I Level
Castle of Liars
The Strange Carriage
One morning, Dinas woke up late. After breakfast, he went outside.
His mum said, “Don’t go into the street.”
“I will stay outside the house. Really, really!” said Dinas.
But Dinas ran into the street. He walked into a small street he had never seen before. It was very quiet.
Then he saw a strange carriage. It had no horses. It had a motor and big wheels.
The carriage stopped. A man jumped out. He wore a long purple coat and a big orange hat. He had a big mouth.
“Good morning, Dinas,” said the man.
“How do you know my name?” asked Dinas.
“Oh, I know you,” said the man. “Who broke your trousers?”
“A naughty boy did it! Really, really!” said Dinas.
The man took Dinas and put him in the carriage.
They rode for a long time.
“Where are we going?” Dinas asked.
“To buy sugar in the town,” said the man. “Really, really!”
Dinas looked outside. They were not in town. They were in a forest.
In the Castle
The carriage stopped. Dinas got out. He saw a big castle.
On the gate, he saw the words: CASTLE OF LIARS.
Inside the castle, everything looked rich.
There were soft carpets, pretty curtains, and lights with many colours.
Dinas walked and fell. He looked down. The carpet had a hole.
He touched it. It was not real! It was made of paper.
He touched the curtains. They were made of candy!
In another room, eight boys were sitting.
All the boys wore the same clothes:
– One trouser leg was wide, the other was tight.
– One jacket sleeve was long, the other was short.
– One shoe was big, the other was small.
– All the boys had red hats.
The man gave Dinas the same clothes. Dinas did not want to change, but he did.
He did not wear the hat.
“Now he is a good man!” said the boys.
The King of Liars
The King of Liars sat on a big chair.
He was fat and had a wrinkled nose.
On his head was a red paper crown. The crown looked like many tongues.
The King said:
“Not today, not tonight, no bad people will come from that land.”
Dinas listened. He understood:
The King says everything backwards!
II level
Mysterious Carriage
That morning, Dinas woke up late. After breakfast, he went outside.
“Don’t go into the street,” his mother said.
“Oh no, I will stay near the house. Really, really!” said Dinas.
But when he went out, he ran down the street. He found a small street he had never seen before. It was very quiet. An old street lamp was above him.
Then Dinas saw a strange carriage coming. It had no horses. It had a motor and big wheels. The carriage stopped next to Dinas. A blue door opened, and a man in a long purple coat and big orange hat jumped out. You could only see his big mouth.
“Good morning, Dinas,” said the man.
“How do you know my name?” asked Dinas.
“Oh, I know you well,” said the man. “Where did you tear your trousers?”
“A naughty child tore my trousers. Really, really!” said Dinas.
The man picked up Dinas and put him in the carriage. They rode for a long time.
“Where are we going?” asked Dinas.
“To buy sugar. The shop is in the middle of town. Really, really!” said the man.
Dinas looked out the window. They were not in town anymore. They were in a forest.
In the Castle
Dinas got out of the carriage. In front of him was a tall castle. On the gate, it said: CASTLE OF LIARS.
Everything looked rich and beautiful. The floor had soft carpets. The windows had lovely curtains. The lights were many colours.
Dinas walked and fell a little. He looked down and saw a hole in the carpet. He touched it. The carpet was not real – it was made of paper! He touched the curtains. They were made of candy!
“Let’s go,” said the man.
They went into a big room. Eight boys were sitting there. They all wore the same strange clothes: one trouser leg was wide, one was narrow; one jacket sleeve was short, one was long; one shoe was pointed, one was round. They all had red hats.
The man gave Dinas the same clothes. Dinas didn’t want to change, but he did. He did not wear the red hat.
“Now he is a good man!” said the boys. They stood around Dinas in a circle. Then they shouted, “To the lord! To the lord!”
The King of Liars
On a big chair sat the King of Liars. He was a fat boy with a funny nose. On his head was a crown made of red and gold paper tongues.
The King looked at the children. He raised his hand and said:
“Not today, not tonight, no visitors will come from far away. Let’s not get ready for them.”
Dinas listened and thought: “He is saying everything the wrong way. Backwards!”
III level
Some guests came to the castle. They said nice things about the king, the castle, and the park. When they were about to leave, Dinas ran to them and whispered, “Everything here is fake! Even the food is not real. This is the Castle of Liars. Please take me with you.”
The guests were happy Dinas told them the truth. They agreed to take him back to his mother.
Soon, the boy was in the carriage again, going away from the castle. But when they stopped and asked him to get out, Dinas looked around and couldn’t believe it.
He was standing next to the Castle of Liars again!
