Panda Panic by Jamie Rix Read Free Book Online

reserve, so there was absolutely no chance of meeting an Emperor, but Ping didn’t know that. As far as Ping was concerned, if his lie was not to be exposed, he had to keep Little Bear believing that the Emperor might appear at any moment.
    â€œThis way,” he said breezily. “And don’t forget your manners.”

    The sun was still dropping in the west as Ping and Little Bear walked up the street toward the square. This meant that their shadows were huge—they spread up the road in front of them and fell across the path of a small boy who was running home. As their shadows plunged his world into darkness, he stopped running and screamed.

    â€œGiant bears! Run for your lives! The giant bears have come!” And bursting into tears he ran wailing into the nearest house.
    At first Ping looked surprised, but then noticing that Little Bear was watching him for a reaction, said, “You see? They know who I am and run in terror before me!”
    Little Bear shook his head in disagreement.
    â€œI think he saw our big shadows on the ground and thought that we were both big,” he said. “What a silly boy. We’re not giants, we’re just little cubs.”
    Of course! thought Ping. That’s why Little Bear’s shadow had looked so big and scary in the woods before .
    Ping could not believe that he had been such a fool. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know that when the sun was low in the sky it made shadows larger. After all, his mother had always told him that a shadow is only as frightening as the mind that imagined the shadow-maker . And she was right. Ping had a very active imagination and had envisioned giant snow leopards where none had ever existed.
    No longer scared, Ping renewed his efforts to convince Little Bear that he really was a bodyguard.
    â€œShall I let you in on a secret?” he asked.
    Little Bear loved secrets almost as much as a clawful of honey.
    â€œWhen our long shadows fell across that boy’s path—I planned that,” said Ping.
    â€œDid you?” gasped Little Bear. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? That’s so embarrassing. There was me telling you about the sun and long shadows on the ground and you knew all along.”
    Ping smiled and continued bluffing.
    â€œI’m afraid I did,” he said. “As the Emperor’s bodyguard it’s important that I keep the people a tiny bit afraid of me so that they don’t get any ideas about attacking the Emperor.”
    â€œThat’s brilliant,” said Little Bear.
    â€œAs my mother always says,” said Ping, “ a wise bear fights with his brain as well as his body .”
    â€œI’d like to meet your mother,” said Little Bear.
    â€œOne thing at a time,” chuckled Ping. “Let’s see if we can find the Emperor first.”
    As they walked into the village, Little Bear swung his hips like a cowboy and narrowed his eyes to make himself look mean.
    â€œI’m going to enjoy being a bodyguard!” he growled under his breath.
    The villagers must have heard him, because suddenly they all fled, shouting out, “We’ll be back with reinforcements!”
    â€œWhat are reinforcements?” asked Little Bear.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Ping. “It sounds like something to hold up your pants. Where are you going?”
    Little Bear had spotted something in the square.
    â€œLook!” he cried, running up to the unmanned market stands, which were laden with fruit, vegetables, and meat, fine clothes embroidered with silver thread, and glittering trinkets studded with semi-precious stones. “It’s just like you said the palace would be!”
    â€œGifts from the Emperor!” explained Ping, unable to believe his luck. Wherever they were, this place was backing up his story nicely.
    Little Bear was hungry and clambered up onto one of the food stands. He sat down, grabbed some fruit, and started to eat