The mystery of the Red Tent

As soon as Maks saw the big red tent in the clearing outside the town, he knew he had to go there. Lena, his younger sister, pulled him by the sleeve: "Come on, faster! The circus is about to start!". There were colourful balloons circling around the tent and cheerful music coming from the speakers. However, something didn't feel right here. There were no tickets in front of the entrance, but an old handwritten sign said: "Daredevil circus - admission only for those who are not afraid". Maks and Lena exchanged communicative glances. "We're not afraid!" said Lena and went in first. Inside, it smelled of candyfloss and popcorn, but the lights were dim and the audience was whispering something nervously. Suddenly, a circus director in a blue tailcoat and tall cylinder emerged from the semi-darkness. He waved his cane and the stage lit up with a riot of colours. Black and white zebras in pink hats ran into the arena, and colourful butterflies appeared above their heads, arranging themselves in inscriptions in the air. But this was no ordinary circus show. Each number seemed more and more unusual - clowns juggled flames that turned into glass balls, and an acrobat flew up to the tent on wings made from real leaves. Maks felt that something was happening that he didn't understand. And then a strange cart with a tightly covered box pulled out into the arena. The director glanced directly at Maks and Lena, as if they were the only ones to see what was coming next. "And now it's time for our circus's biggest secret!" - he called out, and out of the box began to emerge....