Once Upon a Marigold
Ferris
Part One, Chapter 1
What things did Edric find in the forest in one day? A ring, a collapsible telescope, a
book of Greek myths, a leather jerkin, a flask with some contents
What were Edric’s dogs’ names? Bub (Beelzebub) and Cate (Hecate)
What did Edric’s dogs find hiding in the bushes? A little boy
Which two kings had kingdoms that bordered one another? King Swithbert and King
Beaufort
Who was Swithbert’s gamekeeper? Hayes Centaur
Who was King Beaufort’s gamekeeper? Claypool Sasquatch
What did the gamekeepers keep their eyes out for? Squirrel poachers
What did the little boy tell Ed his name was? Christian
How old was Christian? 6
Why did Christian say he was almost as tall as Ed? Ed’s a troll
What does Ed always say for emphasis? Idioms that are twisted (for example, I’m
beating my head against a dead horse, let’s get this show on the ball)
Which of Ed’s dogs would get a sick headache from having to act brave? Bub
Where did Ed live? In a cave
Why was Christian so fascinated with Ed’s cave? Each of the cave rooms was a different
colored crystal
Why did Ed take Christian back to his cave? The little boy told him he was going to not
ever go back to his family – too many rules, had to be too clean, couldn’t make a mess,
and he was an inventor and inventing was messy
How long do trolls have to live in caves? At least 100 years
How long had Ed been in his cave? 117 years
What did Ed make a bed out of for Christian? Furs in the blue crystal room
“You can throw that stupid velvet suit away.” Christian to Ed his first night in the cave
“Imperious little son of a gun, acting like some big cheese in a small pond, expecting me
to pick up after him like I was his servant.” Ed about Christian
When Ed was folding Christian’s little blue outfit, what did he find in the pocket? A
golden charm on a gold chain with a bird on it
Where did Ed stash Christian’s little blue outfit? In a picnic hamper
Chapter 2
How did Christian get Ed to keep him? He threatened to tell that Ed had kidnapped him
What was one of the ideas Christian had? People shouldn’t have children unless they
wanted them, people should be nice to each other and share what they have with people
who need things, everybody should have six hugs a day
What was Ed’s important campaign? To bust Mab’s monopoly
Who is Queen Mab? The tooth fairy
How did Ed refer to the tooth fairy? As the tooth tyrant
Chapter 3
Because Christian could already read and write, how was he going to help Ed? He could
write letter to the other members of the LEFT
What does LEFT mean? Leprechauns, Elves, Fairies, and Trolls Association
What was the ODD medal? Outstanding Distinguished Deed
How did Christian like to spend his time? Making contraptions and looking through the
telescope at King Swithbert’s castle
The King’s family was Queen Olympia and four daughters
What was Christian’s fairy birth-gift? Good luck
What tricks had Christian taught Bub and Cate? To clear the dinner table and sing in
harmony
How was Ed going to be a good parent? By reading a book of etiquette
Part Two chapter 1 – eleven years later
In the past years, what were some of Christian’s inventions? An elevator to bring water
up the bluff to the cave from the river, the boomerang arrows that came back to him if he
missed his target
Who were Ed and Christian’s carrier pigeons? Walter and Carrie
What was Chris’s favorite inventions for a time? A bigger, better telescope
Where was Mab keeping teeth she had collected? In a storeroom where theycrumbled
If Ed had his way, what would he use teeth for? To build a palace
What were some of the goings on at the castle that Christian observed through the
telescope? The triplets wedding, how the dark haired sister liked reading and plants, and
how people had stopped touching her
How did Christian send his note to the princess on the terrace? Via Walter
When the first message came back, what did Christian learn about the princess? She was
reading Greek myths and her was Marigold
Chapter 2
Which of the Greek myths was Christian’s favorite? Jason and the Argonauts
As the princess wrote a return note, what did she give to Walter? Grain
When Marigold asked Christian about Andromeda, what did Christian wonder? If
Marigold felt she was being sacrificed to her mother’s vanity
What did Christian called the kind of corresponding he was doing with Marigold? P-mail
How was Christian able to send longer p-mails? Using both birds and 4 cylinders
Why was Marigold so taken with Perseus and Andromeda? They knew great love, they
were each others companions and best friends and bulwarks
What is a bulwark? A defensive wall or any safeguard or defense, anything that protects
or shelters
“When I have to do something I hate, I whistle. Then at least my mouth is happy.”
