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.