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Once upon a time, in a small village tucked against the edge of a great forest, there lived a boy named Timmy. Timmy loved dinosaurs. He loved all of them, but most of all he loved the Ankylosaurus, with its heavy armour plates and the enormous bony club on the end of its tail. His room showed it. There were dinosaur books stacked three deep on the shelf, dinosaur models lined up along the windowsill in careful order of size, and posters covering so much of the wall that you could barely tell what colour the paint underneath was. Timmy would spend whole afternoons lying on his floor, imagining himself striding out on adventures beside those ancient giants. ...

Once upon a time, deep under the sparkling blue sea, the fish were having a terrible argument. “I’m the fastest swimmer!” shouted the mackerel. “Nonsense, it’s me!” boasted the tuna. “You’re both wrong, it’s clearly me!” barked the swordfish. The argument grew so loud that even the crabs scuttled away and the shrimps covered their ears. Finally, an old wise turtle swam into the crowd. “Enough of this nonsense!” he declared. “If you want to know who is fastest, then we shall have a race, a proper one, around the big island. Whoever wins shall be crowned the swiftest fish in the sea.” ...

Once upon a time, in the depths of the ocean, there lived a group of small, fierce sharks called the Little White Sharks. They were about half the size of the Great White Sharks, but they had the same sharp teeth and powerful tails. One day, Poseidon, the King of the Sea, announced that he had lost his most precious treasure: a golden ring. Unlike the treasures of kings and queens on land, Poseidon’s ring was simple in design, no pearls, no diamonds, just pure glowing gold. But it was powerful, for it held the magic that kept the ocean’s waters calm and peaceful. ...

A long, long time ago, when sailors still sailed wooden ships across deep, unknown oceans, there were many things they didn’t understand about the sea. The waves were wild, storms came without warning: CRASH! BOOM! SPLASH! And the creatures below the surface were mysterious and strange. One day, a crew of sailors was out at sea when they spotted something unusual near their boat. A creature with long, wiggly arms drifted beneath the water. ...

Once upon a time, deep in a wild green forest, there lived a very clever fox named Foxster. Foxster was proud of a great many things — his sharp teeth, his quick paws, his bright eyes. But what he loved best of all was his magnificent, bushy red tail. He brushed it every morning and fluffed it out every night before he slept. One dark evening, while Foxster was creeping round a farmer’s chicken coop in search of a midnight snack, he stepped on something hard. ...

It happened that a cat met a fox in a forest. Earlier that day, the fox had just tricked and eaten the Gingerbread Man. The fox was feeling particularly pleased with himself, as the Gingerbread Man had boasted about his speed and thought he could outrun anyone. The fox, however, had used his cleverness to outwit the Gingerbread Man, convincing him to climb onto his nose to cross a river, and then snapping him up in one bite. The fox was now full and even more arrogant than usual, strolling proudly through the forest. ...

Once upon a time, in the rolling green foothills of the Great Crag Mountains, there lived a bull named Buster. Buster was a magnificent animal — broad-shouldered, with horns like polished ivory and a coat the colour of rich mahogany. Most creatures in the valley gave him a wide berth, not because he was unkind, but because he was simply a force of nature. Even the strongest bull, however, has one thing he fears. For Buster, that thing was Leo the lion. ...

Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a green, whispering forest, there lived a very big and very soft brown bear named Barnaby. Barnaby loved a great many things — long afternoon naps, scratching his back against rough tree bark, and rolling in soft autumn leaves. But there was one thing he loved more than anything else in the wide world: berries. On this particular afternoon, Barnaby’s tummy was rumbling like a thundercloud. Rumble, bumble, roar! ...

Once upon a time, in a bright and busy coral reef, there lived a little fish named Reek. Reek was small and brilliant blue, with a big heart — and an even bigger fear of the shark gang that prowled the deeper water. The gang was led by a shark called Scar, famous for his teeth and for the way the water seemed to go quiet whenever he passed. The mere mention of Scar’s name was enough to set Reek trembling from nose to tail. ...

The door creaked softly as Lila stepped inside the old mirror shop. The air smelled of time: dust and lavender, wood and something faintly magical. Moonlight slanted through the window, casting silvery streaks across the floor. The mirrors stood where they always had, silent and watchful. She walked slowly past each one, her fingers brushing their frames, until she reached the tall mirror at the back, the one with stars and moons carved into its border. ...