Flower power. Copy-write P. Audcent 2014
It was spring at last and the children were allowed to go out and play, most chose to have a swing and to use the new slide that Dad had built in the winter, but Daniel went hunting for small things like bees and ladybirds. So he went off to the flower garden which had lovely green shoots covering every stem but alas no flowers yet. By chance he brushed through the rose bushes being very careful not to scratch himself by the thorns. After moving left and right and pushing away the long arched stems he made it to the back where Mum had planted her rambler roses so they would climb all over the back fence and make a brilliant background display.
Daniel edged along the back fence eagerly looking this way and that for his favourite insects and eventually reached a bright red rose newly opened with a silver drop of water right in its centre. He studied it closely and could see a piece of thin straw moving this way and that.
“Oh” said Daniel “I must remove that straight away otherwise the ladybirds wont be able to get a drink.”
“No you don't, leave my fishing rod alone Giant.”
Somewhat startled by the very squeaky voice, Daniel cried out “Who are you.”
“I live here just at the bottom of the fence, go away Giant.”
“I'm not a giant just a small boy, and exactly where are you?”
“I've got a brilliant red coat on to match my lovely rose”.
Daniel bent his head really low and looked looked. “Yes I can see you now and by the way its not your rose its my mothers she planted the bush, and anyhow what exactly are you doing?'
“Fishing” came back the squeaky voice.
“Fishing for what, there are no fish in that water droplet”.
“You might not be able to see them, you being a giant but if you were my size you would see thousands.”
“I doubt it, my eyes are very good and I don't need glasses like some children.”
“What are classes ?'
“No glasses.” And Daniel spelt out the word, but the little man just shook his head.
“What are you anyway?”
“I'm a sprite, I look after my plants and fish in the morning for breakfast.”
“Excuse me but they are my mothers plants, and anyway how do you cook your invisible fish?'
“You ask a lot of questions for a giant, but I lay them out on a leaf and let the sun dry them out, I have a swim in the water and when I've finished I have my dried out breakfast.”
“With milk and sugar I suppose.”
“You suppose wrongly, you really are a stupid giant, where would I get the milk?”
“I am sorry I had not thought, but I suppose you could walk under a cow and ask her to drop a few drops.”
“Yes and get drowned in the process, when you are my size you have to be very careful!”
Just then Susie called Daniel, the children had finished their swing and slide and wanted to play hide and seek.
“Don't let those other giants find me, its bad enough having you to disturb me.”
So Daniel crept down below the rose branches and stayed very still for several minutes whilst he heard his brothers and sister running around the garden trying to find him. At last they got bored and went back into the house.
“I think they have gone now, thank you for that, and now I think I will have go as well, if you could give me a lift down with your finger please.”
“Why my finger?” asked Daniel.
“I've seen you with those buggy creatures you call ladybirds crawling on you hands. Some people collect and put them into jam jars. I would not like that!”
“I always put them back carefully though.”
“Yes I've noticed, so your finger now please.”
Daniel placed his index finger carefully on the flower and felt a slight movement on his fingernail.”
“Oh its very slippery on here!”
“Well move down to the skin then you'll be much safer there!”
So Daniel lifted his finger as gently as he could and bought his hand down to the earth he was kneeling on. Then he bought his finger close close to the bottom of the fence and the sprite jumped off.
“Goodbye.” said the sprite as he disappeared into a small knot hole.
Do you know Daniel would look for that hole for ages but could never find it again. He never saw the sprite again and presumed it did not like giants even though he was such a small boy. And then there was the horror of the jam jars, no he could not blame the sprite for staying away.