Book excerpt: A wish granted to Malcolm by an animal spirit transforms and transports him from the animal world to the world of 'people'. In a delightful and satiric tale Malcolm is acknowledged as a prince and receives the adoration from the King of Ru but the prince is perceived as a danger to the motives of the administrators who wish to eliminate him as a contender to the throne of the Kingdom. Prince Malcolm's first visit as a 'people' is one of survival from the plots to kill him; the second visit is consumed with 'challenges' to win the crown of the kingdom and the third visit embroils the prince in the struggle for the power to rule the kingdom; however, Malcolm meets an untimely end and the intent of the wish is unfulfilled....