When life-long friends Hanson and Graber learn there may be a great wizard on the far side of the woods behind their village, they decide to seek him out. The source of the information may be suspect, but the lure proves too strong. In hopes of learning magic to rise above their current status as Hanson the Pigs and Graber the Firewood, they set out on this quest.<br><br>When they meet wizard Holzy, they’re both intrigued and intimidated. He makes them labor and suffer, but eventually begins to teach them the practice he calls “the feat of the wand,” which turns out to impart much energy and knowledge as well as unsuspected pleasures to both men.<br><br>A submerged attraction between them comes to the fore as Holzy awakens urges and desires they hardly even dreamed existed. But he keeps them entranced and bound to him. When Holzy makes a mistake, can Hanson and Graber apply their new powers to gain freedom from his spell and be acknowledged as his equals? Will they go home in triumph or be consigned to the salt mines?

Hansen and Graber

When Holzy continued to retire early, the two friends grew bolder in their explorations. They began to make nightly forays into the wizard’s workshop. Although Graber trailed Hanson in reading skill, they studied some of the books, different ones each night. Still amazed by his new ability both to read and to retain the information, Hanson pursued these studies avidly.


Graber seemed more enthralled by the many little devices and puzzles of which Holzy seemed very fond. There were enough of them, anyway. Soon his nimble fingers could manipulate the small parts and reveal hidden secrets from each one. He could soon cast small spells with the toys, as he built a store of the best ones for future use.


Chapter 15