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The Little Folk of the Flame Tree © Annie Bryant 2015 www.talesandsongs.com
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The Little Folk of the Flame Tree A Magical Springtime Halloween Story by Annie Bryant © October 2015 (To hear more Tales & Songs or to purchase The Seasonal Collection of Stories & Songs for Children by Annie Bryant go to http://www.talesandsongs.com)
“Your Nan is a woman of spirit!” That’s what everyone said to Gwynny about her Nanna Fae and while she didn’t really know the meaning of all those words, Gwynny was certain she knew exactly what they meant. Because her Nanna Fae was the bestest, most fun Nan in the whole wide world and Gwynny adored her. At Nan’s house she never had to say please or thank you and as for table manners, well Nan scoffed at all that uppity schnuppity hoo haa -‐ which is how Nan described all those kinds of grown up things. While eating lunch together, Nan and Gwynny liked to see who could talk the loudest and fastest while munching the biggest mouth full of food before bursting into fits of laughter sending half mashed globs of noodles and veggies spraying everywhere! A day with Nanna Fae was always fun, and everything about her -‐ from the wild shock of bright red hair bursting from her head in every which way, to her clear blue eyes sparkling with mischief – made Gwynny laugh. In fact, the only time Nan was ever serious was when she spoke of the little folk. That’s how Nan described the fairies and elves and gnomes and all those kinds of children things. Except Nan’s little folk were very old and very real and they came from the other side of the world where she grew up. In a quiet and mysterious voice, Nanna Fae told Gwynny stories of greedy, grumpy gnomes gobbling up all the ripe strawberries from her family’s veggie patch as well as the many nights she spent dancing the forest with her elven friends when she was just a wee girl. “And they’re here too my lass,” Nan whispered, “Oh some people say they only live on the other side of the world, but that’s a load of uppity schnuppity hoo haa, because we’ve seen ‘em right here on All Hallows Eve haven’t we?!” According to Nanna Fae, that was the real name for Halloween, which was the best time of year to catch a glimpse of the little folk as they made merry mischief here, there and everywhere – and especially under the big old Flame Tree in Nan’s backyard. Nan loved that old Flame Tree. She said it reminded her of home by dropping its leaves on All Hallow’s Eve and it’s blazing red coat of flowers helped her remember all the red headed lasses and lads she once knew. And of course, it was the home of the flame faeries. One day Gwynny had asked Dad about the flame faeries and he just laughed and said, “Sounds like a load of polly-‐wolly-‐wooblah to me?!”, which is mostly how he described Nan’s stories. But this didn’t bother Gwynny at all. She liked the sound of polly-‐wolly-‐wooblah and little folk and especially flame faeries and she couldn’t wait for mid Spring when the star-‐shaped leaves of the Flame Tree began to fall, and her and Nan prepared for All Hallow’s Eve.
The Little Folk of the Flame Tree © Annie Bryant 2015 www.talesandsongs.com
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First, they baked tiny faery-‐sized cakes with dustings of icing sugar on top. Next, they made masks, loud colourful creations with sparkling glitter and dazzling feathers that disguised them from the little folk -‐ for even Gwynny knew, so long as a faery did not know your name, you were safe from their spells. And then, upon dusk at All Hallow’s Eve, disguised by their masks, Nan and Gwynny carefully laid stones in a large neat circle just beyond the flame tree, gently placing their gift of faery-‐cakes inside. Finally, as the dark night slowly crept up and around them, hidden behind the thick trunk of the flame tree, they listened and watched and waited. And while so far, Gwynny hadn’t exactly stayed awake long enough to see a flame faery with her own eyes, the next morning she always found leftover crumbs in the faery ring, and she was sure this year, as Halloween once again crept closer, she would see it all. The faery cakes were ready and Gwynny’s beautiful red and green felt mask that she’d sewn all by herself, lay waiting beside her bed. But on the morning of All Hallows Eve, Dad woke Gwynny with some bad news. Nan wasn’t feeling well and their Halloween night would just have to wait. So, Gwynny waited and waited and waited, and by the time she went to visit Nanna Fae in her new ‘special home’ where Dad said they would take better care of her, the leaves of the Flame Tree had already begun to fall again. Nan’s wild red hair was tied back neatly in a tiny bun that looked quite ridiculous on top of her head, and when Gwynny pointed to it Nan scoffed and said, “uppity schnuppity hoo haa” and they both burst into laughter. It was hard for Nan to talk so they just kept laughing instead. Nan’s eyes twinked as bright as ever with mischief, and when Gwynny said goodbye she whispered in her quiet and mysterious voice, “Keep an eye on them flame faeries lass, especially come All Hallows Eve”. So, a few days later, Gwynny prepared for Halloween the way Nan had shown her. First, with Dad’s help, she baked 20 faery-‐sized cakes with dustings of icing sugar on top. Next, she dug out her red and green felt mask and sewed on a few extra sparkly red sequins. And then, after much pleading, Dad drove her to Nan’s house and said he’d wait inside while she did her “polly wolly wooblah” as he called it, in the backyard. Gwynny stepped into Nanna Fae’s garden just as dusk was falling on All Hallow’s Eve. She wished Nan was here and it took all her courage to step quietly toward the big old flame tree, once again ablaze with its wild coat of red flowers. Disguised by her mask, she stepped beyond the flame tree and gently laid stones in a large neat circle, before leaving the faery cakes inside. Then, as the dark of night crept up and around her, Gwynny, hidden safely behind the thick trunk of the Flame Tree listened, and watched and waited. She waited and waited and waited, hardly daring to blink, not wanting to miss one single glimpse or sound, until finally, her eyes grew so heavy she could hardly keep them open. The next thing she knew she was woken with a start by a strange yet sweet sound ringing out through the night. She sat up straight and alert, until there it was again….and again….and again…until finally it became a song filled with voices as light and thin as a Spring shower.
The Little Folk of the Flame Tree © Annie Bryant 2015 www.talesandsongs.com
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(sing in a faery voice while playing tiny bells or glockenspiel) In the silence Down below There we gather To & fro Far beyond & deep within Moonlight music let’s begin There, just beyond the flame tree, filling the circle with their long shining red hair and moonlight white skin were the flame faeries. Gwynny kept her mask on tight while she watched captivated by their graceful dance and precious song, until after some time, she noticed a different kind of faerie dancing in the middle of the ring. Instead of long silky hair, this one had a shock of wild red hair bursting from her head in every which way and Gwynny knew this was one of those mischievous little folk Nan had talked about. But as she looked into those sparkling blue eyes -‐ indeed filled with mischief -‐ she suddenly realized it was not a flame faerie at all….it was Nanna Fae! Casting Gwynny a mischievous smile, Nan danced and sung all night long with the little folk of the flame tree, until Gwynny’s eyes grew heavier and heavier, and finally, she felt the gentle nudge of her own Dad picking her up and carrying her across the quiet and empty moonlit garden. After that night, Gwynny often visited Nan’s garden, which eventually became her own garden. And each time she looked beyond that big old Flame Tree -‐ although she couldn’t really see them -‐ she knew Nanna Fae and the Flame Faeries were there.
Annie Bryant is a storyteller & musician from Mullumbimby, Australia who loves to share her seasonally-‐inspired stories and songs for children at live performances and on The Seasonal Collection of Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn recordings. Find out more at http://www.talesandsongs.com
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