The Fantastic Number Three

by Daniel Errico



Fantastic Number Three Cover. The Number Three is standing outside their house smiling, in the middle of a garden, with a watering can in front.

Number Three lived in the land of numbers. 

He was a gardener. In fact, he was the greatest gardener there was.

When his garden was in bloom, all the other numbers came to see his flowers and plants.

It was the finest garden around.

The Number Three is standing outside their house smiling with their hands on their hips. They are in the middle of a garden, with a watering can in front of them.

One day King Ten got word of the fantastic garden.

He went to see it for himself.

“I must have a flower as beautiful as these,” he said.

“Number Three, I want you to grow me a flower in the royal garden. Make it the greatest I’ve ever seen,

and I’ll show it off to all the numbers in one month!”

King Ten and the Number Three are standing in the garden with each other, smiling.

Number Three was very nervous.

He would have to find the best seed in the entire land to grow a flower so amazing.

Number Three got started looking right away.

He traveled to the top of Addition Mountain and found a rare white seed.

He swam through the Five Lakes and found a shiny green seed on the other side.

And at the top of the Thousand Fires Volcano, he found a bright orange seed.

Close-up of a map with mountains, lakes, and volcanoes. There are three "X"s on the map, marking the locations where Number Three found rare seeds.

He brought all three to the King’s garden.

He had only two weeks to make a beautiful plant grow.

First he planted the white seed.

He watered it, and made sure it had good soil to grow in. 

A day later a fox came by and dug up the seed.

It tasted bitter, and he spit it out in the garden.

Number Three is frowning, looking down at a white seed on the ground by King Ten's castle wall. There is a fox next to him.

When Number Three saw that the seed had been taken, he got even more nervous.

He planted the green seed right away to make sure that the King would have a beautiful flower.

He watered the green seed and made sure that it had plenty of good soil.

The next day a rabbit came by and dug up the seed.

It tasted sour, and he spit it out in the garden.

Number Three is frowning, looking down at a green seed on the ground by King Ten's castle wall. There is a rabbit next to him.

When Number Three saw that the seed had been taken he was very worried.

He planted the bright orange seed right away so that the King would have a beautiful flower.

He watered the seed and made sure that it had plenty of good soil.

This time he built a fence around the garden so that no animals could get inside.

When the day finally came for the King to show off his garden, Number Three was more nervous than ever.

“What if it didn’t grow,” he thought.

Number Three is smiling, looking at a new locked gate and fence near the wall of King Ten's castle.

When he arrived, he saw that three beautiful flowers had grown.

There was a tall thin white flower, and large colorful green flower, and a beautiful orange flower.

The King and the rest of the numbers had never seen such amazing flowers.

“I asked you for a beautiful flower and, without me even asking, you grew three!” he said happily.

And from that day on, it was decreed that all good things should come in threes.

King Ten and Number Three are smiling together in a beautiful royal garden.