25
Measuring up
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"Toast will burn and porridge bubble, measure this kid and save me the trouble!" shrieked witch number 2.

The incantation complete, the magic tape measure zooms around your body like a whirlwind, measuring everything from your inside leg measurement, to the distance between your nostrils, to the length of your ear lobes.

At the same time a magic biro is writing down all these measurements on a notepad.

After a few minutes, in which you are frightened to move in case the tape measure accidentally shoots up your nose, the tape neatly rolls itself up and lands on a table.

Witch number 2 looks carefully at the scribbled numbers in the notepad and counts on her fingers.

She looks up at her sister and yells: "Small!"

As witch number 1 scuttles off to get a small robe for you, your Mum, who has been standing quietly to one side clears her throat.

"Ahem, how much do these robes cost? I didn't see any prices when we came in the shop," says your Mum.

"11 Golden Frigates and not an Acorn less!" replies the witch.

"11 Golden Frigates - how much is that in pounds?" asks your Mum.

"Pounds? Oh no deary, we only take wizard money in this shop."

"Never mind Mum," you say, "I'm sure we could just make the robes ourselves from some black material..."

Snako Malboy snorts and rolls his eyes.

"Wait!" exclaims the witch, "We don't take pounds but we do offer wagers."

"Ok... can we do a wager and not pay anything?" asks your mum.

"I wager you can't guess my age," says the witch. "If you can, you can keep the robe and get a free hat. If you fail you will stay in this shop for ever!"

"I'll do it" you say bravely, "but I will need a clue."

"How old are you boy?" asks the witch.

"I'm ten years old."

"Here's your clue. In ten years, if you double your age then, and then double it again, that will be my age then. But how old am I, right now?"