Festival Day had been a day of wonder and joy. Just to know that the Light was returning was all the woodland dwellers really wanted. But they received so much more.
The Elf King and the Spirits of Fun had them laughing all day long. They taught them the game of Laughing-for-No-Reason, and how to Laugh-with-the Wind. The Spirit of Honey and Hugs made sure everyone got their hugs, and Mother Mirth kept passing out her candied winterberries. The North Pole Elves even popped in again for one more chorus of their song.
The Elf King took time to visit with everyone, and after dinner, he gave each of the woodland’s elves a golden plaque engraved with his thanks for their unfailing merriment and service.
Then, just as the dusk was growing deep, the Elf King and Spirits of Fun hopped onto the landing platform, and waving goodbye, faded into the night.
When Little Pine got home, he shared mugs of birch cider with his mother and they chatted about their beautiful day. What a Festival Day it had been!
Then Mother Pine tucked Little Pine in for the night, kissing him on the forehead. “I love you, Little Pine,” she said.
“I love you, Mother, too,” he smiled.
As dreams began to overtake him, he saw some dancing golden stars. And the faces of the Elf King and the Spirits of Fun appeared, and said, “Thanks for the wonderful time, Little Pine. Remember, we’re always only a thought away.”
And with that, Little Pine drifted into a deep sleep, his heart full of love and joy.
None of the woodland dwellers had to think twice about Mother Mirth’s breakfast invitation. The dawn had hardly begun to light the sky as they headed toward the clearing beside the elves’ house. And what a sight greeted them when they arrived!
All the forest mothers had sent breakfast treats and Mother Elf and Mother Mirth were setting them out on long tables. Beautiful garlands of pine, fir, cedar and spruce decorated each one, and each one held a bouquet of mixed evergreens and holly. It was all so beautiful!
The Spirits of Fun were singing to the music that Matthew Mirth played on his horn, and the mood of excitement was growing in the clearing with every new arrival.
“Welcome! Welcome!” Mother Elf called to the woodland dwellers as they filed in. “Help yourself to some hot wintergreen tea while we wait for the King. It won’t be long now.”
When the sun rose over the woodland’s eastern slopes, a hush fell over the crowd. Everybody found a seat and watched with wide eyes as the landing platform began its vibration. The crowd vibrated right along with it. And when it suddenly stopped and a shower of golden stars began to tumble all around them, they stood and cheered. Matthew Mirth played a royal greeting on his horn.
And then, from the star-spangled darkness, a shiny strand of red and gold berries stretched down, and they watched in suspense as a small, furry critter of some kind slid down its length, wearing an elegant green coat and a bright golden crown.
The elves burst into laughter at the sight of him and began rolling on the ground holding their sides as if someone had just told them the funniest joke in the world.
The Elf King stepped onto the platform from his rope of berries, spread his arms wide, and bowed to the woodland dwellers. “Hello,” he said, in a warm and gentle voice. His furry face wore a look of tender kindness, the likes of which none had ever seen before.
The woodland dwellers just blinked and stared for a moment. They hadn’t known what to expect, but all of them thought the Elf King would be far larger, and that he would probably look like the woodland elves. This little Elf King took them quite by surprise.
Finally, Teddy, the eldest elf, broke the silence. “Hey, Little Elf King! Welcome!” he said, leaping onto the platform and shaking the Elf King’s paw. “We’re so honored that you have come!” And the crowd, awakened from their surprise, started clapping and singing, “Welcome! Welcome!”
Mikey Mirth stepped onto the platform and handed the King a microphone. The King smiled and thanked him.
“Greetings, my friends,” he said in his gentle voice. “And thank you for your warm welcome! It’s my special pleasure to be here in your woodland for the Festival of Light this year.
“As you may know, the Spirits of Fun and I visit a different woodland every year to honor its local elves for their joyous and loyal service. And I have received reports that your elves are among the finest in the world.”
The crowd stood again and cheered.
“They are the servants of the seasons, helping buds to open, and painting the flowers and leaves with their colors. They carry dew drops to the blades of grass in the springtime and lead mother birds to the finest materials for their nests. They sing to the crops in summer and play with the hard-working bees. They direct traffic for the ants and help them find their way when they have gone astray. They decorate the forest’s floor and hang fungus on the trees. They paint the leaves in autumn. And they love their work, and sing with merriment every single hour of the day. Aren’t they grand!”
Once again, the crowd rose and cheered.
“Elves live all over the world. They come in different colors and forms. But everywhere, they are known for their industry, humor and playfulness. They remind us that life is a celebration—every day of it.
“I am proud to be their king, and happy that my most important duty is to tell them that we see their work and adore their joy and believe with all our hearts that life wouldn’t be the same without them.
