Twenty-Six:

"We keeps that darling baby in the workshop, Your Majesty," said Lulu Belle, as the coupon fairies escorted Spot, Brian, and Mimbleshaw. "Arthur guards the door to the baby."

"Arthur doesn't sound like a very formidable name," said Brian. "Even by fairy standards." Brian discovered Arthur was a full-grown grizzly bear.

"Drastic problems call for drastic measures," said Mimbleshaw. He handed Brian a walnut and a nutcracker.

"Walnuts are high in nutritious oils called omega-3 fatty acids." Brian, Spot, and Mimbleshaw ate the walnut in front of Arthur.

"Be generous, Human," said Mimbleshaw. "Give Arthur some." Mimbleshaw nudged Brian, who stumbled and placed the walnut shells into Arthur's mouth.

"What's the big idea feeding me the shells?" said Arthur.

"He gave you the best part of the walnut," said Mimbleshaw. "The joys of life are wasted on you, Arthur."

"Well why doesn't he try to eat the shells himself?" said Arthur.

"Not after they've been in another mouth," said Brian. "That's not hygienic."

"Well if not the shells," said Spot, "how about the bear claws then?"

"Me eat bear claws?" said Brian.

"Yes," said Arthur. "If the shells are such a delicacy, my claws should taste fine."

"Just clip the claws and eat them," said Spot.

"Fortunately, this workshop has a vise to hold steady your razor-sharp claws," said Mimbleshaw. "Razor-sharp claws that can shred little boys. Like tissue-paper damp with spill."

"Now they are steady," said Spot. "How do we clip the claws?"

"Perhaps we will find clippers for Arthur behind this other door," said Mimbleshaw.

"You're not supposed to go in there," said Arthur.

"An egg," said Brian. "All we found in that room was an egg."

"Well, we couldn't leave it in that room a baby," said Lulu Belle. "That would be cruel. I reckon you'll have to ask that spooky old ghost that haunts the mill to turn that egg back to a baby. If he feels like it, that is. He weren't all that friendly when we asked him to turn the baby into an egg in the first place."