A Visit From the Wood Sprites

Lady Mum and her dog Dexter are walking through the woods, as they do each day.

This day was different though, as they walked deeper into the woods, Lady Mum notices a treehouse. “I’ve never seen that there before Dexter, have you?”

Dexter looks up and says “It’s a little house Lady Mum! How come it’s up there in a tree?”

Lady Mum walks closer to the tree, “There’s no way to get up there, maybe we can get a ladder from the house. What do you think?”

“Umm, Lady Mum, I don’t know what a ladder is, but what is that over there?”

Lady Mum turns to where Dexter is looking and sees a ladder propped against another tree. “What in the world?” she says as she walks over to inspect it.

The ladder is made from rough-hewn wood with wide steps, perfect for a human and a dog to climb up. Lady Mum takes ahold of the ladder and drags it to the tree, not really thinking of why this ladder just happened to be there, nor why the treehouse itself is there.

“Well, Dexter what do you think? Want to go up and check it out?”

“Yep! Yep! Let’s go! Is this a venture Lady Mum?” laughing, Lady Mum says, “It is indeed an adventure. Let’s get up there and see what is what.”

They carefully climb the ladder, with Dexter in the lead. As Lady Mum’s head reaches the opening, she hears Dexter excitedly saying, “Lady Mum! There’s a water bowl just for me! And a big pillow bed for you! Look! Look!”

Lady Mum pulls herself into the treehouse and looks around in wonder. There is a window with a small wooden box filled with flowers on the sill, a large pillow to sit on, and yes, there is a water bowl just for Dexter.

Although the space is small, maybe 5 feet by 5 feet, the feeling is one of space and peace. Lady Mum settles onto the big pillow as Dexter comes to lay beside her. Together they look out the window as the leaves shimmer and dance in a light summer breeze. The only sounds to be heard are birds, squirrels scurrying up and down the trees and the breeze whispering through the leaves.

Lady Mum leans back against the wall and closes her eyes, softly laughing and whispering to Dexter. “Maybe the wood sprites build this treehouse huh Dexter?”

Dexter snuggles up to Lady Mum knowing full well who built the treehouse, but he also knows he’s not supposed to tell, so he keeps quiet and lays his head on Lady Mum’s leg as she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

It isn’t long before Dexter himself closes his eyes for a nap as well.

As they settle into a gentle sleep, two wood sprites fly in through the window, giggling and shimmering.

One has the petal of a flower on her head and her name is Faith, the other has a mushroom cap on her head and her name is Hope.

Faith says to Hope, “Don’t wake them up! We’ve never been this close to the lady human. Look how big she is!”

Hope whispers, “What about Dexter? He knows us. Can’t we wake him up to talk and play?”

With wings buzzing and hands on her hips, she tilts her head and almost loses her flower petal cap, Faith says, “I don’t think so, we may wake up the lady human. She’s tired. That’s why we made her the treehouse remember? So she can rest.”

“Why do you think she’s so tired?” Hope asks.

Flying over to settle onto the brim of the dog bowl, Faith says, “I think the human world is too big and makes them all tired. It doesn’t seem very peaceful, does it? All the moving about and talking so loud. Seems as if the whole world is one big noisy place. No one takes time to sit in trees like we do. No wonder she’s so tired.”

“I guess you’re right, the world would be tiring. But she believes in us, how come we can’t let her see us?”

Faith flits up to the window sill and perches on a flower, “She is one of the few who believes in things she can’t see as well as the things she can see. She is able to experience with wonder a beautiful sunrise and dewdrops sparkling on a daisy. She’ll kneel and talk to a toad or save a turtle who has flipped on its back, she talks to the mama deer and her babies as they visit her each night. She takes care. I don’t think we need to let her see us. She just believes.”

Hope flies over to sit beside Faith, “So what are we gonna do? We should do something special for her.”

“You’re right Hope. I’ve got it! Let’s bring her some treasures!”

“Good! Good! I know just what to gather!” Off they fly, out the window, and into the woods to gather treasures for the sleeping lady human and Dexter.

