Author: Susan Minarik

A steaming bowl of cattail root soup was sitting on the table when Little Pine came in the door. He inhaled its fragrance and said, “My favorite! Thank you, Mother!”

“I thought you would be hungry,” Mother said, setting a plate of acorn muffins beside the soup. She sat down beside him and served herself some soup, too. “Tell me about your day.”

Morning seemed as if it was a hundred years ago and Little Pine had to think hard to remember it. He was on his second spoonful of soup before the picture flashed clearly in his mind. “Oh! The elves! Ha! Wait until you see them, Mother! They have bright new outfits for the Festival. And guess what?”

He told her all about the strange platform that appeared and how it would help the visitors come to our world. And then he told her about his visit with Holly and how the two of them talked about how much the return of the light meant to everyone in the woodland.

When they finished their soup, Mother brought a plateful of winterberry cookies and a mug of birch cider, and Little Pine told her about his visit with Grandfather.

Little Pine was yawning as he finished his story, and Mother Pine tucked him in for the night. “Grandfather said to remember my dreams,” he said as he snuggled in.

“Yes, I think you should do just that,” Mother Pine said, kissing his forehead. And Little Pine fell fast asleep.

Before long, his dreams began. At first, they were made of memories from his day and of all that he had seen in the woods on his travels. Then he caught a glimpse of Grandfather standing the glow of the golden light, his needles glistening in the wind.

The image faded and only the golden light remained, and stars began to twinkle inside it. He watched them for a while and then a sound like a thousand silver bells rippled across the scene as the gold light faded to darkness and a brilliant angel appeared.

In a voice as sweet and warm as a spring breeze, the angel said, “Greetings, little one. I am the Angel of the Evergreen Trees, and I am here to celebrate the Coming of the Light with you and all the pines and spruces and hollies of your woodland.

“Grandfather told me of your service to the elves and to all whom you visited these last few days. And along with him, I give you my thanks. Well done!

“Your guests are on their way and they will add great cheer to your Festival this year. You have performed your duties wonderfully, and now I release you to give yourself to the wonder and joy of the celebration. Let your days be filled with laughter and song. And may the spell of the Spirits of Fun carry you joyfully into the Light.

“Now sleep well, Little Pine. And rush to the elves’ side early in the morning. Your days of merriment have come.”

Little Pine giggled in his sleep as the vision of the angel faded away, and then he slept deeply and well as the stars floated, sparkling, across the nighttime sky.

A moist, cold wind set in as Little Pine approached the end of the pond where Grandfather lived and the woodland grew dark. But Grandfather himself was bathed in a magical golden glow that radiated all around him.

He looked so majestic that Little Pine hardly dared to speak. “Grandfather!” he finally breathed.

And the ancient tree, in a voice as warm and golden as the light that surrounded him, said, “Greetings, Little Pine. I have been looking forward to visiting with you. I wanted to thank you for all you have done to help prepare for our Festival of Light this year.”

“But Grandfather,” Little Pine said, “all that I have done is share the news that the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun are coming. And I learned so much and had such a good time doing it that it felt like play.”

“That’s how you know that your work is well-suited to you, Little Pine. It feels like play. The Spirits of Fun would be as proud of you as I am.

“You performed a great service for your friends, the elves, Little Pine. And service to others always brings us joy.”

Grandfather paused for a moment as the wind danced through his needles making them glisten in the golden light. Then he spoke again.

“Tell me what lessons you learned, Little Pine, as you shared your news.”

“Well, Grandfather,” said Little Pine, “I learned that the Great Yes understands the mysteries that we cannot unravel and that we can take comfort in trusting that. I learned to hear more deeply the songs that all things sing, and to recognize that they all rise from love. And finally, I saw, as I have never seen before, how beautiful our woodland is.”

“Your heart has gathered great treasures, Little Pine. You are wise beyond your years,” Grandfather said. “The night is coming now, little one. Head home with joy in your heart. Your joy and your thanks are gifts that you give to the Yes, you know. Let them flow from you freely, and be glad.”

“Thank you, Grandfather,” Little Pine said. “Enjoy the Festival!”

“You, too, Little Pine,” said Grandfather. “Now, good night. And remember to pay attention to your dreams.”

