text: [Themes: family friendly]
  
  Professor Widdershins' eyes went wide. "I see, I see! How absolutely marvelous. Would you care to examine my apparatus?" He gestured with one skinny arm to the copper machine, and Charlotte noticed little trickles of steam escaping from several valves.
  
  "I'd rather have more tea," the Butter Bear chortled. He ate another biscuit.
  
  "I call it the apparatus," the Professor explained, "as I may have mentioned earlier. It has all sorts of fantastical functions, and I even know what some of them are. Here, place your hand against the side." Charlotte did, and at the same time the Professor produced a wrench and opened a panel on the side of the machine. He worked for a few moments, and then suddenly Charlotte's hand began to grow very tingly.
  
  "Don't stop touching it!" he shouted. "Or else the fantastical phenomena will not occur!"
  
  Charlotte tried not to giggle as the tingling grew stronger and stronger. She wondered what exactly was supposed to happen. She opened her mouth and was about to ask Professor Widdershins, when all of a sudden the Butter Bear's deep, happy voice rang out. "Oh my! How delightful!"
  
  "What? What?" Charlotte asked, and the Professor handed her a chipped little mirror. Her hair was sticking out at every angle, just like his, and it had turned bright purple! Not a deep, rich purply color like the sunset on a beautiful night, but a sharp purple that almost hurt her eyes to look at it. She was thrilled. "Will it stay like that for ever?"
  
  The Professor shook his head. "The effects have little permanance."
  
  "That means no," laughed the Bear. Charlotte kept on looking at her reflection and imagining going home or to school with bright purple hair.
  
  "Well, I'm afraid we can't stick around all day," said the Bear. "Many more adventures to be had. Thanks for the tea and biscuits, Widders."
  
  The Professor bowed again. "Never mind the delectables, Butters. And, young lady, I invite you back anytime you wish. Good day to you both!" And the pair of them walked downstream for a while, the Bear with his ambling, waddling walk and Charlotte with her eager little-girl walk.
  
  > say "Where to now, Mr. Bear?"
  The Butter Bear peered down at Charlotte. "I've been meaning to visit another one of my friends. She lives nearby." They soon left the stream behind and headed into a field full of bright green grass. In the distance Charlotte could see some kind of building, and as they grew closer she realized it was a tower.
  
  At least four stories tall, it was made of rough gray stones and covered in ivy and moss. "Who lives here?" asked the girl.
  
  Laughing, the Bear answered. "This is the Castle Cuthbert, home to the noble Lady Lenore. Now, don't be intimidated, she's as harmless as I am." He smiled and clanged the big bronze ring against the door. In a moment it was opened by a thin man with a magnificent white mustache. His face lit up at the sight of the Bear, and he ushered the pair inside.
  
  "Mr. Bear, how charming to see you again. Lady Lenore is in the library, shall I escort you there?"
  
  He nodded, and whispered to Charlotte. "That's Berwick, the butler. I got him out of a jam once, and now we're good friends. I'll never figure out how he got into that jar, though." Charlotte giggled.
  
  The library was beautiful, full of velvet chairs and with all the walls covered in books. Charlotte almost didn't notice the Lady Lenore tucked away in a corner, holding a great purple book that covered most of her body. The Butter Bear bounced over to her at once and made a tremendous bow. "Hello, my lady."
  
  She had a weak and wheezing voice, but it sounded kind. "My dear Butters. It has been far too long. And your friend, what is her name?" Charlotte introduced herself, and the Lady smiled. "Sit down. I have been looking for someone to declaim to, and you will be a perfect audience."
  
  The Butter Bear giggled, but only a little. Lenore cleared her throat and began to recite a poem. It was a strange poem, and she kept putting emphasis in the wrong places, and Charlotte sat very still and tried to pay attention. It was very long, and it made very little sense, and it was about a man called Basil who lost his true love. It ended like this:
  
  Great Basil sighed, and sighed again
  
  "My lady love is lost.
  
  By the dreadful raging of the sea
  
  Her frail sweet form is tossed.
  
  Charlotte clapped, and she said "Beautifully read, my lady," because she thought that would be polite. Lenore smiled gravely and wiped a single tear from her eye.
  
  "There is nothing like the beauty of poetry to bring out the emotions in us. Now, Butters, I insist you stay the night. No, the week! I will not have you disappearing for months at a time!"
  
  He bowed again. "My lady, Charlotte can't spend the night here. She must get home to her family."
  
  "I see," said the Lady. "Well, my dear, thank yuo for listening to my declamation. I wish you safe travels home. Butters, I expect you to return once she is safe and sound with her parents."
  
  The two of them said goodbye to the noble lady and walked all the way back to Charlotte's house. She was exhausted, but she still didn't want to go inside and let the day end. "Will I see you again?" she asked the Bear.
  
  He smiled and wiped a little glob of butter from his head. "Just sing the song," he said, licking it from his finger, "and I'll be along. Now, go inside to your family." He waddled off, whistling, and Charlotte watched his big round body fade into the evening. She went inside and told her parents all about the wonderful day's adventures.
  
  Now, child, it is time for you to sleep. Remember, if you're ever with the Butter Bear and the Lady Lenore, you'd better sit up straight and pay attention to her poems just like Charlotte did. You mustn't be rude. Sweet dreams, and goodnight.