A Fairy's Tale Prelude.....
Sometimes the Story Begins in the Middle, Dear Readers, Especially when the Beginnings are shrouded in Mystery and long forgetfulness, and so much Time has gone missing, that None or Few can remember where to Begin! Such was the case in the Dark Evenings as the Wizard sought for a clue to the Whereabouts of the Key of Time! Perhaps there are some of you who remember that he gave it to the Young Lad Peregrine, so he could use it to find his Sisters the Little Dreamers who were lost Somewhere deep in the folds of Time. And perhaps you remember that Peregrine Lost the Key when the sly dragon Slitherwing dropped him on the Distant Briar Moors and he hit his head hard enough to forget many things that it would have been better had he remembered! And perhaps you might recall that the Key of Time was found not long after by a tiny Fairy who was riding his Racing Snail across the Moors....
He was ever so pleased with his shiny silver Treasure....
and he carried it off.....
To Nobody knows where!
And In case you didn't already know, the Fairies have
No Use Whatsoever for the Key of Time!
They live such long and Enchanted lives,
nobody really ever knows how old they are!
They come and go through the Ages as they will....
Appearing and Disappearing, seeming Invisible...
Because they have no Care for Time,
and so they Never Keep Time!
But just because they have no Use for it,
does Not mean they cannot Make Mischief With it!
They have practically No Responsibilities
and so their chief Aim in Life is Amusement.
And because they are so easily bored,
Their greatest Pleasure is in Making Mischief!
And in case you hadn't guessed......
One of the Fairies who was Particularly bored
had spotted an opportunity to make some Grand Mischief!
This Puckish fellow had been Amusing himself
by playing tricks on the residents of the Castle....
(chiefly by moving things they had put down.)
And one day he wandered into the Chapel...
Where Father Alban was trying to decide how to Begin
with making a copy of the Book left by the Lord of the Castle.
It was a Beautiful and Rare Tome filled with Illuminations....
The Prayers written in a beautiful hand and the
Initials worked with pictures of a beauty he had rarely seen.
He felt inadequate to the task of copying such a work!
And that was why the Mischievous Fairy could
so easily Whisper in his ear....
"I know where there is a better book to copy...." he suggested.
"It would be much easier and faster to draw....." he added,
"and yet it would inspire all who saw it to marvel at your Mastery...!"
"It is sitting by the Window in the Lord's Counsel Chamber.....
"What harm is there in at least Looking at it...? he teased.
So Father Alban found himself
placing the Holy Book carefully back in its chest.
And moving slowly, as if in a Trance....
He went to the Counsel Chamber to look for the Book.....
The Lord had not been in residence for quite some Time,
so Father Alban was not surprised to find the Chamber empty.
Except for a few Owls.
He found the book.....
And carried it back to the Chapel.
It was Large, old and Well made.
The cover was green and appeared to be made of the hide of some beast.
But there was no Inscription on the outside at all...
And it was Heavy..... much heavier than he had thought it would be.
He opened it to look at the pages within....
Every page was covered in Intricate lettering and Brilliant color...
He Turned the pages, squinting to try and make out some of the Text....
"To Invoke the Power of Three..." he murmured aloud.
"To Move Ahead In Time...."
He turned another page...
"To Bind..." and another page...
"Truth Spell...."
And suddenly it dawned on him that the Book he held.....
Was Not a Holy Book at all.....
But was a Book of Forbidden Knowledge.....!
He was appalled and Ashamed that
the Evil Spirit had so easily snared him!
There was only One thing to do with Works such as This!
He carried the Tome down to the cellars...
And marched right into the Kitchen
And straight to the hearth....
And threw the Book into the Fire!
And watched the Flames begin to burn the pages!
Ah, Dear Readers, Do you have Any idea
how much Mischief a Fairy can Make?
Father Alban did not Know that the Book
he threw in the fire would Not be Destroyed!
But Old Meg knew!
She knew Exactly how much Trouble this Night's Mischief would Bring....
And it was only the beginning of this Fairy's Tale......!
To Be Continued......
