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.

Even before he reached the elves’ door, Little Pine could hear their laughter and song. Elves are always laughing and singing, of course. But this was a particularly jubilant sound, as if the whole place was bursting with celebration.

Little Pine reached up and rang the flower bell. As Mother Elf opened the door, she was wiping tears from her eyes and trying to control her laughter. “Come in! Come in!” she said, welcoming him.

Behind her all the elves were twirling around with linked arms and clinking their mugs of cider. “Hooray! Hooray!” they shouted.

“What’s going on?” Little Bear asked, as Mother Elf handed him a mug and a winterberry muffin.

“Oh, Little Pine!” Teddy, the oldest brother, said, “Sit down and let me tell you the good news. Jay bird just brought the confirmation. We’ve been chosen!”

“Chosen?” Little Bear said. “For what?”

“Oh! You hadn’t heard!” said Ted. “The birds had brought rumors. But now we know for sure. The Elf King chose our woods for his visit.

“Every year, you see, he takes a select group of the Spirits of Fun to one woodland for the Festival of Light. It’s his way of rewarding the forest-dwellers for all they do to help the woodland thrive. And this year they’re coming here! Here! WhoooooooHooooooooo!”

“You sure are excited!” Little Pine laughed.

“Oh, we are! None of us have ever met the Elf King before, and the Spirits of Fun that come with him are the jolliest in all the realms. They’ll bring a whole new dimension to our Festival, and the Light will beam more brightly than ever.

“But now we have to get ready! There’s so much we want to do!”

“When are they coming? What can I do? How can I help you, Teddy?” Little Pine asked.

Teddy took a deep breath and settled himself down. “Mother, please bring us more biscuits and cider,” he said. “And brothers, come sit down. We only have a few days to get ready. We’re going to need a good set of plans.”

Little Pine felt the electricity of their excitement. And now, sitting around the table with them, he got his first insight into how these wonderful creatures managed to get so much done. They outlined their goals and broke each one down into a hundred small steps. Then they brainstormed about what resources they had and what help they could recruit.

It took all day, and Little Pine marveled at how meticulously they thought things through. He left for home just as the late afternoon sun began to fall beneath the horizon, a neatly written list in his pocket of the part he could play.

He skipped merrily on the path homeward, feeling proud that the elves included him in their plans. What an adventure they were in for! He could hardly wait to tell his mom the news.

Even before he opened his eyes, Little Pine felt something special in the air. Something had changed. When he looked out at the world, at first he thought it had snowed. But no, it wasn’t snow. It was a deep, shimmering frost.

It almost looked too delicate to walk through, he thought. But then he remembered that today was the day that he was going to the elves’ house for breakfast and he shivered with excitement.

He stepped out into the sparkling air. And then he saw that indeed, his friend Too had gone. His empty form lay on ground beside his mother tree. Mother Oak saw Little Pine peering at the empty leaf and said, “Look, Little Pine. He left you a message. Look by his stem.”

Little Pine bent over and saw the marking in the snow. As he fell, Too had managed a final dance and etched a heart on the frosty ground. Little Pine felt his own heart glow with love. It was just like Too to leave a mark of friendship behind. “He said to tell you to always remember your dreams, Little Pine,” Too’s mother said. “I think that’s wise advice.”

Little Pine thanked her and set out through the glistening frost toward the elves’ house. Every twig and weed and blade of grass was sparkling. “What a magical world!” he thought.

The day was already warming, and by the time he got to the elves’ house, the frost would be gone. He was curious to see what they had to say about the Festival and why it was going to be so special this year.

He whistled as he walked, glad that the world was so beautiful and that he was lucky to have such good friends, even when some of them lived in an invisible part of the world.

“Little Pine!  There you are!” the doe said as she stepped from behind a tree.  “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“Hi, Dora,” Little Pine answered.  He called her Dora because he thought she was so adorable.  “Too and I are just coming back from a visit with his mother’s cousin.  Why were you looking for me?”

“I have an invitation for you from the elves,” she said.  “ I don’t know if you have heard the news yet, but this year’s Festival of Light is going to be a very special one.  The elves want to know if you would help them get ready.”

Little Pine heard Too chuckle and saw that he was wearing a big grin.

“Sure!” said Little Pine.  “I would love to help!  What do they want me to do?”

“Meet them at their house for breakfast tomorrow morning.  They’ll tell you all their plans.” Dora said.

“Please tell them that I will be there, bright and early,” Little Pine said.  And Dora bounded off to deliver the news.

“It’s just like your dream, Too,” Little Pine said.  “You said the Festival was going to be special, too.”

“Yes, Little Pine,” Too laughed.  “You’re going to have quite an adventure.”

As they walked home, Little Pine struggled with his feelings.  Part of him was excited about getting to work with the elves.  But the other part was sad that tonight Too would be leaving.

Too understood what was going on with his friend.  When it came for their final parting, he hugged Little Pine and then smiled at him.  “It was wonderful being here with you, Little Pine.  Every time I think of you, my heart will be filled with laughter and joy. 

“Thank you for teaching me so much about friendship.  And remember, not even time and space can really separate us.   Once hearts are joined by love, they stay connected forever.”