here and watch.


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[Assistant] Jack pulled out their research book and looked up Great Bird in the index. It's here, he said. He found the right page and read aloud.


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[Assistant] But not until the invention of lightweight motors, nearly 400 years after Leonardo's time, would human flight be possible.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie were only halfway up the hill when Leonardo reached the top. He began strapping himself into a harness on the great bird.


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[Assistant] Large handles were attached to the harness. On each side were huge cloth wings stretched over a wooden frame.


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[Assistant] Leonardo leapt off the side of the hill into the air. A gust of wind lifted him. As the wind held his wings aloft, he pushed and pulled on the handles. The wings moved up and down. But Leonardo couldn't make the wings flap fast enough.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie charged down the hill. At the bottom, Leonardo da Vinci lay in a silent heap. His twisted wings spread over the grass. Jack and Annie rushed to him. Are you all right? Cried Annie. There was no answer. No, we've killed him, thought Jack. But then Leonardo stirred. He moved his hand. Are you all right? Annie asked again.


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[Assistant] Leonardo moved his other hand. He rolled over on his side and unbuckled the straps of the harness. He crawled away from the flying machine and hauled himself to a sitting position. His face was scraped and red. Are you all right? Annie asked once more. Leonardo looked at her. The light had gone out of his eyes. No, he said in a quiet voice. I am not all right. Did you break something? Asked Annie.


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[Assistant] He stared at the twisted and torn wings of the great bird. He sighed deeply, only my heart. He said, only my heart.


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[Assistant] Leonardo turned and limped across the grass back toward his horse and cart. Jack and Annie followed.


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[Assistant] When Leonardo got to the cart, his white horse snorted as if trying to comfort him. Leonardo pressed his head against the horse's neck. Annie stepped toward him. Why is your heart broken, Leonardo? She asked quietly. Leonardo looked back at the hill.


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[Assistant] All my life I have started projects that have come to nothing. He said, my towers and bridges have never been built. My scientific ideas have never been proven. But, said Annie, Leonardo went on,


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[Assistant] For years I made drawings of an enormous horse I planned to sculpt for the Duke of Milan. But in the end, that work came to nothing too. I have finished only a few paintings.


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[Assistant] Today my fresco in the hall of the great council was ruined. But always, in spite of all my failures, one thing brought me comfort. What, has Jack?


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[Assistant] I knew someday I would be the first person in the world to fly, said Leonardo. His voice quavered.


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[Assistant] Talking with the two of you, I knew the time had finally come to test my machine. We're sorry, said Annie.


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[Assistant] No, no, I had to test it sooner or later, said Leonardo. But now that dream too has come to nothing.


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[Assistant] Human flight isn't possible at this time in history. Jack whispered to Annie. A person needs a motor. We don't have a motor. But Annie paid no attention.


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[Assistant] Hold on, everyone, she said. I have to get something.


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[Assistant] Counting her words on her fingers, she said in a loud clear voice.


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[Assistant] Jack's wings felt light and airy. It's strong and powerful.


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[Assistant] Now we can fly, said Annie. Wings, said Leonardo, looking stunned. Then he burst out laughing.


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[Assistant] Jack, Annie, and Leonardo all stretched out their wings and took quick steps forward. The wind rushed under their feathers and lifted them off the ground. Uuuh. Cried Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Leonardo, Jack, and Annie flapped their wings and soared high into the sky. Then they caught a gentle wind and stopped flapping, twisting this way and that. They glided in a big circle above the countryside. Jack felt as light as the wind as heart beat wildly. Incredible, huh? yelled Annie. Best flying ever! shouted Jack.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie had flown lots before. They'd flown on a dragon, on a bicycle, on a winged lion, on a magic carpet, and on the back of a white stag and camelot. They'd even flown as ravens over a haunted castle.


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[Assistant] But this was the first time they'd ever flown on their own, just as themselves. Follow me, cried Leonardo.


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[Assistant] They all swooped high up over the quiet hills and glided through low clouds.


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[Assistant] The cool wet mist blew against Jack's face. He felt as if he were swimming through the sky, as if the clouds were water keeping him afloat.


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[Assistant] Laughing and whooping with delight, Leonardo led Jack and Annie out of the clouds and down over the yellow meadows and the pale green olive groves.


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[Assistant] Hellooooo! Leonardo shouted to farmers plowing a field, but the farmers didn't look up.


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[Assistant] No one on the ground looked up, but all the birds in the sky seemed to take notice. Birds cawed and swooped near them as if welcoming them to their world.


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[Assistant] Jack, Annie, and Leonardo circled with the birds over the sea of red tiled roofs, over the great dome of the cathedral, and over the bell tower of the palace of the great council.