“Thank you, woodland elves, for all that you do,” the King said, bowing deeply.
And the crowd roared in agreement, laughing and clapping until the King held up his hand. “You are wonderful members of a beautiful woodland community,” he said. “Now let’s all have some breakfast and you can show me around.”
That night, Little Pine fell asleep with a hundred images from the past few days swirling through his mind. The arrival of the Spirits of Fun seemed almost too magical to be true. And yet he had laughed and played with them from morning until night for days.
They had romped throughout the woodland, carrying songs and laughter to its farthest reaches, greeting everyone they met along the way. The Festival of Light was always a special time of year, but with their presence it was more joyous than ever.
He wished they could stay forever. But he knew they would have to return to their own world at the Festival’s end. Even so, he was overjoyed that he had met them. And tomorrow, on Festival Day’s Eve, the Elf King would be coming! What would that be like?
His thoughts danced around for a while, and then Little Pine drifted into dreams.
Overhead, stars glistened softly in a velvety black sky, and, above him, Little Pine saw a beautiful white bird settle onto one of the branches of his mother tree. “Hello, Little Pine,” she sang.
“Hello, white bird!” he said. “Who are you?”
“I am The Wishing Bird,” she said. “I collect the wishes of the children of Earth. As the year draws to its close and the Festivals of Light are celebrated, many wishes arise from Earth’s beings. I gather them and translate them into the true wishes of the heart. Then I deliver the true wishes to Dream Central, which works to help wishes come true.”
“What do you mean by the true wishes of the heart?” Little Pine asked.
“Well, sometimes what you think you’re wishing for isn’t what you truly want. A sparrow might wish for bright, blue feathers, for example. But what she really wants is to feel beautiful. Or a squirrel might wish for a wolf’s howl when what his heart wants is to know that someone hears him when he speaks. Sometimes a dandelion will wish she could live in a fine garden and wear the petals of a rose. But what she really truly wants is to remember how important and valuable she is and to know that she brings joy to the world.”
“Oh!” Little Pine said. “It’s sort of like you find the wish inside the wish, right?”
“Very good, Little Pine,” she said. “You are a wise little tree.
“You know, as I was flying here, I heard you make a wish. Do you remember it?”
Little Pine thought for a moment and then said, “Yes, I wished that the Spirits of Fun could stay in our woodland forever. And I really, really do!”
Wishing Bird laughed a gentle little laugh and said, “Would you like to know what I hear your heart truly saying?”
“Sure!” said Little Pine. He didn’t think his heart could want anything different.
“Your heart wants for you always to have joyous companions and an enduring spirit of fun. And I can promise you, Little Pine, that your heart’s wish has already been granted. You see, once you have tasted fun, you can always choose to find it again. And your own sense of fun will bring out the joy in every one of your companions.
“As for the Spirits of Fun themselves, they are never any farther than a thought away. And that is true for everyone who ever meets them or even imagines that they exist.”
And with that, the Wishing Bird faded into the stars, and Little Pine slept happily through the night.
In the morning, a whole parade of curious woodland dwellers headed over to the elves’ house to see what this magical communicator was all about. They had never heard of such a thing.
As they arrived, the Squirrel Spirit invited them to sit in front of the strange machine that was perched on the landing platform. Mikey Mirth was fiddling around with knobs and buttons on the machine and his brother was making music on his golden horn. It was such a happy sound, that everybody started clapping and humming along with its tune.
When everyone had arrived and was seated, Mother Mirth stood up to speak. “Here,” she said, handing her bowl of candied berries to the rabbit who was sitting at the end of the row. “Pass these around.”
She giggled for a moment and then said, “While we wait for Mikey to tune in our broadcast, let me tell you about what you’ll be seeing.
“We Spirits of Fun have been to hundreds and hundreds of places on your amazing world to join in your Festivals of Light. It’s called different things in different places and honored with many different customs, but it is celebrated with joy everywhere.
“In your part of Earth, many of the humanimals call it Christmas, and in their tradition, a great fatherly spirit they call Santa Claus brings gifts to all the children to show them that they are loved. Santa has a workshop in a dimension they call The North Pole where he makes all the gifts with the help of some specialized elves.
“These elves are members of our troupe of The Spirits of Fun. And when they heard that we were coming to your woodland, they asked us to bring the communicator so they could greet you. They’re especially fond of the elves you have here, because they’re always so merry, you know.”
The crowd burst into applause in agreement, and all the woodland elves blushed a little.
“We’re ready!” Mikey said. And all at once, on the big screen of the red communicator, a North Pole elf appeared. The crowd hushed as he began to speak. It was almost as if he were right there in person. How amazing!
