Harriet looked up as she heard the flapping sounds. Out of the rainbow above her head a silvery-white animal like a horse but with wings sprouting out of its shoulder blades came flying. Its wings had feathers in soft shades of all seven of the colours of the rainbow. There was a succession of thumping sounds as each of its hooves hit the chamomile lawn. "Harriet!". She heard the sound of her own name out of the mouth of the flying horse. Her eyes became wide with fright. She didn't know whether to approach the animal or to run away as fast as her 10 year old legs could carry her. Making up her mind, she started to take small steps in her black takkies towards the animal. "H-h-how do you know my name?" came out of her mouth in a hoarse whisper, followed by "And who are you?" "My name is Strider," the animal said "and my grandmare Anna told me about you, all about you." Harriet got very angry at hearing this. "Why? And who is she to tell all and sundry all about me?" "My grandmare Anna is a Member of the Magical Parliament whose job it is to keep track of all girls who can talk to us flying horses. We want to train you up, so that you can be our representative to the humans of Johannesburg, your best-beloved birthplace and hometown." Harriet's anger subsided. She liked learning new things best of all, even better than skipping with her skipping rope along the paved pathways of her neighbourhood. "What things will I learn?" she wanted to know from Strider. "Please close your eyes and I will tell you," Strider answered. Harriet closed her eyes. A few moments later she saw in her mind's eye the most wonderful building, with tall floor-to-ceiling windows. Each window was separated from its neighbour by a panel of reddish brown brick. Through the windows she could see very many tall bookshelves of a light grey kind of wood. The spines of the books had the same rainbow colours on them that Strider had on his wings. "You will learn everything in the library that you have just seen," said Strider. "Could I please leave my mom and dad a note, telling them all this? Or can they come along with me the first time I go to that library?"