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[Assistant] Lores look so neat and orderly from up here. Leonardo cried to Jack and Annie. I wish I had my sketchbook. The city did look orderly from the sky, thought Jack.


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[Assistant] The busy market, with its rows of stalls and tents, the narrow lanes with the brightly colored clothes waving from clotheslines, the long covered bridge, the winding sparkling river.


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[Assistant] Jack, Annie, and Leonardo soared with the birds back over the city walls out to the countryside. They glided over the olive groves and vineyards, then they circled above the spot where Leonardo's great bird lay broken in the grass.


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[Assistant] The birds swooped up and vanished behind the clouds. Leonardo, Jack and Annie glided down toward the ground.


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[Assistant] They opened their wings wide, and then gently and easily their feet touched the grass. Their wings fluttered with tiny beats, and the three of them took quick hopping steps before coming to a full stop.


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[Assistant] When Jack, Annie, and Leonardo were steady on their feet, their long feathers disappeared and their bird wings became arms again.


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[Assistant] Leonardo looked dazed. He stared up at the sky. Then he staggered a few steps and fell face down into the grass. Leonardo? Said Annie. Oh no! Thought Jack. He's had a heart attack. Leonardo? Said Annie. She knelt down near him. Leonardo rolled over and stared up at Jack and Annie. What? What just happened? He stammered. Did we fly? Did we really fly? Or was it a dream?


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[Assistant] Well, Jack didn't know what to say.


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[Assistant] To explain the one to Leonardo, they'd have to start way back at the very beginning with a treehouse, Morgan, Merlin, Teddy, Kathleen, Dianthus. It would take forever. Well, said Annie.


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[Assistant] One day a long time ago, we were playing in the woods, and we saw Annie. Jack shook his head. Annie frowned. I guess it can't really be explained, she said. Leonardo looked up at the sky. No, no, he said. I think you are right.


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[Assistant] Perhaps some things should remain mysteries and are better kept in our hearts. We should not try to explain them. That's an amazing statement, Jack thought.


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[Assistant] For years I wrote down all my observations of bird flight. I made hundreds of drawings. These things helped me build my flying machine.


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[Assistant] But in the end something was missing, something very important. What? Asked Annie. The spirit of a bird, said Leonardo. A bird is not just a machine, a bird has a spirit.


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[Assistant] And with the two of you, I somehow gained that spirit. If only for a short time, and if only in my imagination, we all became more bird than human. And did the spirit of the bird mend your heart? Annie asked. Leonardo smiled. Yes, my heart is mended now.


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[Assistant] I am ready to leave this dream behind and move on to others, and it does not matter that the world will never know of my great triumph.


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[Assistant] So maybe fame isn't the secret of happiness, said Jack. Absolutely not, said Leonardo. I know that now.


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[Assistant] Jack, Annie, and Leonardo hurried back to the cart and climbed in. Leonardo snapped the reins and the white horse started clopping back toward Florence.


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[Assistant] It was as if they didn't wanna break the spell of joy that had settled over them. Even though Jack was bumping up and down in the cart, he could still remember the feeling of flying smoothly through the sky. He could feel the wind rustling his long feathers.


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[Assistant] The cart passed through a gate in the city walls. As they started through the streets, Annie broke the silence.


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[Assistant] So if fame is not the secret of happiness, she said to Leonardo, then what is? Do you think it could be flying? Leonardo thought for a moment. No, no.


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[Assistant] The secret of happiness cannot be flying, he said. Why not? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] Because flying is a great dream that no one but us will ever realize, said Leonardo. Surely happiness cannot be only for us. True, said Annie. So what do you think the secret is, asked Jack. Hmm, Leonardo was silent. Then he sighed. I must think about it, he said. Jack looked worriedly at the sky. The sun would go down soon and night would come.


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[Assistant] According to their rhyme, they were supposed to leave when the night bird sang its song.


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[Assistant] Uhm, how long do you think it will take you to think about it? Jack asked.


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[Assistant] I do not know, said Leonardo. Right now, all I know is that I must hurry to meet my model. She is already unhappy enough without my being late. Why is she unhappy, asked Annie. She will not say, said Leonardo. Perhaps she is tired of posing for me. For three years, she has been sitting for her portrait. Whoa, that's a really long time, said Annie, especially if you're just sitting. Yes, yes it is, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] I have tried hiring singers, musicians and jokesters to amuse her, but nothing helps. Maybe you shouldn't meet with her today, said Jack.


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[Assistant] The light is perfect today. Late afternoon is the best time for painting a portrait. In my courtyard, when the sunlight is golden and shadows are beginning to fall.


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[Assistant] Shadows were falling as the white horse pulled the cart into Leonardo's courtyard. A young woman was standing by the studio door. Lisa called Leonardo. Hello Leonardo, the woman said.


