Do you remember I said the other day, perhaps I'd tell you a story about the elves, who like to make their homes in trees? Well, so it be! Here it goes:
ABOUT ELVES
Did you ever see elves? I should guess no, because they are very shy, they can move swiftly without the slightest sound and they're usually not out and about during daylight. At dusk they set out for their duties and pleasures, at dawn they return to their homes - and no human being is able to spot elves when they don't want to be seen, believe me!
Elves don't talk much, they have ways of speaking to each other, very different from ours. The old elves, and most of them are in fact very old, simply send off their thoughts by blinking with an eye - not more is needed. The young ones make signs with their slender fingers, and that is a language of itself.
If you are a very lucky person you might hear elves singing at dawn - but if you will realize that it is elves' song...? I doubt that. Probably you will think this is the early morning wind, whistling through the leaves. And exactly the moment this thought crosses your mind, there might be a rustling and you may well believe that this is again the wind in the tree tops - but it's not, it's elvish laughter.
Elves understand a great deal of what animals are telling each other, but they seldom interfere in their serious discussions. Only now and then they might ask them for some information, but really, this hardly ever happens. Although - sometimes they join in when merry little birds are chanting to greet the new morn, and birds appreciate that. Yes, they often start a singing competition and if you happen to walk through a forest at... hm, let's say at about five o'clock in the morning you can listen to the sweetest music there is. But which human being is crossing woods at such an untimely hour?
You might have heard a lot of stories about elves. Most of them are made up, of course! So just think of how big elves might be... some say they are bigger than humans, some say they are like children, others insist that elves are not bigger than a thimble. I will reveal the truth to you: They are all of it! Well, not really, of course, but they are able to seem much bigger than they are, also they have ways of looking pretty small. There's no magic involved, as you might have thought - no, it's more of a psychological trick. Human beings are fooled easily, you know.
Depending on where you live the elves in your country may look a little different from those who live in other countries, but still they are all able to make themselves real small. They don't actually shrink, but they can curl themselves up like cats. They are usually the size of a grown up man, and if they stand erect you might even mistake them for one - well, if you're far away and the sight is not very good, that is. But elves don't need to walk about on two legs, they can easily run on feet and hands, if in a hurry - then one might think a fox is running for shelter. And they can sit down, pull their legs up to their chins, and remain in that position for hours without moving, yes, even without blinking.
Unlike men elves aren't fond of possessions. They don't need houses, cars, swimming pools or fancy jewellry, they have no interest in money, gold and diamonds - because they simply don't need such things. A feather, dropped by a bird on purpose, a flower, some leaves - that's what elves love to pick up, and if you think about it - it really is more beautiful than any man made jewellry. Especially when autumn comes around and leaves turn orange, red and golden. Elves spend hours picking up these precious gifts of nature and they are real experts in the art of crown-and wreath-making. They also collect dew drops which they tie to their leaf crowns. No pearl does sparkle and shine like a dew drop - have you ever noticed that?
But like any other creature elves need a safe place to rest. And which place could be better than the top of a tree? In case you didn't know - elves climb like monkeys. And trees just love the elves. The are offering shelter when it rains, shelter when the sun is shining. It is a little difficult for trees to offer shelter during the winter, though. Firstly because there are no leaves and secondly - and that's more important - because trees are asleep during the cold time of year. You can't wake up a tree once it fell asleep, even elves can't do that. But that is the reason why there are trees, which are wide awake and also dressed in their full green during the winter, the conifers.
Oh now... I can see that you are not satisfied. Hmm - you wanted to know about the "homes" of the elves, right? Well, they don't have a home like yours. You live in a house or an apartment, and you come back there every day to do your cooking and sleeping and watching television. Elves don't do these kinds of things. They need a place to rest, yes - but this place may be here today and there tomorrow. They don't sleep in beds, they don't sleep at all, they just rest. As they aren't burdened with belongings like men, they have no need for a house, and as they are always wandering, always on their way, a house wouldn't be of any use to them.
But, and this is a little tree-secret I'm giving away, they actually speak and think of their "home" when they pick the place where they will spend the day resting, dreaming and thinking.
What about magic, you ask? Oh well, some of the elves are mighty dream weavers, they can create beautiful landscapes in their thoughts, wonderous flowers and unique animals, and they may send these dreams to people with open hearts, usually children. This is a kind of magic, isn't it? But all that stuff you might have heard of elves wielding powerful magic, turning people into stone or things of the like - no, these are just tales.
But - coming to think of it - elves themselves seem to be a piece of artful magic, don't you think? They are always peaceful and never fight with anyone. They are always content. They are always happy. They never meddle in the affairs of others. And - most important of all - they rest in trees!
So, let's be quiet now, one of the happy elves may just now be resting up there! Shhhh...
Eva - Fairy Tale Auntie - Bekker
