Crispin_ At the Edge of the World - Avi [0]
CRISPIN
AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
A 2006 Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
A Book Sense Winter 2006-2007 Children’s Pick
A 2006 National Parenting Publication Honors Award Winner
*“A must purchase.”—KLIATT (starred review)
*“Super storytelling.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
*“Readers will devour this story and eagerly anticipate the conclusion
of Crispin’s adventures.”—School Library Journal (starred review)
*“Plenty of action and adventure … will make fans eager for the final
installment.”—Booklist (starred review)
“This thrilling page-turner has an open-ended conclusion that will leave
youngsters hungering for the third book.”—VOYA
“A perilous, riveting journey across land and sea …”—Child Magazine
PRAISE FOR
CRISPIN
THE CROSS OF LEAD
2003 John Newbery Medal Winner
2003 ALA Notable Children’s Book
Publishers Weekly Best Seller
New York Times Best Seller
A Seattle Times Best Book of the Year
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped” book.
Copyright © 2006 by Avi
Published by Hyperion Paperbacks for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Hyperion Books for Children, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011-5690.
First Hyperion Paperbacks edition, 2008
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file.
eISBN-13: 978-1-4231-4070-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-4231-0305-9
ISBN-10: 1-4231-0305-X
Go to www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com to download
the discussion guide and author interview for
Crispin: At the Edge of the World.
For Anne Dunn
Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT PAGE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
AUTHOR’S NOTE
ENGLAND, A.D. 1377
The more I came to know of the world,
the more I knew I knew it not.
1
IT WAS A JUNE MORNING when Bear and I passed beyond Great Wexly’s walls and left the crowded and treacherous city behind. The June sun was warm, the sky above as blue as my Blessed Lady’s spotless robe; our triumphant sense of liberty kept me giddy with joy. Hardly able to contain myself, I more than once cried out, “My name is Crispin!” for all the world to hear.
I carried Bear’s sack, which contained little more than his music-making recorder and his fire-making tools, plus the few pennies we had eked out with our music and dance. His juggler’s double-pointed hat, replete with bells, was the glorious crown that capped my head.
At first we sang, played music, and stepped lightly while thanking Jesus profusely for our deliverance. What more, I thought, could my newly found soul require?
Yet though our spirits were as high as any cloud-leaping lark, it became increasingly clear that while the dungeon from which I’d freed Bear had not broken his soul, it had greatly reduced his strength. Indeed, as the day waxed he seemed to wane. More and more he leaned on me. Unshod feet had him limping. Though it was summer, his garment—no more than an old wool cloak—left him in need