Christian to Marigold via p-mail
Because of Marigold’s punishment (playing the harpsichord for three hours straight) for
whistling to get rid of a suitor, what invention did Christian make to see if he could hear
from across the river? An ear trumpet
Chapter 3
How did Christian refer to Ed? As his foster father
How many lines of writing could each cylinder hold? 3
What was Marigold’s fairy birth-gift turned curse? Sensitivity to the thoughts and
feelings of others
Why did Marigold think it would be safe to have Christian as her best friend? They
would never touch
When Marigold pledged her friendship to Christian, with what did she seal it? A
diamond earring
What did Christian send to Marigold as a seal of their friendship? A crystal from the
ceiling in his bedroom
Who is the only person that touches Marigold? Her father
What was the first time that Christian had felt the affection in Ed’s touch? When they
encountered Mab in the forest and Ed called him his boy
What kind of p-mail did Marigold send Christian at least once a week? A joke
Example: Can the Three Little Pigs keep a secret? No, they squeal
Where did Marigold get most of her jokes? From the boy who tended the unicorns
Have your eyes ever been checked? No. They’ve always been brown. This was funny
because the teller, Claypool, had checkered eyes!
“If Minnehaha married Santa Claus, she would be known as Minnehaha Hoho.” A joke
What was the only joke they both liked? Can you get fur from a skunk? Yes, as fur as
possible
What were some of the things Christian and Marigold had in common? Watching sunsets
and sunrises, reading
What were some of the things that were totally Marigold? She missed her sisters, her
three little dogs were the best listeners in the whole castle, that Fenleigh was her mother’s
pet ferret, she worried about her father’s health, she made perfumes from flowers she
grew, she’d been forgotten by the Tooth Fairy more than once, she wanted to live in place
where there weren’t so many rules, she was curious about everything
Chapter 4
What was one of Bub and Cate’s favorite treats? Squirrel knuckles
After visiting with Christian in the forest, what did Hayes Centaur give him? A couple of
rabbits and some squirrel knuckles.
Why did Hayes ask Christian about coming to the castle? To get a steady job\
Who did Christian need to talk with about a job once at the castle? Mrs. Clover, the
housekeeper
What did Christian and Ed agree upon as far as striking out and finding a social life?
Christian could always come home if it didn’t work out
Chapter 5
How was Christian going to cross the river to the castle? The Cyclops would ferry him
Once aboard the ferry, how did Christian distract himself from the wild barking and
howling of the dogs he’s left behind? Designing a new pulley system for the Cyclopes
Who was the rude giant guard at the front door of the castle? Rollo
Who rescued Christian from Rollo’s meanness? Hayes Centaur
What would be Chris’s pay for working in the castle? All meals, sleeping in the stables,
and one silver piece a week
Who were Princess Marigold’s two suitors for the evening meal? Prince Cyprian and Sir
Magnus
Who was the head butler that would train Christian? Sedgewick
Chapter 6
When Prince Cyprian deliberately dropped a piece of meat onto Sir Magnus’s toe, what
did the little dog do? Bit him and kicked the dog across the room
Who was first to rescue the downed puppy? Christian
Why was Marigold so attached to the puppies? She’d raised them since their mother died
Chapter 7
What was Christian repairing that he thought he make even better? The butter churn
Where did the blacksmith keep his invention failures? In the dungeon
Who was the scullery maid that loved Christian’s invention and got him in trouble with
Rollo? Meg
What was Chris’s next job assigned by Sedgewick? To repair the terrace wall
What are Princess Marigold’s dogs’ names? Topsy, Flopsy, Mopsy
“I guess that’s the last we’ll be seeing of him guys. I should have been a better parent.”
