Tooth Fairy

This night it is a special night
As fairies dance upon the roof.
All the fairies must alight,
For W just lost a tooth!

The Fairy Queen gives her commands-
Twelve bright fairies must join hands
Then together in a circle stands
To guard W while he sleeps.

The Tooth Fairy into the circle leaps
The hidden tooth she borrows
Ah, but has far to go
Before returning tomorrow.
Three times around the world she flies
Over valleys deep and mountains high;
Skirts the storm clouds thick with thunder,
Wings over waves all wild with wonder.
Deep within their earthly homes
Finally she finds the gnomes,
Who upon the tooth must work
Never once their magic shirk.
Some are hammering, hammering, hammering,
Some the bellows blow
Others sweat at the sweltering forge
And then cry out, “Heigh Ho!”
The tooth’s been turned to a shining stone,
A glimmering, glowing gem
The tooth Fairy takes the gnomes’ good gift,
And bows to all of them.
Before the sun’s first rays are shown,
She returns to W's bed,
And then - - - away she’s flown!

I don't know where I found this but I like it.

Winter Solstice Story

A group of little Faeries huddled in their home deep under the roots of a giant oak tree. They were safe and snug in their tiny underground cave lined with dandelion fluff, bird feathers, and dried moss.

Outside, the wind blew cold and the snow fell softly down to cover the ground. "I saw the Sun King today," the faerie named Rose said as she pulled her mossy cloak tighter about her. "He looked so old and tired as he walked off through the forest. What is wrong with him?

"The great oak said he's dying" answered Daffodil.

"Dying? Oh, what will we do now?", Little Meadow Grass started to cry, "If the Sun King dies, our little plant friends will not grow. The Birds will not come and sing again. Everything will be winter for ever!" Lilac, Dandelion and Elder Blossom tried to comfort their friend, but they were all very sad. As they huddled together, there was a knock on the tiny door.

"Open up, Faeries," called out a loud voice. "Why are you hiding instead of joining us in our Solstice celebration?" Rose opened the door and the little gnome Brown Knobby pushed inside, shaking the glistening snowflakes off his brown coat and hat.

"We are too sad to celebrate," Daffodil said wiping her eyes, "The Sun King is dying, haven't you heard?"

"He is dead you silly Faeries." Brown Knobby's round dark eyes sparkled with laughter. "Now hurry, or we'll be late for the celebration!"

"How can you be happy and laughing?!" Elder Blossom stamped her little foot and frowned at the gnome. "If the Sun King IS dead, it will be winter always. We will never see the Sun again!"

"Silly little child-Faeries." Brown Knobby grabbed Dandelion by the hand and pulled her to her feet. "There is a secret to the Winter Solstice. Don't you want to know what it is?"

The Faeries looked at him in surprise. "Secret?" they all said. "What secret? We are only new little Faeries, you silly gnome. We've never been to a Solstice celebration before."

"Come and see. Come and see. Get your capes and come with me." Brown Knobby danced and jigged around the room. "Hurry, Hurry, don't be slow! To the Sacred Oak Grove through the snow!" He danced out of the door and disappeared.

"What did that gnome mean?" Rose asked as she gathered up her cloak of dried rose petals held together with cobwebs and lined with goose down.

"I don't know, but the Lady lives in the Sacred Grove." Meadow Grass pulled on her hat.

"Perhaps if we go to see the Goddess, She can explain what Brown Knobby was talking about".

The Faeries left their snug little home and trudged off through the snow toward the sacred oak grove. The forest was dark with only the light of the Moon shining down through the thick fir branches and bare limbs of maple and hawthorn. It was very difficult for them to get through the snow because they were very, very small. As they waded through the wet snow and shivered in the cold wind, they met a fox.

"Where are you going, Faeries?" the fox asked.

"To the sacred grove," they answered, they were cold and shivering.

"Climb on my back and I will take you there swiftly."