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[Assistant] She wore a dark gown with a silk cloth over her shoulder. A thin veil covered her long brown hair.


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[Assistant] She had a high forehead and large brown eyes.


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[Assistant] Oddly, she looked like someone Jack knew, but he couldn't remember who. Forgive me Lisa, I am late, said Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Leaping down from the cart, will you wait for me to set up my things? Yes, I will wait, said Lisa. Leonardo hurried inside, and Jack and Annie climbed down from the cart. Hi, we're Annie and Jack, said Annie. The woman smiled at them. I am Lisa, she said. You look familiar to me, said Annie. Really? said Lisa. Are you from Florence?


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[Assistant] No, we're from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, said Annie. It's far away. Lisa smiled again. I like the name of your town, she said.


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[Assistant] So Lisa did smile for other people, thought Jack. He wondered why she wouldn't smile for Leonardo.


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[Assistant] Leonardo came back outside carrying a small canvas, an easel and a paint box.


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[Assistant] In the background was a misty landscape with mountains and winding rivers.


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[Assistant] Leonardo picked up his brush, dipped it into a paint jar, and began to work.


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[Assistant] Many very thin coats over the background, murmured Leonardo.


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[Assistant] This casts a soft green light over everything so it all blends together like smoke and you cannot tell light from shadow. How'd you figure that out? asked Annie.


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[Assistant] I mean, you're always coming up with new ways to do things. How do you do that? I ask questions, said Leonardo. All the time I ask questions.


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[Assistant] The secret of happiness is available to all of us. Every hour, of every day. Young, old, rich, poor. Everyone can choose to find happiness in this way. How? asked Annie. What's the secret?


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[Assistant] She and Jack leaned forward, eager to hear the answer. Curiosity, said Leonardo. Curiosity, repeated Jack. He had curiosity, he had lots of it.


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[Assistant] Always ask questions, said Leonardo. Always try to learn something new. Ask why, when, where, what. Say, I wonder what this means. I wonder how that works. I wonder what this person is like, and that person, and that one. I am always searching for answers to things I do not understand. Me too, said Jack.


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[Assistant] And so I look forward to each new day, each spring and summer and fall and winter and all the months and years ahead. Because there is so much to discover, said Leonardo. Me too, said Annie.


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[Assistant] And I wonder what exactly makes the clouds change shape, said Annie.


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[Assistant] And, and what makes bread crackly on the outside and soft on the inside? asked Jack.


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[Assistant] Are there really just ten types of noses? said Annie. How many kinds of ears are there? said Jack. How many kinds of feet?


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[Assistant] Hands, said Annie. Eyebrows, said Jack.


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[Assistant] Their two voices spilled over each other as they kept calling out questions. And who rings the bells in the bell tower? Why is the sky blue? Where do city birds sleep? And why won't Lisa smile for Leonardo? Asked Annie. Jack and Leonardo looked at Annie. Then they all turned and looked at Lisa. Jack had actually forgotten she was sitting near them. The quiet lovely woman blinked. What? She said, what did you say? Why won't you smile for Leonardo, Lisa?


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[Assistant] Asked Annie, are you mad at him because you've been posing for three years? Lisa's face grew red. She seemed to be fighting tears. She shook her head. Is, is there another reason? Annie asked softly. Lisa looked at Leonardo. He was staring back at her. Yes, she whispered. There is. What is it? Annie asked. I am afraid to smile, said Lisa.


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[Assistant] She kept staring at Leonardo, though she was talking to Annie. If I smile, Leonardo will paint my smile and he will be done with me. He will sell my portrait to my family and never think of me again. There was silence for a moment. Jack and Annie looked at Leonardo. Annie, said Leonardo, finally staring at Lisa. Tell Lisa that if she will smile, I will finish her portrait. But tell her that I will not sell it to her family.


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[Assistant] I will carry it with me wherever I go for the rest of my life and I will never forget her. Lisa, Leonardo says that started Annie, but Lisa stopped her. I heard she said softly, then she smiled.


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[Assistant] A plain brown bird was singing from the rooftop above the courtyard.


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[Assistant] That looks like the bird you let out of the cage, said Jack. It is him, whispered Annie. He is a nightingale, said Leonardo, keeping his eyes on Lisa. A beautiful singer, yes? Annie smiled at Jack. Time to go, she said.


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[Assistant] Remember Morgan's rhyme, help the genius till the night bird sings its song. Right, said Jack sighing. Goodbye, Leonardo. Leonardo didn't seem to hear him. Goodbye, Lisa, said Annie. Lisa turned her eyes to look at Jack and Annie. Bye, she whispered.


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[Assistant] Then Leonardo turned and looked at them too. Yes, goodbye my friends, he said. Come again soon, please. You have been a great help to me today. You helped us too, said Annie. Leonardo bowed to them. Then he turned back to his work.


