In early November, Dog looked out of the faerie house window and saw snow coming down. It didn’t take long for Dog to find the toboggan and a scarf. Dog went outside and found a bit of fluffy snow and a lot of bare ground.
“I might have to give it a few hours,” thought Dog.
Dog kept busy with other things. Hedgehog and Rabbit were also spending most of their time at the faerie house under the tree. They checked on Dragon every few days and worked on projects indoors.
One morning Dog woke up to a different sound world. It was like the cars passing the house were wearing slippers. Dog mulled this over.
“I know!” thought Dog, “It must be snowing. Really snowing this time.”
Dog decided to look outside before telling Rabbit and Hedgehog.
It takes longer for snow to accumulate under the big tree, but there was indeed snow covering the faerie house. Beyond the reach of the tree, there was lots of snow piling up, enough snow, indeed, to muffle the sound of traffic.
Dog went to tell Hedgehog and Rabbit. They put on scarves and came out to look.
“This is beautiful!” said Rabbit.
“There isn’t enough yet, but if it keeps snowing……” Hedgehog said quietly.
Hedgehog had the kernel of an idea. First there was some research to be done, then some ordering.
It didn’t take long for a box to arrive. Deliveries are a little different at the faerie house. Postal strikes don’t occur. There are never customs charges.
Hedgehog wrestled the box into the faerie house. A rest was needed before Hedgehog summoned the energy to open the box.
“Perfect!” exclaimed Hedgehog, “Snowboards or skis for everyone! How hard can it be to learn how to slide down a hill?”
Hedgehog went to the book house to get T1, T2 and Frog. Dog and Rabbit came in from their ramble. Dragon was in a deep slumber and no amount of poking and prodding was going to wake Dragon up.
“Say what?” said Frog curiously, “What have we got here?”
“Well,” said Hedgehog, a little nervously, “I thought we needed a winter activity.”
T1, T2 and Frog looked a bit dubious.
“An outdoor activity?” asked T1, already a little sorry that the turtleneck sweater was not at hand.
“Yes, yes,” Hedgehog started again. “In fact, snowboarding and skiing.”
“Wonderful!” said Dog. “We’ll enjoy this!”
Hedgehog was grateful for at least one enthusiastic response. Dog could be counted on for participation in any activity.
“Where will we go?” asked Rabbit, who was nervous by habit, “How will we learn how to do it?”
“I think we will figure it out by doing it,” said Dog, confidently.
“The roof of the house,” said Hedgehog. “We will slide on the roof of the house. The snow looks perfect.”
A few eyebrows went up, but when a faerie house friend makes plans for the fun of all, they all take on an attitude of anticipation. T1 remembered all the goodwill around making an Eid celebration. Frog had a moment of wondering about food, but decided that there would be plenty of time for that after the sporty event. T2 leaned to the right then to the left, in preparation for steering a snowboard. T2 had seen a few videos about snowboarding.
“This must be the downhill kind, not the flying, looping kind of snowboarding,” said T2 to Frog, as if that would be encouraging.
“I can say with certainty that my snowboarding will not be flying or looping if I can help it,” said Frog.
The friends climbed to the top of the roof and got on their snowboards and skis. Before they could assess things they heard a loud WHOOP.
“That sounded like Frog,” said T2, looking around.
“Where is Frog?” asked everyone else.
“Help!” came the call from under the snow.
“Oh my goodness,” said Hedgehog, looking over the steep side of the roof. “Frog has gone straight down the steep side and is head first in a snow bank!”
Hedgehog hurried down to help Frog, who had landed softly in the snow. But even dusted off, Frog was freezing.
“You need this blanket, Frog. Come by the fire. I am so glad Dog got it going. Are you going to be OK?” said Hedgehog, bustling around. “Please be OK.”
“Thank you, Hedgehog. I will be fine," said Frog. “The blanket and the fire will help. If you don’t mind, I think I won’t try snowboarding again. Perhaps heavy pewter frogs aren’t well suited to that sport.”
“Oh yes, I see,” said Hedgehog. “I didn’t think of that.”
“You go on and have fun with the others. I will wait here and be ready for the stories of your adventures,” said Frog. “Really. I will be fine.”
“I am sorry to have caused you harm Frog,” said Hedgehog.
“I know Hedgehog,” said Frog, “I know you meant no harm, and no lasting harm was done. Now go and have fun.”
Hedgehog blinked away a tear brought on by the rush of fear and emotion, “Thanks Frog.” Hedgehog took a few deep breaths and started climbing back onto the roof of the faerie house.
“Frog is Ok,” reported Hedgehog to the others, “But Frog will wait for us by the fire. How are things going here?”
“We have been trying a few slides, but mostly waiting for you,” said Dog.
Hedgehog got on a snowboard and looked with excitement down the roof hill.
“Let’s gooooooooo!” said Dog.
Dog and Hedgehog sailed down, stopping where the snow got too deep.
Rabbit came seconds later, but ended upside down. It was OK. The snow made a soft landing.
Rabbit got righted, and declared that it was all fun.
T1, on skis, came straight down the hill, possibly the fastest of all of them.
Control was not part of any of the friends’ method.
In contrast, T2 slalomed down like a pro.
“How did you do that?” Rabbit, Hedgehog, Dog and T1 asked together.
T2 shrugged, “I guess I just have a feel for it.”
After getting some tips from T2, and watching the lean right/lean left action, the others made several more trips down the roof.
“That was really fun,” said Dog. “Shall we check on the fire and Frog now?”.
Frog had recovered and was tending the fire happily. Frog even looked up at the roof occasionally, wondering about going up again.
“I think I just need to accept that I am not suited to snowboarding. I am good at other things. Next time, I will being snacks,” thought Frog, smiling.
The others, finished with their sliding fun, crowded around the fire and told their stories. Some were embellished just a little bit. Everyone agreed that T2 was the best on a board.
“Thanks,” said T2, “The experience was rad.”
Hedgehog looked at Dog, “Rad?”
“I think that means it was great,” said Dog. “You had a good idea.”
The friends were all together and the faeries showed up too, in their way.