The fox knelt down so the Faeries could climb up. Then he raced off through the dark.

"Listen!" Lilac said as they neared the Grove of Sacred trees. "Someone is singing happy songs. A LOT of someones."

The beautiful music carried over the cold, still, moonlit air. It was the most beautiful music the Faeries had ever heard. The fox carried the Faeries right to the edge of the stone altar in the center of the grove, then knelt down.

"Look!" said Elder Blossom as they slid to the snow covered ground. "There is the Maiden and the Mother and the OLD Wise Crone, and many other Little People."

"They are all smiling and happy," said Lilac as she looked around at all the creatures.

"All the animals are here too," whispered Dandelion. "Why are they all looking at the Mother?"

The Faeries moved closer to the three Ladies seated on the altar stone. The Mother held a bundle close in Her arms, smiling down at it. The Maiden reached down and took the Faeries gently in her Hands. She held them close to the Mother so they could see what She held.

"A Baby!" the Faeries cried. " A new little Baby! Look how he glows!"

"He is the newborn Sun King," said the Maiden smiling.

"But Brown Knobby and the old oak tree said the Sun King was dead," the Faeries answered her. "How can this little baby be the Sun King?"

"That is the great secret of the Winter Solstice." The Old Wise One touched the baby's cheek with her wrinkled hand. "Every year the Sun King must come to the sacred grove during the darkest days of winter where he dies. I take his spirit to the Mother who gives him new life again. This is the way for all creatures, not just the Sun King."

" You mean everything lives and dies and lives again? the Faeries looked down in wonder at the baby Sun King, nestled in the arms of the Mother.

" Yes, Little Ones," answered the Old Wise Crone. "There is never an end to life. This is the great mystical secret of the Winter Solstice."

The Faeries laughed because they were so happy.

"I think the little Sun King should have gifts," said Rose. "I will show him where the wild roses bloom in the early summer."

"And, I will teach him to call the birds and listen to the songs of the wind," exclaimed Dandelion.

"When he is older and stronger, " said the Mother, "then the flowers will bloom at his touch, the birds will return to sing their songs, and the air will be warm from his breath, and winter will be gone for a time. Then the Sun King will run and play with you in the forest."

The little Faeries sang to the Baby Sun King, songs of the coming spring, the sweet smelling flowers, the bumbling bees, and all the secrets of the forest. And all the creatures within the sacred grove sang with them. Then the fox took them back to their snug home under the roots of the giant oak tree where they dreamed wonderful dreams, waiting for the warmth of spring and the fun they would have with the little Sun King.

Aauthor Unknown

Winter Verse

Now that winter's come to stay
all the trees are bare.
Little birds must fly away
To find their food elsewhere.

Little seeds lie hidden
In the dark brow earth,
Waiting until bidden
To rise above the earth.

(winter - Wynnstones)

New Year Blessing

May Fire light our way and warm our hearth (light candles)
May Earth's bounty nourish us and keep us strong ( light herbs and such)
May Water wash away our pain and suffering (wash our hands in the bowl)
May Wind blow good fortune upon those we love ( wave incense smoke to the North, East, South and West)
May we be blessed with the gifts of generosity, compassion and humility in the New Year and beyond. (hold hands and probably some kissing too!)

-by Denice

Farol

Yo voy con mi farol
Y mi farol conmigo
Arriba brillan las estrellas
Abajo brillamos nosotros
Farol, farol
Estrella, luna y sol
Se apaga la luz
Se apaga la luz
Menos la de mi farol
Farol. farol
Estrella, luna y sol
Con faroles
Con faroles caminando
Vamos los ninos cantando
Rojos, verdes y amarillos
Todos con hermoso brillo
Y si hace frio nos vamos a casa
Con nuestro pequeno farol

Latern Poem

The daylight fast is dwindling
My little lamp needs kindling
Let your beams shine far
Into the dark night
Little lantern guard me
With your precious light
-------------------------------------------
I'm going with my lantern and my lantern goes with me.
Above us shine the stars; and under shine we.
A sea of light like Martin's might,
Rabammel, Rabammel, Rabumm.