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[Assistant] He painted Lisa's smile as the nightingale sang on.


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[Assistant] The bird song grew louder and louder until it seemed to fill the Florence night.


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[Assistant] It was twilight when Annie and Jack stepped back out into the street. Where's the tree with the tree house? asked Annie.


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[Assistant] Somewhere over the bridge beyond the big dome, said Jack.


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[Assistant] The cathedral's great doors were open. Jack and Annie could see candles burning inside. Jack and Annie kept walking and soon came to the market.


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[Assistant] The hundreds of tents and stalls were all closed for the night. The square was empty.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie returned the way they had come that morning. Walking down the same narrow lanes, they saw that all the shops were closed now too.


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[Assistant] They crossed the covered bridge and walked along the flowing river past quiet houses where smoke curled from chimneys into the darkening sky.


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[Assistant] Finally Jack and Annie came to the hedge that hid the tree with the treehouse. In the gray light of dusk, they climbed up the rope ladder.


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[Assistant] Before we go home, I want to look something up, said Jack.


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[Assistant] Jack and Annie stared at a picture of Leonardo's painting.


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[Assistant] It looked exactly the same, except now there was a smile on Lisa's face. The same smile they'd just seen in real life. Jack read aloud, Leonardo da Vinci's painting of Mona Lisa is perhaps the most famous painting in the world.


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[Assistant] It is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Del Gioconda. The Italian word Mona means my lady.


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[Assistant] Leonardo da Vinci never sold a portrait of Lisa. He took it with him everywhere he traveled until he died. Jack closed the book. He kept his promise. He said, I knew he would, said Annie. She sighed. Goodbye, Leonardo, she whispered.


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[Assistant] Then she picked up their note from Morgan and pointed at the words Frog Creek. I wish we could go there, she said.


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[Assistant] The wind started to blow. The treehouse started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.


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[Assistant] Sunlight flooded through the treehouse window. No time had passed in Frog Creek.


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[Assistant] The school bell was still ringing, announcing the class would start in 10 minutes.


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[Assistant] He was happy to see the wand of Dianthus. As he pulled out their research book, a piece of paper fell out. It was the sketch of Leonardo's angel.


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[Assistant] Oh I forgot all about this, said Jack. He and Annie looked at the sketch. It shows he was a really good drawer, said Annie. Yep, said Jack.


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[Assistant] And it will remind us about Leonardo's secret of happiness. He was curious about everything, said Annie.


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[Assistant] Angels, noses, birds, feathers, flowers, wolves and spiders, added Jack. Shadows, light, said Annie. Bells, clouds, the moon, said Jack.


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[Assistant] And every time he was unhappy about something, his curiosity seemed to make him happy again, said Annie.


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[Assistant] And will Randy and Jenny be in my class again this year? said Annie.


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[Assistant] I hope so, said Jack. And who's the new librarian, the new music teacher? Yeah, and what kind of noses do they have, said Annie. Jack laughed.


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[Assistant] All the questions about school didn't make him nervous anymore.


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[Assistant] This is Mary Pope Osborne. We hope you have enjoyed this unabridged production of Magic Treehouse Merlin Missions, book number 10, Monday with a Mad Genius. This program was directed by Lewis Milgram, executive producer Orly Moskowitz.


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[Assistant] Text copyright 2007 by Mary Pope Osborne Production copyright 2007 Penguin Random House LLC All rights reserved


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[Assistant] Turn right at the intersection, and go one block, then turn left, go past the bus stop, and you'll see the shopping mall on your left. It's next to the cinema.


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[Assistant] The Scots are going on vacation. They are going to travel by plane. They are packing their bags. Sarah is very excited.


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[Assistant] Mr. Scott is sitting in the aisle seat, Mrs. Scott is sitting in the window seat, and Sarah is sitting in the middle.


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[Assistant] It could be anything that could walk out. The king thought to himself.


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[Assistant] He shook the hand of the old man, agreeing to their deal.


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[Assistant] Finally, making sure the king found his way home.


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[Assistant] As he saw the child, the old man smiled. The king turned around and looked at him as he walked into the forest. My king, you look worried. What is it? Tell me what is troubling you. Are you not happy to be home?


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[Assistant] The king told his queen everything, every little detail that she was unaware of. The queen was shocked by the story, and they both wondered what they would do now.


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[Assistant] The king called upon his minister and asked if there were any children born the same day as his son.


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[Assistant] The minister confirmed that a little girl was born to a peasant couple on the same night as the prince.


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[Assistant] The king spoke to the peasant, explaining everything, knowing it will be a difficult decision for him to make.


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[Assistant] The king promised to take care of the peasant couple forever, if they would make this sacrifice.