“Greetings, Earthlings! We’re so happy to be visiting your woodland this year to be a part of your Festival of Light! It’s a very busy time of year for us, but while Santa is planning his travels, we have time to give you the present of a song we wrote especially for you.”
The North Pole elf bowed and the scene flashed to a group of workshop elves with an elf penguin standing in snow and singing this song:
Merry, merry Festival, children of the Earth! May your faces wear bright smiles and your hearts be filled with mirth. Each one of you is special, a child of the Great Yes, And now He comes to hold you in the Light of His caress. The Light of Life is coming to begin a brand new year; May its radiance enfold you in love and warmth and cheer. Merry, merry Festival, children of the Earth! May your faces wear bright smiles and your hearts be filled with mirth.
The Spirits of Fun were dancing to the North Pole elves’ song, and as it ended and the scene on the communicator faded, the whole audience stood and clapped and whooped with joy. What a wonderful gift! What a wonderful song!
Mother Mirth stepped onto the platform and asked for everyone’s attention. “We’re so glad you enjoyed the North Pole elves’ song! May it ring in your hearts all day long.
“I know that you have many final preparations to make for tomorrow’s Festival Day, so we will wrap up our gathering. But before you go, let me invite you to share breakfast with us in the morning. We have word now that the Elf King will be arriving at sunrise.”
Another cheer went up from the crowd and as they began to head to their homes, the Mirth Spirit with the horn played the tune of the elves’ song, and everyone sang it, over and over, all the rest of the day.
Little Pine and the elves held their breath as the platform started vibrating again. Then, Poof! In a shower of stars and music, three mice-like spirits appeared. Three at once! That was a good trick.
“Hey, Merry Eartlings! We’re the Spirits of Music and Mirth!” they chimed in music-box voices. “We’ve brought boogie and baubles and treats to usher in the Light with you! Let’s party!”
They jumped down from the platform and started to dance. “C’mon! Join in!” they laughed. And pretty soon Little Pine and the elves were caught up in their magic. Around and around they all twirled, spinning until they were laughing so hard they fell down in a pile.
Once they caught their breath again, the Spirits of Music and Mirth and the elves and Little Pine introduced themselves. They already felt like old friends, but they were polite and wanted to know each other’s names.
As they had done with the other visitors, the elves invited this trio to lunch and offered them a tour of the woodlands. Then they would let them get settled in. The beavers, Teddy Elf explained as they ate, had constructed a lovely little lodge at the pond’s edge where the visiting Spirits of Fun could sleep and entertain visitors and enjoy the seeds, nuts and berries the woodland’s animals had gathered for their cupboards.
Mikey Mirth, the fellow who had brought the big red bulb, asked if he could leave it at the elves’ house, by the platform. He and Squirrel Spirit would hook it up after dinner, he said.
“Hook it up?” Teddy Elf asked. “What do you mean? Do you want to hang it somewhere? We can help.”
“Oh,” said Mikey, “It’s not a decoration. When we plug it into the platform, it will open into a special communicator screen. Some members of the Spirits of Fun troupe are on special assignment. But they have a surprise for you and we’ll use the communicator to connect with them tomorrow. You’ll see,” he giggled. “We should be able to reach them right after breakfast.”
“Is everyone invited?” Teddy asked.
“Why, sure!” Mikey said. “It’s going to be great!”
Little Pine volunteered to invite everybody from the lake and ponds while the elves were taking the visitors on their tour of the woodlands.
After they finished the last crumbs of their lunch, Mother Mirth offered the candied berries that she had brought with her as a dessert. As soon as they took a candy from her bowl, another one magically took its place. The elves took turns plucking a candy from the dish and watching a new one appear and every time it happened it made them laugh.
Matthew Mirth, the musician among them, started playing a foot-tapping tune as the elves led them down Holly Trail. Little Pine could hear them all singing as he skipped down the shortcut to the lake.
These Spirits of Fun, he decided, were very well-named indeed.
Nobody had to tell Little Pine to get to the elves’ house early. Everyone in the woods was awake with anticipation. Who would show up today?
The elves were already standing around the landing platform when he got there, and they had an extra mug of hot birch cider and a winterberry muffin just for him.
Before long, the platform began its musical hum, and Little Pine and the elves were quivering with excitement when the big clap of sound happened and the next Spirit of Fun appeared.
It was a bear! And she came in a shower of sparks as beautiful as fireworks and shaped like stars and hearts. “Oooooooh!” Little Pine and the elves said, caught in the wonder of the sight.
“Hello, Precious Earthlings! I am the Spirit of Honey and Hugs, come to drench you in sweetness and love. Would you kindly help me down? I’ve brought gifts and they’re waiting for a place on this platform.”
As soon as they recovered from their surprise, the elves rushed forward to help the regal bear step down. And no sooner was she on the ground that the platform was suddenly filled with decorated bags full of the most astonishing things.
