A new carnival has just arrived in your neighbourhood. It is noisy and colourful and you can’t resist but visit it. As you walk through the gateway, a riot of colourful lights greets you. There are jugglers and fire-breathers and lion tamers and magicians and gypsies. So many things to see! 

But one tent catches your eye. It is small and shabby, so you wonder why it seems special to you, but you can’t help but be drawn it. As you approach it, you see that it is a fortune teller’s tent. You enter. An old, bent lady sits in a corner. “Welcome, welcome!” she cackles with a crooked smile. You’re almost certain she’s a witch. 

“I will tell you your fortune for six pieces of silver!” she croaks. “No matter what I tell you about your future, be it happy, sad, or terrifying, you must pay me, or I shall turn you into a toad! There is no return policy.” 

You agree. 

She gazes deep into your eyes. “You’re doomed!” she cries. “On the 29th day of this month, just as the clock strikes midnight, a malicious sorcerer will turn you into a pig and make you squeeaaal!” 

You panic but then she asks for her payment, so you pay her six silver pieces before she turns you into a toad. Then she slyly tells you, “Worried about your future? I offer additional services to fix doomed fates! Give me six more pieces of silver and I’ll tell you how you can avoid being turned into a pig.” 

You give her the money. She tells you there are four precious artefacts you must collect from around the carnival each week and give them to her. If you do, she can make a magic potion that stops you from becoming a pig. She gives you the clue to finding the first artefact: 

“When the sun is gone and the sky is black, 

Find me a needle in a haystack.” 

Then she disappears. You step out of the tent. It is already dark. How convenient for you. You look around, wondering where you can find a needle in a haystack. You spot two possible places in the distance: A barn and a very colourful tent. Where do you go?

The barn!

The barn!