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[Assistant] The next morning, the old man stood at the edge of the forest, waiting for the king to arrive.


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[Assistant] Some time had passed and then the gates opened.


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[Assistant] The king strode on his horse towards the old man, looking angrily at him.


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[Assistant] You do not know me, my prince. But I must say this to you. Yes, the king is a good man. He has taken care of his kingdom. But at what cost? At yours? At ours? Ask him about my child, my daughter. The prince was worried.


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[Assistant] He did not know about what the woman was talking about.


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[Assistant] At the dinner table that night, the prince asked his parents about what had happened.


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[Assistant] About the journey into the forest. About the old man.


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[Assistant] A promise and a sacrifice for the glory of the kingdom.


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[Assistant] The prince wandered around for a few days. Tired after a few days, he slept off in the forest. In the dead of the night, he was woken up by a heavy stick.


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[Assistant] The prince woke up both scared and pleased to see the old man. The old man looked the same. He walked with a limp and looked grumpy.


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[Assistant] But, he realized that this boy could be of use to him.


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[Assistant] The old man used magic to blind the prince and guided him through the forest. The prince remembered to drop the seeds though.


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[Assistant] Eventually, they reached the home of the old man.


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[Assistant] The prince agreed as the old man walked away.


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[Assistant] Hours had passed, and then it was dinner time. The prince was asleep as a girl walked towards him. She nudges him twice, then thrice, eventually kicking him.


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[Assistant] It is time to wake, sleepyhead. There is food to be eaten. You will have a lot of work to do tomorrow.


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[Assistant] The girl walked up and down from the kitchen serving the food to them. The prince couldn't stop staring at the girl.


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[Assistant] He was asked to go into the hay field and cut enough hay to feed the horses for a week.


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[Assistant] Otherwise he would not receive food for three days. What task has he given you?


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[Assistant] He tied them together and began riding through the hay field with a large scythe in his hand.


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[Assistant] The old man arrived to see a smiling prince drinking a glass of milk. He raises the glass. The old man looks angrily.


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[Assistant] The prince looked at the sad troll, mustered his courage. He knew what he had to do.


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[Assistant] He dropped his bag, picked up a nearby axe. He breathed troll.


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[Assistant] And together they crept into the window the girl left open. Looking for the wizard.


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[Assistant] Holding his hands up, asking for mercy.


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[Assistant] As they left the old man's home, they found the trail of seeds the prince had left.


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[Assistant] The prince introduced the girl to her parents, and to the king and queen.


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[Assistant] Thanks to Brilliant for supporting this episode of SciShow. Go to Brilliant.org slash SciShow to learn how you can take your STEM skills to the next level.


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[Assistant] The Labrador Sea is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean about twice the size of California. It lies between Canada and Greenland.


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[Assistant] Because it's so remote, you might not have spent a lot of time thinking about this body of water. But this remote sea plays a vital role in marine ecosystems. The Labrador Sea is also known as the Ocean's Lung.


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[Assistant] Thanks to a quirk of ocean currents, this sea is responsible for about half of the oxygen of all deep-sea life in the Atlantic Ocean from the equator northward. And there's some evidence that the ocean's lung


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[Assistant] Might be in a lot of trouble. The Labrador Sea brings oxygen to the deep through what's called density-driven circulation.


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[Assistant] Or the movement of seawater based on its density. Although we often think of the entire ocean as being made of the same seawater, it's actually made of a lot of different parcels of water.


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[Assistant] That might have different densities from each other. And just like oil and water, seawater tends to separate out into layers based on different densities. Less dense seawater naturally rises to the top, while denser seawater sinks to the bottom. Seawater density is dependent on two things, temperature and salinity.


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[Assistant] The warmer a parcel of water is, the less dense it is. And the saltier a parcel of water is, the greater its density.


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[Assistant] Cold, salty water tends to sink, but warm, less salty water rises. The Gulf Stream, which flows along the east coast of North America and into the Labrador Sea, is very salty. But because the Gulf Stream is also warm, its temperature keeps it just light enough to stay at the surface. When that warm water hits the frigid climate of the Labrador Sea, though, it starts to cool.


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[Assistant] And since cold, salty water is extremely dense, it sinks, moving all the way down into the bottom of the ocean. But remember, just before that moment, the water was at the surface, in contact with the atmosphere. It's been absorbing gases from the atmosphere, including oxygen.


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[Assistant] That oxygen stays in the seawater as it sinks, and gets brought down into the deep ocean. About two kilometers down, this seawater hits a mixing zone, which moves it south toward the equator. There, that oxygen is consumed by deep-sea organisms.


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[Assistant] Because the oceans are all connected, it could even make its way to the Pacific and Indian oceans. In fact, it's estimated that the Labrador Sea provides the oxygen for somewhere between half


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[Assistant] To three quarters of all deep sea life in the North Atlantic.