Edric to the dogs
Chapter 8
“With you for its mother, it would have all the right qualities.” Christian to Marigold
about being a mother
Why did Christian think Magnus grabbed the princess’s hand and kissed it? That his
head was empty and there were too few thoughts to read
What did Meg do that caused Rollo to draw his sword on Christian? She kissed Chris
Chapter 9
What did Sedgewick warn Christian about? Meg being Rollo’s girl and having an eye for
all the lads
What did Christian soon find out abut the etiquette book? It didn’t solve all problems
What did Christian overhear Olympia saying to her ferret? That she was going to kill the
king and Marigold
What was in the closet that hid Christian from Olympia? Suits of armor
Which of the Greek gods did Prince Cyprian remind Marigold of? Narcissus
Chapter 10
What did Prince Cyprian call Marigold? Geranium
Why did Prince Cyprian decide to withdraw his offer to marry Marigold? King Swithbert
called his bluff regarding a larger dowry
What is snipsnapsnorum? A card game
If Marigold was queen, what would be some of the things she’d do? Make sure everyone
had enough to eat and a place to live, and everyone would read and have good manners
and do the right amount of work
What did Christian add to Marigold’s list of things to do if she were ruler? Reward good
deeds
What made Christian’s heartbeat stutter and imagine a tiny tear in a corner of his heart?
Holding Marigold, hugging her
Chapter 11
When the princess finally left, how did Ed tell Christian that what he was doing was
insane? P-mail
Who was keeping track of the pigeons flying back and forth across the river? Rollo
What was Marigold’s full name? Marigold Felicity January Pearl
After announcing the wedding of Marigold to Sir Magnus, when did the Queen say the
ceremony would take place? 3 days
Chapter 12
What did Christian tell Marigold that she wasn’t really surprised about? That she was
planning a fatal accident for Marigold and her father
When did Marigold know for sure she was talking with Christian? When she leaned her
head against his heart
When he finally told Marigold his real name, what was she glad it wasn’t? Chauncey
Why did Marigold think he was Christian? He had been her bulwark
When is the only time Marigold’s mind reading abilities work? When she’s unhappy
What was the first thought Marigold had read? When her mother thought I wish you’d
never been born
Why did Rollo arrest Christian? He said for mauling the princess and that he was
planning an invasion of the castle
Why did Rollo think Christian was a traitor? He saw him sending the p-mails back and
forth across the river
Chapter 13 –
What was Christian’s dungeon cell half full of? Junk from the blacksmith’s inventions
What does Marigold suspect that her mother has been doing to her father to make him so
dotty? Drugging him
“The only way I could get out of here would be if I had wings.” Marigold to Christian in
the dungeon
Who or what had been tossed into the dungeon with Christian? Ed and the dogs
How did Christian describe Magnus to Ed? As an oaf, a brainless boob
When did Ed feel the tear in the corner of his heart? Every year at the LEFT conference
when he saw the red-haired troll maiden
Chapter 14 –
“Enough. I’ve stood here long enough while you’ve treated me like a pincushion. This
dress is getting even uglier and I can’t stand to wear it for one more instant.” Marigold to
everyone making her wedding dress
Who besides Christian had ever called Marigold Precious? Her father
How did Marigold figure out the truth about her mother’s intentions? She grabbed her
hands.
How did Marigold’s mother get her to cooperate? She locked her in the dungeon too
Chapter 15 –
How did Marigold help Christian with his contraption even though they couldn’t see each
other? He described the pieces of junk and she suggested how to put them together
After reviewing how things move, what did Marigold suggest they use for power for
Christian’s contraption? The dogs
What was dieing in the king’s chamber as a result of pouring out the poison onto it? The
potted frankincense tree
Who was the king’s valet? Denby
Who told the king that Marigold had been put into the dungeon by the queen? Denby
Chapter 16 –
Who broke Marigold out of the dungeon? The king
Chapter 17 –
Rollo and his soldiers ransacked Ed’s cave. They didn’t find any weapons but what did
Rollo find? The hamper with the little blue velvet outfit
Who are Marigold’s sisters? Calista, Tatiana, and Eve
When the three older girls showed Olympia their wedding attire, what did she say to
them? They all looked lovely but…
Eve and Calista were married to twin brothers who were heirs to what kingdom?
