Gesso Tales: Faerie House: Neighbours

The friends chatted quietly on their way back home to the faerie house. Frog had gone up ahead to get started making sandwiches. Everyone was tired and hungry when they returned.

“There have been some pretty cool things that have happened at the faerie house, but this might have been the most amazing,” said Hedgehog.

“Easily the most surprising,” said T1.

The friends had a quiet supper and they all drifted off to their sleeping places soon after. The hike had been good exercise, and the emotional journey had been tiring as well.

For the next few days the friends busied themselves with their own affairs and assumed the dragon would be doing likewise. It was interesting to have the neighbourhood expanded in this way.

“Should we have a wiener roast, do you think?” asked Dog one day. “And maybe invite the dragon?”

Some curiosity about the dragon had been building up and the friends conversation was peppered with various speculations about the dragon.

“That sounds good,” said Frog. “What does everyone else think?”

“Let’s do it!” T1, Hedgehog, Rabbit and T2 said.

“Dog, would you run down and make the invitation?” said Frog.

“Yes, certainly,” said Dog. "I will also collect some firewood and set up a fire pit.”

“I will help,” said Rabbit.

With this idea in motion, everyone got to work. Frog and T2 looked into the pantry. They sent Hedgehog out for wieners and condiments and set about making buns.

T1 had an idea for a good spot for the fire pit and went to check it out. Rabbit went with T1. They would meet up with Dog after the invitation was given.

Rabbit and T1 started moving some stones to make a pit.

Dog returned from the dragon’s cave with the happy report that the dragon said yes, and went out to collect fire wood.

Soon enough, everything was ready.

“Wieners, buns, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, and a daisy,” listed Frog.

“Check, check, check, check, check, and check,” said T2.

“Blanket, wiener sticks, accordion, and matches,” listed T1.

“Check, check, check, and check,” said Hedgehog.

The friends made their way down to the fire pit with all their assembled supplies.

The dragon arrived soon after they had set up.

They chatted while the fire burned down a bit and was good for roasting.

“Do you prefer being out in the night or the day?” asked Rabbit.

“Do you know any other dragons?” asked T2.

“If you don’t mind, how do other dragons breath fire?” asked Hedgehog.

“Hold it,” said Frog, “the dragon is our guest!”

“I don’t mind,” said the dragon. “I prefer to be out in the daytime, I don’t have any dragon friends, and I don’t know how other dragons breath fire. I have certainly tried! It doesn’t seem to be something that can be practised, like whistling…..or accordion! By the way, who is the musician here?”

“That would be me, “said Dog bashfully. “It’s just a bit of fun.”

The fire was ready. Taking turns, they all roasted a wiener. They chose their condiments as they preferred. The daisy was saved for the dragon. Fresh hot-dog buns held it all together.

After everyone had finished eating, Dog pulled on the accordion. With Rabbit drumming time, they had fun singing a few tunes.

“Play your polka number,” Hedgehog requested. “It still haunts my dreams.”

Everyone laughed.

As the song was coming to an end, the dragon started to look a little funny and sputtered a bit.

“Are you OK?” asked Dog.

“I seem to have a tickle in my throat,” said the dragon, sputtering some more.

The next thing the friends knew, and to the great astonishment of the dragon, sparks were coming out of the dragon’s mouth. Everyone backed up. Some twinkly faerie lights came on.

The dragon had become a fire-breather! And everyone knew it was faerie magic.

A look of pure happiness came across the dragon’s face.

“I don’t know how that happened, and I am really going to have to figure out how to control that, but MY, OH, MY, am I ever excited!” said the dragon, who thought for a moment, “I feel so welcome here. Maybe that was what I needed.”