The holly tree lived directly across the lake from Little Pine’s home, and he had a special place in his heart for her. He often fell asleep at night listening to her lullabies, and her morning songs ushered in each new day with grace and joy.

He knew that she had already heard about the woodland’s expected guests. She was surrounded by the pines, after all, and the word had spread quickly among them. But he wanted to visit with her anyway and to give her his Festival greetings.

The holly watched him dance around the edges of the lake as he made his way to her. “Hello, Little Pine,” she said. “You have been a busy little tree! I’ve seen you telling everyone about the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun. What excitement is filling our little woodland!”

She was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at her friend and said, “Little Pine, may I ask you something?” Her voice held a note of concern.

“Of course, Holly,” Little Pine said. “You may ask me anything.”

Holly lowered her voice and, almost shyly, asked, “With all the focus on the Elf King’s visit, do you think our neighbors have lost sight of the meaning of the Festival itself?”

Little Pine smiled at her gently. “Oh, no, Holly. The return of the Light means way too much for them ever to forget. Remember, unlike you and me, the plants’ flowers and leaves are only here for one cycle of the seasons, and in the spring the animals give birth to their young. It’s the Light that opens the way for their new life-seeds to come. Everyone feels the touch of the Yes itself in the return of the Light. It’s the most special time of year for us all.”

“You’re right, of course, Little Pine.” Holly said, sounding quite relieved. “For such a young tree, you are very wise.” She smiled at him, beaming with affection.

“Besides,” Little Pine said, “celebrating with the Elf King and Spirits of Fun gives all of us a way to show our elf-friends how much we love them and appreciate all they do. They keep our colors bright, after all, and remind us how fun it is just to be here in the woodland. They’re our twinkle and spice. They make sure we never lose sight of life’s magic. It’s wonderful that we can thank them by honoring their king’s visit, just as they help us honor the Light.”

“Well, Little Pine,” Holly giggled, “I must confess that I’ve been composing a special little song ever since I heard the visitors were coming. And I think that you have just given me the idea I needed for the final verse!”

“I’ll be on my way, then,” said Little Pine, “and let you work on it. I want to go visit with Grandfather Pine before our guests begin to arrive. I have a feeling we’ll all be very busy once they get here.”

“Thank you for stopping by,” Holly said. “You certainly brightened my day.”

“Good-bye, my neighbor,” Little Pine said. “I will be listening for your songs.”

When Little Pine woke the next morning, he decided he would check in with the elves. He only had two more visits to make and they were more courtesy visits. He knew these last two forest friends had already heard the news.

As he neared the elves’ section of the woods, he heard their rollicking laughter. He giggled at the sound of it. The elves were always so happy.

“Hey! Little Pine!” they called when they saw him. Little Pine’s eyes popped wide open. They were dressed in bright new festival clothes and dancing on some shiny black platform.

“Like it?” they sang.

“You two look absolutely, well, festive!” Little Pine said.

“Thanks! Mom sewed on the last of the buttons just after breakfast and when we tried them on, they made us want to dance,” Teddy Elf said.

“What’s that big black thing that you’re standing on?” Little Pine asked.

“Oh, it popped out of nowhere this morning with a note that it was a landing site for the Spirits of Fun. It’s got fancy hidden magnets of some kind that help them slide from their world into ours. It kind of tickles when you stand on it and makes you want to laugh.”

“When is the Elf King coming?” Little Pine asked. “Do we know yet?”

The elves stopped their dance and sat down on the platform, still giggling. “The Spirits of Fun are coming first,” the elves said. “We’re expecting them in a couple of days. Then Elf King will come the day before the Festival.”

Little Pine said every creature in the woods was excited that such special guests were coming. All of them were determined to shine their brightest and to sing their very best songs.

 “The squirrels are gathering the finest nuts and seeds and winterberries they can find for a feast. And I have to tell you,” he said, “that I understand now why the Elf King would want to come here. While I was walking by the creek yesterday, I realized what a beautiful place our woodland truly is, and that everything that lives here springs from waves of love.”

“It kind of makes you want to dance, doesn’t it?” the elves said, leaping to their feet and turning cartwheels. “How lucky we are! How lucky!” they sang.

Little Pine clapped his hands and told them goodbye. He still had two visits to make. And he set off down the trail, the elves’ gleeful songs echoing everywhere.

