Maria needed an adventure.  She had spent the morning inside the Laborastory playing Barbies with Rainbow Rosie, practicing ballet with Dancin' Daisy, and testing a new pepper-free pizza recipe that Chef Poire had sent her online.  "I'm going for a walk," she announced as she placed her crown on her head.  Dr. Stalk looked out the window, "I wouldn't stray too far, my dear, there may be lightning.  Those cumulonimbus clouds drifting in are carrying rain."  "Then I'll hurry," she said as she put a leash on Pooch, her pup, and motioned for her pet parrot Polly to light on her shoulder.  "It's just that my sweet dog needs to stretch her legs, and my pulchritudinous parrot needs to stretch her wings."  Dr. Stalk folded his arms.  "Are you certain that's the ONLY reason you're heading out in this inclement weather?"  "Absolutely," she said as she raced past him, but she didn't look him in the EYE.  Dr Stalk was skeptical.  As he closed the door behind the colorful trio, he sighed and shook his head.  When he turned around and looked at Rainbow Rosie and Dancin' Daisy they were sighing and shaking their heads, too.  "She couldn't wait, could she?"  he asked.  "Well sir," said Dancin' Daisy as she stretched at the barre, "after you read us Professor Electra's astounding news it's almost impossible with someone like Maria's sense of adventure to just sit and wait for the sky to clear."

When Maria and her companions came to the edge of their woods, they stopped.  "All right, Polly," she said, gently picking up her feathery friend from her shoulder so she could look directly in her eye, "you have always been billed as the world's smartest bird.  It's time to parrot Dr. Stalk.  Please repeat the words he read about Professor Electra's discovery."  Polly preened, rotated her head, cleared her throat, and spoke in a voice so true to Dr. Stalk's that even Pooch stopped chewing on a stick she'd found and listened.

"Dear Friends,

After months of study near and far

Marking my path by the northern star

I now have proof for all of you

That the legend of the Morphazoodle is TRUE!

To follow me:

Leave our woods and then turn east

At the fork in the path take the path traveled least

Seek out the leaves of the world's oldest tree

Someone will be waiting - that someone is ME!

Polly bowed.  Maria kissed the top of her head, checked her compass, and the three headed out of their forest.

At first, everything looked and sounded familiar: oak leaves, acorns, pine trees, pine cones, maple leaves, samaras, twigs, fallen branches, grape vines, pebbles, dirt, grass, birds singing, ladybugs flitting, squirrels scurrying, rabbits scampering.  "Seems easy enough," said Maria.  She was so happy that she flew straight up into the sweet air and raced her parrot and dog down the path until they came to the fork in the road.  One side looked like more of the same, the other distinctly did not.  It was denser, darker...older.  "This must be the way," whispered Maria  "It doesn't look like anyone has been here for a really long time."  The dog put her tail between her legs.  The bird flew to Maria's shoulder and tucked her head underneath her wing.  "Don't be silly, you two.  We have to find the world's oldest tree.  Luckily, I know what to look for."

She took a small wad of paper from under her crown, smoothed it out, and showed it to her companions.  It was the picture of a leaf -a leaf from the oldest tree - the leaf of the gingko. 

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked.  "Doesn't it look like a fan?"  Both creatures took deep breaths and didn't move.  Maria put her hands on her hips, "Come on, you two.  Where's your sense of adventure?  You both LOVE trees!  Sniff it out, Pooch.  Find its branches, Polly."  There was a clap of thunder and a streak of lightning - all three jumped into the air.  "Go on," sputtered Maria, "I'll be right behind you."

They could hear the rain pounding as they entered the unknown, but the canopy was so thick that not a drop trickled through.  There were leaves as big as couches and mushrooms as thick as elephants' legs.  Tiger Lilies bloomed with swishing tails!  Snapdragons burped tiny tongues of fire!  Looking around her, Maria said in a voice filled with awe, "My friend Kim would call this a dream for sure!"

The trio pressed on until, in a small clearing, they saw the tree.  It stood regal and tall, as old as Forever, laden with leaf upon leaf upon leaf, and there, against its ancient trunk, sat Professor Electra.  "I thought you would be the first to come find me, Maria."  "Is it true, Professor?  There really IS a Morphazoodle?"  "Yes, my dear, and I have the evidence to prove it."  He held fast to the camera that hung round his neck.  "I've seen creatures that no one has ever seen - dinosaurs, dodos, unicorns.  I've seen some that I never even heard of- a dog that can read, a monkey that can sing."  Then he bowed his stalk eyes to look directly into hers.  "But do you know what has made me happiest about my discovery?"  She shook her head.  "My favorite part of the legend is true - the Morphazoodle is a place of peace for all who live there."  He smiled.  "Come," he said, "I'll show you the way."  And the adventurous morphadoodle, the purple professor, the pulchritudinous parrot, and the panting pooch walked together toward a world of wonder.