The Nature Spirits

Once a year, in the late summer, all the nature spirits get together to have a party, and this story begins with just such a party, long, long ago. The spirits, lots of them, have gathered in a clearing in Bluebell Wood. A little stream gurgles merrily alongside the clearing, and beside it a table has been laid with raspberries, blackberries and loganberries in bowls made from walnut shells. The boy spirits have collected the berries which are growing at this time of year. They bring them to the girls who pick the tiny little berries off the main fruit, (each of which is as big as their heads) and put them in the bowls. There are other bowls of nuts that the squirrels have donated, which the boys cut up into bite size pieces, pots of honey that the bees have given them, and acorn cups of elderflower wine plus juices from the other berries, and clear sweet water from the stream. A little band provides the music. The mice play on drums that the squirrels have given them, made from the cups of hazel nuts. One of the girl nature spirits in the band plays a triangle, and another rings foxglove bells. One of the boys plays a tambourine and another strums an instrument they found in someone's garden; it was actually a broken egg slicer but he plays it like a harp. The birds sit in the trees whistling their songs. The nightingale, blackbird and song thrush sing solos, the rest of the birds join in the chorus. Everyone is happy, the nature spirits dance all night and as daybreak comes the butterflies arrive and join in the fun. The butterflies are friends of the spirits and they play together quite often during the day.