A Basilisk as a Gift

How do you impress a friend when ordinary gifts no longer work? Elianna is convinced that the perfect surprise is a basilisk! Unfortunately, her plan to astonish Rigor, a master at taming magical creatures, starts falling apart almost at once. The basilisk turns out to be a picky eater and insists on candied apples, while Rigor is waiting for Elianna to do something far more than just a friendly gesture. How can a young witch get out of this predicament?