Messalina and the Angry Oboe

The story

Messalina is a happy little fashion plate who leaves a trail of mess wherever she goes. Puddle jumping with Krysoe in her fanciest dress, she spots one perfectly clean puddle and just has to jump right in.

She lands inside a cello at an opera house in Verona, Italy, where friendly instruments welcome her, but a very grumpy oboe named Otello wants her gone before the big performance.

The real place: Verona

Three things to tell your kid after the story.

1. 1Verona is the city where Shakespeare set his famous play Romeo and Juliet.
2. 2Verona has a giant Roman arena nearly two thousand years old, and operas are still performed there on summer nights.
3. 3The cello was first developed in northern Italy, not far from Verona, hundreds of years ago.

Next stop

EP 51 · Philippines

Krysoe

Cries a lot.

EP 52 · Goop World

Annoya

Teases and pesters a little too long.