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[Assistant] between the equator and 50 degrees north. And that's only for the oxygen we've been able to trace, half of all the total oxygen that passes through the Labrador Sea. Scientists are still working out what happens to the other half, but it probably also disperses throughout the ocean. We just haven't figured out its route, or where it eventually ends up. So this area is clearly vital to a lot of marine life.


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[Assistant] But there's concern that climate change could affect how water, and thus how oxygen, moves through the Labrador Sea. That's because the Labrador Sea is right next to Greenland, and the Greenland ice sheet is melting. This is important because ice is almost always made up of fresh water. Under normal conditions, when seawater freezes, only fresh water becomes ice.


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[Assistant] The remaining seawater is always saltier, because the same amount of salt is now dissolved in less water. And when they melt, the opposite happens. Fresh water comes back into the ocean, lowering the salinity. Now, remember that salt is one component of density, which is the only reason why that Gulf Stream water sinks in the first place. If that water gets diluted, there's a chance that less of it will sink,


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[Assistant] Which, in turn, will bring less oxygen to the deep sea. This same issue might be affecting more than just the Labrador Sea. Other areas in the world where density-driven circulation happens might also be affected by climate change, including other sources of deep sea oxygen. And remember, carbon dioxide is also a gas, which means it enters the ocean in the same way as oxygen.


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[Assistant] Currents like the one in the Labrador Sea don't just bring oxygen to the deep ocean.


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[Assistant] They also take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and hide it in the deep ocean, where it can't easily escape. While this could be a big issue for deep-sea life, because carbon dioxide also acidifies seawater, currents like this one are one of the reasons why the ocean has been so good at absorbing the carbon dioxide we're putting into the atmosphere. So if systems like this weaken, the ocean could take up less carbon dioxide in the future.


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[Assistant] Meaning global warming happens even faster. We still don't know the extent of these changes, but this could end up having severe consequences for marine life on top of all the other challenges the ocean is facing from other aspects of climate change. But it's important to remember that we can still change things.


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[Assistant] Taking action on climate change can stop a lot of its worst effects from coming to pass, and it can give the ocean a chance to catch its own.


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[Assistant] After this video, why not take a moment to catch your breath and learn something new with Brilliant?


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[Assistant] They've got a new course called Everyday Math, which will help you sharpen the fundamentals of the math you actually want to use in real life.


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[Assistant] From percentages to geometric shapes. As their new most basic math course,


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[Assistant] It also builds a great foundation for the rest of their math content. And like all of their courses, it's super interactive, engaging you the whole way along rather than just asking you to memorize stuff. In addition to math, Brilliant also has a ton of science, engineering, and computer science courses, so you can always find something new to learn.


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[Assistant] To get started, head to Brilliant.org slash SciShow to save 20% off an annual premium subscription to Brilliant.


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[Assistant] The night of the fish. Once upon a time in a far away kingdom, there lived a young man named Ralph.


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[Assistant] Ralph was a nice guy, but he was always very unlucky. He tried his hardest to earn enough money to support himself and his wife. But it was always a struggle.


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[Assistant] Saying that, he removed from his pocket a shiny stone and gave it to Ralph.


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[Assistant] But Tony, remember what? Ralph watched Tony run and disappear behind the trees. He took a look at the stone. It was shiny and purple in color.


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[Assistant] He put the stone in his pocket and sat back down with his fishing rod.


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[Assistant] Ralph thought to himself that if he could make another impossible wish,


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[Assistant] And voila! The fish began to move. It slid underneath Ralph's legs and began hopping toward Pasadena, bearing Ralph on its back like a rider on a horse.


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[Assistant] Ralph began to suspect that the stone just might be a magical one. He rode on.


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[Assistant] The entire village had heard many rumors about the king. King Monaco and his family.


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[Assistant] It is said that the queen was a jolly one and always laughed and cheered wherever she went. The king loved her for this. One day, when the queen suddenly passed away, King Monaco became so sad that he banned laughter in the entire castle.


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[Assistant] Ever since he had banned laughter, Princess Viola, too, stopped laughing. She was beautiful and elegant, but without laughter, she looked lifeless and sad.


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[Assistant] Meanwhile, Princess Viola was leaning out of her bedroom window.


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[Assistant] Soon it was obvious that it was a man riding a giant fish. Princess Viola rubbed her eyes.


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[Assistant] The king got up and went to her room immediately.


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[Assistant] Holding her stomach while she kept laughing, Viola pointed out the window.


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[Assistant] He immediately sent his men to call upon the stranger riding on a fish to the castle.


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[Assistant] King Monaco explained to Ralph everything. Ralph was delighted.