There were fishing poles and wagons, and lidded jars, and skis. One bag overflowed with every kind of candy you ever imagined and some you had never seen. There were socks and scarves in all colors and sizes that looked as soft as clouds. Another bag was brimming with nutcrackers and bowls and hammers and saws. And one last box had a big gold ribbon and a note that said ‘Do not open until Festival Day.’”
Little Pine and the elves were astonished. “Every animal finds life’s sweetness in its own way,” the bear laughed as she saw their faces. “I tried to bring something for every taste. But one thing is certain. Everyone loves hugs.” And with that, she went from elf to elf, hugging them in her soft, fluffy arms. At last she came to Little Pine. “And here’s one, sweet little pine tree, especially for you.”
Her embrace was as light and soft as snow and she smelled of the first sap of springtime. Little Pine felt a tingle of joy race up and down his trunk and out every one of his limbs. He thought he might float into the sky in happiness.
“Here,” the bear said, digging through the heap of bags and boxes on the platform and pulling out a big sleigh. “We can put everything on here and take it wherever you think might be a good place to store it until the Festival.”
Then she picked up the box that said not to open it, and turned to Little Pine. “Would you please carry this one, dear?” she asked. “It’s full of shooting stars for your Festival’s grand finale. We can’t open it until then or the stars will fly away. Could you find a safe place for it?”
Little Pine assured the Spirit of Honey and Hugs that he would be proud to take responsibility for its safe keeping. “Hold it tight!” the bear said as she deposited it in his arms. And as he took it, Little Pine felt it wriggle with dancing energy. He giggled, and the bear laughed with him.
With all their goodies in tow, the elves and Little Pine led the bear to the elves’ home. And after they stowed everything safely away, they all enjoyed a marvelous lunch together.
“Hurry, Little Pine! Something is happening!” the elves called. A loud, musical humming was filling the air. “It’s vibrating!” the elves said, pointing to the platform.
Little Pine joined the circle they had formed around the big, black platform and stared at it as the humming grew louder and louder and the vibrating got faster and faster.
All of a sudden, there was a sharp clap of sound. The humming stopped, and right before their eyes, in a shower of sparks, a small creature that looked like a squirrel appeared, holding a hockey stick in his paw.
“It worked! Wow! I’m here!” it shouted in a high, excited voice. “This is fantastic!”
Little Pine and the elves whooped in surprise. Seeing them, the squirrel laughed and said, “Yo! Earthlings! Greetings from the Spirits of Fun! I am the Squirrel Spirit and I’ve come to play! Where’s the ice? Where are the nuts? Who are you?”
The elves burst into laughter. “We’re the elves,” they said, “And this is our friend, Little Pine. Welcome! Welcome to our woodland!”
The oldest elf stepped forward and reached out to shake Squirrel Spirit’s paw. “I’m Teddy Elf,” he said, “and we have nuts aplenty for you. Our own squirrels have been gathering our finest for weeks now. Follow me and we’ll fix you up and give you a tour of our woods.”
As they scampered to the elves’ house, Teddy told Squirrel Spirit that their pond hadn’t frozen yet and apologized for the lack of ice. The squirrel just laughed and said, “No matter. I can slide on water just as well.”
He stared at the trees, and marveled at the heaps of leaves that blanketed the ground. His little nose wiggled nonstop as he took in all the fragrances of the woods. “This is amazing!” he said. “It’s so big, and rich, and, and, well, solid!”
The elves giggled as he chattered. You could see that he was nearly beside himself with excitement. He explained to them that the Spirits of Fun would be coming every day now. He got to come first because he was highly skilled at leaping and would clear all the circuits as he made his way here, just to make sure everything was working correctly for the others.
The other spirits could see him from the platform in their own world where they were lined up, ready to come. And he heard them laugh as he touched down here.
When they got to the elves’ home, Mother Elf set out a huge bowl of nuts, seeds and berries, and Squirrel Spirit chortled in delight with every bite he took. The more he ate, the happier he got, and his happiness floated into air around him as if it was a magical scent, and everyone breathed it in and was filled with merriment.
After they were finished with their snack, they started toward Holly Trail to begin their tour.
Little Pine excused himself, saying he would catch up with them when they reached the pond, and he hurried home to tell his mother that the first Spirit of Fun had arrived and that he was, of all things, a squirrel!
Mother Pine said she would spread the word to all the other pines and they would tell the woodlands’ own squirrels. She was sure they would want to gather to greet him.
And so the word spread. And when the elves and their special guest finally reached the pond, a whole choir of squirrels was waiting with a small mountain of seeds and nuts, and they burst into song, and the entire woodland sparkled with delight.
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.”