Little Pine finished the day’s tasks early. He had shared the news about the coming visitors with all the dwellers on the south side of the large pond. Each of them was thrilled with the idea that the Elf King had chosen their woodland to visit this year. Some could hardly believe it was true.

 Little Pine’s whole day had been filled with shouts and laughter, and now he wanted some time to let all that happiness sink in. He decided that he would walk along the creek on his way home for supper. He loved the music of its little waterfalls and the way the water whispered as it flowed over the creek’s smooth stones. Its song was always so soothing.

He had only walked a little way when he was suddenly struck with the beauty of his surroundings. Every stone, every limb, every curve of the creek seemed perfectly placed. Even on this misty day, with its low hanging clouds and its fragrance of coming snow, the colors were exactly as they should be and in perfect harmony each other.

No wonder the Elf King had chosen this woodland! Who wouldn’t want to come here, especially for the Festival of Light!

Still, as he stood there on the creek bank enveloped in a trance of beauty, he remembered what the comfort plant had told him, too. It was a puzzle that he simply couldn’t solve. In a world of such harmony and grace, how could fear and suffering be real? How could there be sadness and anger? How could there be pain?

But something inside him told him that he did not need to know. The comfort plant said that the Great Yes understood, and that was enough somehow.

As he continued his walk, the comfort plant’s melody played in his heart, and he knew that her song, like the beauty around him, was a gift of the Yes and rose from an endless love.

Little Pine woke filled with the happiness that his dream brought him. He was filled with energy, too.

After breakfast, he headed to the twin ponds on the far western side of the woodlands at the base of Grandfather Pine. As he skipped down the bank of the first one, a plant he’d never noticed before caught his eye. It was lovely against the waters of the pond that were reflecting the deep clouds overhead.

He was half way down the bank when he heard the plant’s soft, sweet song. It was so tender and touched his heart so deeply that he felt a little tear coming to his eye.

“Hello,” Little Pine said as he reached the plant’s side. “I’m Little Pine. I’m sorry to interrupt your beautiful song, but I have a message to share with you. This year our woodland has been chosen to host the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun for the Festival of Light. I’m letting everyone know so we can welcome them with our finest beauty and song. But I have to tell you that I don’t see how your song could possibly be more lovely!”

The little plant laughed softly. “Why, thank you, Little Pine. And thank you for the thrilling news! Everyone needs fun in their lives. Won’t it be grand to have the Spirits of Fun and the Elf King himself right here, in our own little woodland!” She laughed again, a high, bell-like chime of a laugh.

“Before I go,” Little Pine said, “would you tell me about your song? I’ve never heard anything like it before.”

“My song is the Song of Comfort, Little Pine,” the plant told him. “When you have been here a little longer, you will see that many of the children of the Earth experience sorrow and pain. Sometimes their forms are injured or damaged by disease. Sometimes they grow sad when their friends or members of their families leave to go their Home worlds. Sometimes their lives turn out differently than they had expected and they fall into disappointment.

“I sing my song to let them know that the Great Yes understands what they are feeling, and that no matter how sad or angry or confused they are, it is all a part of Earth living, and that, no matter what, they are seen, and understood, and very deeply loved.”

Little Pine didn’t know what to say.

“That’s why your news is so wonderful, Little Pine!” the beautiful little plant told him. “Playfulness and fun are as healing as my song. They open our hearts to the light that shines on us all. They give us a chance to laugh and to remember our joy.

“So I thank you, Little Pine, for your delightful message! May you float as lightly as a leaf as your spread your news today.”

Her words made Little Pine remember his dream, and he laughed right out loud and, saying goodbye, went merrily on his way.

Little Pine fell asleep that night before his mother’s goodnight kiss had left his forehead. His day had been one of those wonderfully satisfying ones where he had a hundred things to do and got them all done.

He had walked all the way around the large lake spreading the word that the Elf King and the Spirits of Play were coming. The sun had set and the first stars were glimmering in the sky by the time he got home and even then he could hear the excited laughter floating above the lake.

He was remembering the light of the stars as he fell asleep and drifted into the world of dreams.

The next thing he knew, a red bird was calling his name from snowy branches beyond the stars.