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[Assistant] Ralph smiled. Not only did the king have to give him 50 million gold coins, he also had to let him marry his daughter. That same night, King Monaco visited his daughter Viola to reconfirm his proclamation.


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[Assistant] Ralph and Viola met and fell in love at once. But King Monaco was still less than thrilled about the whole thing. During dinner, the King realized that Ralph and his were incredibly common. The way they ate. The way they dressed. The way they talked.


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[Assistant] And their manners, no refinement, no sophistication. This made him very, very concerned.


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[Assistant] After dinner, he went to see his Prime Minister, Neilman, who was his closest advisor.


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[Assistant] And the next thing he knew, the boat floated in the air and Ralph was going home with a confident grin on his face.


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[Assistant] The next morning, when Ralph was discovered to be missing, Viola was devastated.


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[Assistant] Please find him for I cannot live without him. King Monaco felt ashamed.


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[Assistant] A search was organized at once, but there was no sign of him. King Monaco was now tensed and worried about his daughter.


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[Assistant] Unaware that Ralph was fine, he immediately went to his daughter to confess.


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[Assistant] King Monago, who had just reached to confess everything to his daughter, was shocked to see Ralph alive. Father!


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[Assistant] He gave him and his daughter his blessings. The wedding took place that very day.


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[Assistant] Any man who can make my daughter, Princess Viola, laugh will be awarded 50 million gold coins and Viola's hand in marriage.


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[Assistant] What happened Viola? What amuses you so much?


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[Assistant] You leave me with no choice but to have you married to my beautiful daughter.


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[Assistant] I cannot go back on my word, but I cannot allow my daughter to marry this so-called Knight of the Fish. So I'm leaving it up to you. Stop this wedding from taking place. Do whatever you have to do. Just get me out of this.


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[Assistant] I just didn't think he was good enough for my daughter. But I certainly didn't want to put his life into danger. What is the matter with you?


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[Assistant] Massive vines that blanket the southern United States, climbing as high as a hundred feet as they uproot trees and swallow buildings. A ravenous snake that is capable of devouring an alligator.


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[Assistant] These aren't horror movie concepts. They're real stories. But how could such situations exist in nature?


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[Assistant] Its planting was even subsidized by the government to fight soil erosion. With sunny fields, a mild climate, and no natural predators in its new home, the vine grew uncontrollably until it became known as the plant that ate the South.


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[Assistant] They're successfully out-competing top predators, such as the alligator and panther, causing a significant reduction in their food sources. They're not a problem in their native Asia because diseases, parasites, and predators help to control their population size.


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[Assistant] And in Australia, European rabbits eat so many plants that they wipe out the food supply for themselves and other herbivores. They're a pretty recent addition, intentionally introduced to the continent because one man enjoyed hunting them.


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[Assistant] Healthy ecosystems maintain this balance via limiting factors, environmental conditions that restrict the size or range of a species.


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[Assistant] If the new habitat's limiting factors fail to restrict the species' growth, it will continue to multiply, outcompeting native organisms for resources and disrupting the entire ecosystem.


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[Assistant] Often this happens unintentionally, as when the zebra mussel was accidentally brought to Lake Erie by cargo ships. But as people migrate around the world, we have also deliberately brought our plants and animals along, rarely considering the consequences.


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[Assistant] Well, you are all free, but captain, I could do with someone like you to run the city of Paris? Think about it.


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[Assistant] All he was left with was his little son and his only land left. One evening, he went to his land to relax when he was visited by a dwarf called Mannequin.


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[Assistant] He will reject it when it comes. However, he returns to the attic a few days later and finds the chest full of gold.


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[Assistant] When Heisel thinks of his father and he wishes to see him, he tells of his desire to his queen, who foresees great sorrow if he goes.


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[Assistant] Heisel takes her to the same shore from where he had set sail. He decides to rest on his love's legs.


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[Assistant] He feels he can't go back to his father as he will not believe him. So he decides to walk and find a way back to his family. Far away.


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[Assistant] Three giants were fighting for their inheritance. Three objects. A cloak that makes you invisible.


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[Assistant] He uses his cloak and enters the crowd to realize the queen is marrying another man. He becomes angry. Heisel wearing the cloak reaches the great dining hall with the festivities going on. He decides to teach the queen a lesson.


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[Assistant] The Queen, though in shock, is relieved to see him. However...


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[Assistant] Once upon a time, there was a king named Henry, who was bored of his daily mundane life.


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[Assistant] One day, he handed over the kingdom temporarily to his ministers, got rid of his royal robes, and wore the garb of a commoner.


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[Assistant] After traveling for hours, he was soon tired and decided to rest under an apple tree.


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[Assistant] Unaware that a poisonous snake resided there.


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[Assistant] The ogre invited him for a game of dice. On entering.


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[Assistant] And thus began an intense game of dice.