It doesn’t take long before they return with their bounty and begin to gently drop acorns and twigs on the lady human’s lap.

Looking at each other, they giggle and buzz out the window once more to gather more treasures from the woods.

Upon their return to the treehouse, they begin to place flower petals upon the lady humans head, all the while, fighting off the giggles. Their little hats wobbling on their heads as they flit around.

Faith whispers to Hope, “Let’s tell the others, we can bring so much more with their help.”

With a flutter of wings, off they go for a third trip out the window. When they return they are joined by dozens of wood sprites, all carrying small treasures to leave with the lady human and Dexter. They’ve all been given strict instructions to not wake the lady human as they leave their gifts so they are very careful how they place them.

Blades of grass and pieces of fern are spread out on the floor along with more acorns and pebbles. Several wood sprites bring in a small sprig from an apple tree, flying awkwardly as they try to navigate with something three times their size. Pine needles and dandelion fluff join the treasures spread out on the floor and on the lady humans head.

As the wood sprites are busy spreading their bounty, Dexter wakes up, lifts his head, and whispers “Hi little ones! Are we gonna play?”

The wood sprites stop as one and hover in the air, their eyes wide with their treasures dropping from their tiny hands to land on the floor with a sound like raindrops.

“Hi, Dexter! We’re not here to play right now, we’re bringing gifts for your lady human. Do you think she’ll like them?” Faith whispers.

Glancing around the small area, Dexter whispers, “I think she will. Look at all of the stuff that you brought! This is so neat!” Dexter's tail starts to wag in his excitement, making the dandelion fluff float and pine needles and pebbles scatter.

Hope quickly flies around the room trying to catch the tiny seedlings but she can only catch so many with her tiny little hands, so the rest of the wood sprites begin to buzz around, knocking into each other with dandelion fluff floating everywhere.

Dexter jumps up to help and steps on the acorns which start to roll around the floor causing him to slide right into his Lady Mum.

With a start, Lady Mum wakes up, sneezes, and notices all of the pine needles, blades of grass, acorns rolling and dandelion fluff floating around. Batting away at some of the fluff as flower petals fall from her hair, she laughs and says, “Dexter, what in the world is going on? How did flower petals get in my hair?

Dexter sits and looks wide-eyed at his Lady Mum and says in a very serious voice, “I dunno how it all got here, I’m just a dog.”

Lady Mum throws her head back and laughs as she begins to pick pine needles and flower petals out of her hair and jokingly says, “Well, it must’ve been the wood sprites, Dexter.”

Dexter turns to look out the window while his Lady Mum is busy and sees Faith and Hope hovering outside with their fingers to their lips and a twinkle in their eyes. “Yep Lady Mum, prolly the wood sprites.”

Faith and Hope, along with all of their friends giggle and buzz around in a circle just outside of the window and fly off into the woods with dandelion fluff trailing in behind them.

Lady Mum leans to look out of the window. Seeing nothing she turns to Dexter, “Did you hear that?”

Dexter comes to stand beside his Lady Mum, “Like tiny little giggles?” he asks.

“Yes, sort of like a small wind chime noise. Did you hear it?”

“Nope, didn’t hear nuthin, must’ve been the wind.”

Lady Mum looks around once more and says, “Hmmm, maybe you’re right. Okay, sweet guy, I apparently fell asleep for a while, we should probably head back home, it’s just about dinner time.”

Lady Mum and Dexter carefully make their way down the ladder and begin their walk home. Lady Mum turns to look back into the woods. “Dexter, do you think the treehouse will be there tomorrow?”

“I dunno Lady Mum, do you really believe in wood sprites?”

Lady Mum kneels on the ground to hug Dexter and says, “There are many things I believe in that I can’t see Dexter, so who is to say that Wood Sprites don’t exist? And as for the treehouse, maybe it will be there tomorrow and maybe it won’t, but it was there today and it was a fine way to spend the day tucked away up there.”

Dexter gives his Lady Mum a lick on the cheek and she gets up from the ground to head towards home.

Dexter looks back to see Faith and Hope watching them from the edge of the woods with smiles on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes.