The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could imagine and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the North which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own. Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two brave children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?