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[Assistant] Looking at the beautiful maidens, Henry was initially tempted to marry one of them. But he remembered the words of the wizard.


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[Assistant] Confused, the ogre nodded, and Henry held Elsie's hands.


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[Assistant] He has a shaggy brown horse in the stable of his mansion. Get me that horse.


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[Assistant] Henry's ego came crashing down as he was defeated by the ogre.


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[Assistant] With his head hung low, Henry nodded, and went back to his kingdom.


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[Assistant] The kingdom rejoiced, and Henry had forgotten the promise he made to the wicked ogre.


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[Assistant] I have missed you both. We missed you too.


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[Assistant] Henry returned to the palace with Elsie and his son and ordered the guards to capture the ogre. The ogre was arrested and put behind bars. All the maidens in his mansion were freed from the ogre.


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[Assistant] Thanks to Linode Cloud Computing for supporting this episode of SciShow. Go to Linode.com slash SciShow to learn more and to get a $100 60-day credit on a new Linode account.


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[Assistant] It's just that there are so many mosquitoes around that even the rare blood meal is still too many for our liking.


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[Assistant] It's not until after they've jabbed someone with their proboscis for their favorite drink that changes in their hormones trigger the VG2 genes to create its egg-inducing proteins. So not only is vitellogenin vital for egg production, but mosquito feeding behaviors appear to directly depend on whether these genes are switched on or off. This research also found that the expected wave of vitellogenin seen after a blood meal was also observed after days of sugar feeding. And most importantly, females with access to sugary liquid were much less interested in human health.


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[Assistant] Sure, we might be able to trick these bloodsuckers into eating more sugar so they don't even want our blood. And better yet, we may be able to find a way to control vitellogenin in order to quiet down the urge to drink blood in the first place.


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[Assistant] Without all the sugary bribery. But while it's too early to know what that might look like, new mosquito control strategies may emerge thanks to this research, using new methods that don't focus on killing them, but simply reduce their biting urges. And who knows, maybe soon enough we'll put away all the citronella candles and replace them with tiny mosquito-sized versions of hummingbirds.


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[Assistant] Thanks for watching this episode of SciShow. It took a lot of people a lot of time to put together, so it would have been pretty disappointing if we had lost any of the footage or drafts before uploading it. And that's where today's sponsor, Linode Cloud Computing, comes in handy. Because we've all been there, you put in the effort to finish something, and then you lose it all because it wasn't backed up. Linode can help you protect your work with redundant backups on your very own server. Every day, every week, or every other week, Linode will backup all your stuff on the cloud


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[Assistant] That link will give you a $100 60-day credit on a new Linode account, and thank you to Linode for supporting this video.


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[Assistant] So, uh, I'd like to pick up again on, uh,


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[Assistant] On this neat family of matrices, circular matrices, but first,


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[Assistant] Uh, let me say here and then put on the web my thought about the projects.


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[Assistant] I think the last deadline I can give is the final class. So I think that's not next week, but Wednesday of the following week, I think is our last class meeting. So it would be great to get them then or earlier. And if anybody or everybody would like to, uh, tell the class a little bit about their project,


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[Assistant] You know, it's a friendly audience and, uh, and I'd be happy to make space and time for that, so.


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[Assistant] So send me an email if you, and give me the project earlier, if you would like to just say a few words in class. Or even if you are willing to say a few words in class, I'll say. Yeah, because I realize, yeah. Okay.


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[Assistant] So, other questions about, so, so we're finished with all p sets and so on. So it's really just the project, and yeaah.


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[Assistant] How is it graded? Good question. But it's going to be me, I guess. So I'll read all the projects and come up with a grade somehow. I hope you guys have understood that my feeling is that grades in this course are going to be on the high side because they should be.


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[Assistant] Yeah, I think it's a, it's that kind of a course, and I'm asked you for, to do a fair amount, and uh, anyway, that's my starting basis.


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[Assistant] And there's a lot of topics like circular matrices that I'm not going to be able to give you a piece set about. But I, of course, these are closely connected.


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[Assistant] To the discrete Fourier transform. So let me just write that.


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[Assistant] The name of the great man, Fourier. Uh, so the discrete Fourier transform is, as you know, a very, very important algorithm in, uh, in, uh,


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[Assistant] Engineering and then mathematics everywhere. Fourier is just the...


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[Assistant] So I think it's just good to know about those. So circulant matrices are connected with the, with the finite, uh,


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[Assistant] Size matrices. Matrices of size n. So our circular matrices will be n by n.


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[Assistant] So this is a key point about these matrices, C, that they're defined by not N squared entries, only N. If you tell me just the first


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[Assistant] Rho of the matrix, and that's all you would tell Matlab. Say c0, c1, c2, cn-1.