I'm going with my lantern and my lantern goes with me.
Above us shine the stars; and under shine we.
How sweet the sound, when everyone sings,
Rabammel, Rabammel, Rabumm.

I'm going with my lantern and my lantern goes with me.
Above us shine the stars; and under shine we.
My light is out, I'm going home.
Rabammel, Rabammel, Rabumm.

I'm going with my lantern and my lantern goes with me.
Above us shine the stars; and under shine we.
A sea of light like Martin's night,
Rabammel, Rabammel, Rabumm.

Pumpkin Carving Story

The Littlest Pumpkin

Once, in the middle of a great field full of pumpkins, there lived a wee little pumpkin. This little pumpkin was hardly bigger than a walnut. He was not a baby pumpkin, because baby pumpkins are green and he was a beautiful bright orange, just like his big brothers and sisters. But he was the tiniest pumpkin in the world. He was also the most miserable little pumpkin in the pumpkin patch.

"It's going to be a good Halloween for you, " he cried to his neighbor, "You will certainly be chosen by a child to be her own Halloween Jack O"Lantern, but I am so small that no one would be able to make a face on me, or to fit a light inside me. In fact, when the farmers come into the field with their heavy boots on, I'm sure they won't even see me and I'll be stepped on. I probably won't even have any Halloween."

The other pumpkin felt sorry for him, but there was nothing that he could do about it.

That very morning, the farmer and his two sons had come out to see the field full of round, glowing orange pumpkins among the dark green vines and leaves. The farmer said to his sons, "The pumpkins are perfectly ripe. Tomorrow we will come back and pick them, lead them onto our truck and take them into town. Children will buy them and take them home to make their Jack O' Lanterns for Halloween."

That night, all of the pumpkins in the field were talking excitedly about the next day. A big fat pumpkin boasted that he would probably be the first chosen by some lucky boy or girl, but a small, pretty little pumpkin said, "I think that a child would like me best, because I can be carried easily."

Everyone had a wish to tell the other. Some wanted to have a happy face, others wanted to be scary and a few even hoped to look sad - just for fun.

As the night became deeper and darker, and the full moon rose above the field, they all became quieter, except for an occasional whisper. All through the night, the little pumpkin looked up at the beautiful Mistress Moon, so high above him. He spoke to her.

"We are alike, you and I, because we are both so round. But you are great and wise and loved, and I am too small to be loved by anyone."

The moon shone down with loving light on the little pumpkin and tried to comfort him.

Before sunrise, as the moon began to wander home and it was very dark, the little pumpkin saw a tiny light flickering at the far edge of the great field. The light twinkled and sparkled as it zigzagged over the field, pausing here and hurrying there. The little pumpkin thought that a star must have fallen to the earth, but he couldn't see what it was doing. It came closer and closer. Then, all at once, it was standing in front of him and he could see that it wasn't a star at all - it was an autumn fire fairy, dressed in gold and orange and scarlet leaf-fire, which dances without burning.

The autumn fire fairy bent over the little pumpkin and cried out, " Oh! Here it is - the very pumpkin that I am seeking! All of the other pumpkins are much too big for me to carry home to my children, but he is just right."

What joy filled the heart of the littlest pumpkin when she picked him up and flew with him to the forest. They entered the bottom of a hollow tree and a great many little autumn fire fairies clamored around to admire their Halloween pumpkin. They took tiny fairy knives and cut a big smiling face on him. Then they brought little fairy candles that shine in all different changing colors and put them inside. Now the littlest pumpkin was turned into a sparkling, shining Jack O' Lantern.

Then all of the autumn fire fairies held a big dancing festival with many kinds of food and sweets and lots of music and singing. And the littlest pumpkin shared the best Halloween of all.

By Christine Natale