“Hello, Little Pine,” it sang. “I bring you greetings!”

“Hello, Red Bird,” Little Pine answered. “Where did you come from?”

“Most recently,” the red bird said, “I’ve been visiting the Home World of the Red Oaks. And some friends of yours asked me to bring you their greetings. So, as you can see, I slipped right into your dreams.”

“Too? Too? You’ve seen my friend, Too?” Little Pine said excitedly.

“Yes, and your dear pal Red Leaf, who thinks of you with warmth and joy.”

“Wow,” breathed Little Pine. “That’s wonderful!”

“They watched you today as you visited all the lakeside dwellers, and they know you have much to do in the days ahead. They said they would send you winds of happiness so that you could float as lightly as a leaf as you helped the elves prepare the woodland for your guests. Their wish for you is that you may work with ease and joy.”

“Oh, thank you, Red Bird!” Little Pine said in his dreams.

“You’re welcome, dear one,” said the red bird, her bright feathers fluttering in a sudden breeze.

Little Pine caught the fragrance of oak on the dream-wind that rose, blowing the snow from the trees and turning it into stars. Then the red bird slowly faded away, sweetly singing, “Sleep well, Little Pine. Sleep well.”

Little Pine and his mother talked long into the night about the news that the Elf King was coming to this year’s Festival of Light. Mother Pine said she had heard the legends about the Elf King’s woodland visits, but never in this woodland’s history was there mention of his coming here.

The trees had always loved the story, of course. It was part of the Festival’s lore. But no one was sure that it was true.

According to the legend, the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun visited every woodland’s Festival every year. But they were invisible and their music and laughter was beyond the range of hearing by even the deer and the rabbits whose hearing was renowned. But, the legend said, each year the Elk King would choose one of Earth’s woodlands and cast a magic spell that let all of its inhabitant see and hear them for the entire Festival season.

Little Pine told her that the jay bird himself had brought the final word that the King and his Spirits were coming. He shared with her all the plans the elves had made to decorate the woodland more beautifully than ever before. They named Little Pine as their special messenger and asked him to spread the word to the woodland’s very edges so everyone could prepare.

As soon as the next morning broke, Little Pine was on his way. The elves had helped him make a plan that would let him spread the news to as much of the woodland as he could each day. Today, he was heading to the lake. And his first visit would be with the cattails.

The cattails were known for their Festival songs. Their music was always enthralling, and sounded as if they were the pipes of great organ playing in a magnificent cathedral somewhere. The hills would ring with their majestic voices.

Little Pine could hardly wait to tell them the news. He knew they would want to compose a special song to welcome the honored guests. It could set the tone for the whole event.

What a commotion broke out when Little Pine explained to them that the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun really were coming for the Festival this year—visible, so everyone could see them! They woke the whole lakeside section of the woods with their gleeful shouts. Yes, yes! They would be thrilled to compose a special song, they said. They would begin working on it right away.

Little Pine left them, laughing at their merriment. He had many visits to make before the day was through.

Little Pine decided to take a short cut on his way home from his day of planning with the elves. He was excited to tell his mother all the news, of course. But he had another reason for taking the path that he did.

As they were planning, Little Pine saw that Mother Elf would be doing a lot of extra cooking, baking, and candy-making as they prepared for the Elf King’s visit. And all the elf brothers would be especially busy, too. Preparing for the Festival of Light kept the elf family busy in an ordinary year. But now, with their special guests coming, they wanted to make sure that the woodland was as beautiful as it could be.

Little Pine was glad he could help them. He wanted to do everything he could for his friends. As he set out for home, he remembered that he had seen something special growing on the short cut last week. With any luck, they would be ready now.

He giggled as he skipped along. If anything helped to keep the elves happy, it was eating. And they were especially fond of sweets. “Be ready! Be ready!” he sang as he neared the third bend. He was sure that’s where he had seen them.

He careened around the corner, and then stopped in his tracks, laughing. There they were! Perfectly done and far larger than he had hoped they would be. Chocolate thumb-print elf cookies! What could be finer!

Carefully, he plucked them from their stems and gently placed them in his knapsack. His mom would be happy to wrap them, he knew, and he could deliver them tomorrow right after lunch. Oh, wouldn’t the elves be surprised and glad! He could almost hear them singing now.