Zandelphia
What kingdom was Tatiana queen of? Middle Sanibar
Chapter 18 –
Why did the triplets go to visit their father before the wedding? They were planning a
mutiny against their mother
How did King Swithbert hide the four girls when Olympia came to give him the poison?
In his dressing room
Why couldn’t Denby open the king’s door? The queen had locked it from the outside
How had the queen known the girls were with their father? They left the scarf, tiara and
sash on the chairs
Chapter 19 How did Christian and Ed open the dungeon door? With Inflamium
What did Christian use for tender to get the fire going necessary to ignite the Inflamium?
Fur from Bub and Cate
Chapter 20 –
What was the new tradition that Olympia was going to start at Marigold’s wedding?
Both parents walking the bride down the isle.
Why did the wedding guests scramble during the ceremony? Christian appeared in his
mechanical flying machine
What was powering the flying machine? Bub and Cate
“You said the only way you could get out of here is if you had wings! I’ve come to get
you and take you away!” Christian to Marigold
What did Rollo call Ed? A murderer
What happened to Christian as the flying machine came up over the parapet to the
terrace? He was shot with an arrow
Why did Rollo say Ed was a murderer? He had found the clothes that belonged to the
older brother of Princes Harry and Teddy
What identified the clothing as those of a prince? The pendant in the pocket
What did the phoenix indicate? Royalty of the kingdom of Zandelphia
Who verified the fact that Christian had been found in forest and lived with Ed? Queen
Mab
Chapter 21 –
Why didn’t Olympia want the doctor to pull out the arrow in Christian’s chest? It might
have poison on it
What happened as the doctor pulled out the arrow? Christian and Marigold both
screamed in agony at the same time.
In her anguish at Christian’s misery, what did Marigold do? Pressed her hands onto his
wound
What happened as a result of Marigold putting her hands on Christian’s chest? The
wound disappeared
Where did the doctor say he was going to write that information? In the Medical
Association Journal
Where was Christian taker after the arrow was removed? The Green Suite
When Marigold pressed her hands on Christian’s wound to take his pain, what happened?
She lost her curse
Chapter 22 How did Edric refer to the King? As Bert
Why was Christian so amazed when Marigold’s sisters came in to get them ready to be
married? He didn’t know he was a prince
What was Marigold’s favorite time of day? Twilight
Both Marigold and Christian’s birthdays were April 19, the fire sign
When Olympia saw that Christian and Marigold were about to be married, she advanced
on them in a rage. The dogs began barking and yipping and what happened? She fell
over the terrace wall into the river
When Rollo went to search for the queen, what was the only thing he and his men found?
A shoe
What was the secret that Mrs. Clover shared with the king? The Olympia was not there
mother
“I’m the one who loved you all from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and who walked
the floor with you when you were sick and played games with you and taught you to ride
and shoot and cheat at cards. What else make somebody a father?” King Swithbert
What did Christian say after King Swithbert made his fatherly proclamation? That Ed
was his father
“Start now. Be better now. If you could have done better before, you would have. But
now that you have your act on the ball, you can do better. So start now.” Ed to the king
Epilogue –
One year later –
Marigold was making fragrances for everyone in Zandelphia and Beaurivage
Magnus was building a manor and was selling maps to Queen Mab and Tooth Troll
Limited
All the local kingdoms were linked by p-mail
Christian was king of Zandelphia
King Swithbert had added baby teeth as building material to his castle
Christian had created a bridge to cross the river (a suspension bridge) It’s purpose was to
link Zandelphia and Beaurivage in friendship
Christian and Marigold lived in the cave-castle
The blacksmith had been knighted because he left his failed flying machine in the
dungeon
“As long as we’re with each other, we know we’re in exactly the right place.” Christian
and Marigold to each other
Christian and Marigold started many new traditions – watching the sun rise in their pj’s,
eating vegetarian, wearing a single diamond earring, and using part of their residence as a
home for unwanted children
One trend Christian hoped would die out was Marigold’s awful jokes.
Ed hooked up with Wendolyn, the red-haired troll
Ed received the ODD medal
The story ends with a woman who had been fished from the river one year previous, had
regained her memory. Carpe Diem Ever After