Wishing Well of Wenatchee: Conclusion

Entrancing the Rats

I'm sure you're all familiar with the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin.  It's all about a guy that lured the rats out of town by mesmerizing them with his trilling and piping, thus sparing the denizens of Hamlin from their infestation.


In the case of our story however, it was more like the Fairy Flautist of Wenatchee.  The Royal Rat-catchers were doing an knock-out job of rounding up those rats and collecting tails but they needed a little help.  Reaching for her double-flute, Princess Lolly began to play an enchanting tune.


The trilling fairy music was too much for the rats to resist.  Dazed, they began to follow the notes on the breeze as the Princess led them around the faire.  When she played a jig, their knees kicked up in a dance and the children laughed.  If her tune was drawn and slow, the rats languidly mosied along behind her.


Round and round the Wishing Well they went.  Each time the spiral was a bit smaller, and each time more and more children, peasants, craftsmen and nobles gathered to watch as the Rats crawled into the Wishing Well one-by-one and didn't emerge again.

We found the Magic Plunger!

It should come as no surprise that amongst the on-lookers and rubberneckers, were the Bellydancers - just like a raccoon, they cannot resist the mystery of that which is shiny!


It wasn't long before whispers began to rush through the crowd.  Those clever kids found the Bellydancer who had absconded with the Magic Plunger and beguiled it away from her so that it could be properly restored to the Faeries.


Princess Lolly was so happy with the children for helping her get the Magic Plunger back, that she declared a drawing must be done that very moment for fabulous prizes!

Despite all protestations from the Bellydancers that the Magic Plunger was really just a useless piece of old junk and that they had found it fair-and-square, the children handed it over to the lop-eared Breezle.  Pooka - which is what Breezle was - have their own language that generally involves never saying anything straight.  There is a twist to their doublespeak however, and Breezle knew just how to cast the spell to use the Magic Plunger to retrieve the Golden Plunder.


Once...twice...thrice!


Into the Wishing Well she dipped and withdrew a pile of treasures that were given away to the lucky winners!  Among the goods were awesome items from artists and merchants such as:
Purple Eggplants
Art of Suiter
D&D Chain Maille Creations
Occams Edge
Tymon's Forge Works
Cat and the Cradle
Neptunes Treasures
Quicksilver Fantasies
Nomad Traders
Mercy Nine Designs

News travels fast, it seems, and it wasn't very long before a band of merry men got wind of a certain Fairy Princess who would be traveling through the forests of Sherwood Fantasy Faire...and you had better believe they started scheming on just how to gain all that fairy gold!...

Join us in Sherwood June 16-17, 2012 to see what happens next!

Wishing Well of Wenatchee Part 2

Elsewhere around the faire, Princess Lolly was having a wonderful time blowing bubbles with all the colorful little spritelings who had come out to play.


All the while, swarms of rats were making their way through the hamlet of Wenatchee.  They had come in on that rapscallion Sparrow's ship and were now running amok around town.


These particular rats weren't hard to spot since they had grown quite large.  Sailing around on a pirate ship, food was easy to scavenge around the bulkhead when humans were sleeping.  Consequently, these fat rats were dawdling around town, swishing their tails and frisking whiskers on their search for scraps.

Giant Rascally Rats

Lured by the wonderful sting music around the faire, three sleek rats followed their ears: one brown, one black, and one white.  A colorful maypole rose up on the green, leading the way to rows of merchants and the rats snuck in the gate by trailing the hems of skirts on the young ladies.


One of those maidens just so happened to be Lavender, a purple-gowned faerie in the Princess' court.  Lady Lavender squealed at the sight of the vermin.  They could sense her fear and so decided to have some fun, nipping at her toes and chasing her (and anyone else who would run) around the faire.

Artea the Dragon

Well, those rats were so rascally and fast, the Princess had to hire as many Royal Rat Catchers as she could.  Fortunately for everyone, Lolly had a pet dragon named Artea who loved to make snacks out of rat tails.


The Princess struck a deal with the young ones around the faire: for every rat tail that you bring Artea to snack on (dragons can have quite an insatiable appetite), I'll trade you prizes from my Magic Apple.


A sweet deal, to be sure!  Royal Rat Catchers were in action everywhere, catching small rats and medium ones, spotted rats and lop-eared rats.


As one might suspect, pandemonium ensued as the children gave chase to those rats.  In the bright sunlight, there weren't very many dark corners for the rats to skulk off to and hide.

.To and fro they chased those rats but there were just too many of them, and the big ones were especially clever, eventually a different solution had to be found to resolve the rat infestation...

...to be continued...

The Wishing Well of Wenatchee Part 1

kbrenderphotography.com

It all began with a warm spring day and an inebriated pirate called Sparrow.  Mead will make you hear funny things.  


For example, if you were a pirate named Sparrow, you might have heard that there was Wishing Well at the Wenatchee Faire.  And if you happened to be the sort that may know a fairytale (or tall tale) or two, you might know that Wishing Wells happen to be filled with Golden Plunder from all the coins that people toss in to make wishes.

kbrenderphotography.com

This Wishing Well was not particularly different, except that Jack Sparrow didn't quite hear the details of this fairytale - specifically, he missed the part of about the Fae, the Magical Plunger and the bit that went: "Only the Golden Plunger retrieves the Golden Plunder" - much to his pluderous-gold-loving chagrin.


Not being the sort to run unless TOTALLY necessary, Sparrow convinced the Bellydancers around the faire that they should swipe that Golden Plunger from the Faeries.  Then, they could split the Golden Plunder between the lot of them once they had fetched it from the bottom of the Wishing Well.


The Bellydancers circled together amongst themselves, chattering over the pirate's offer.  After a few moments of debate, they agreed and the two groups came to an accord.


Almost immediately, those Bellydancers had swiped the Golden Plunger from the Faeries and off they ran with it!

kbrenderphotography.com

To be continued...

Spring Fairy Festival 2012

Read the Auburn Reporter Article!

One weekend after Norwescon, it was a beautiful beginning to Spring.  There were no Barbarians-named-Wotan to be found at the Spring Fairy Festival (though a few loyal pixies did report that he was definitely kindling this year's battle of pranks with aplomb - and we'll get back to that...)


The day began with a lovely parade stroll outside and around the fountain (circles open the gate :) so that everyone could see our beautiful outfits...


...and we rolled into an amazing costume contest from which everyone walked away a winner!  For the first time ever the judges had so many awesome choices they had to have honorable mentions :)...

...and then this lovely Fairy Princess had the pleasure of  hosting two workshops.  In the first, we created Butterfly Terrariums by building moss, flower petals and assorted foliage into glass ornaments for our butterflies to live in...


...this was followed by a wonderful workshop of making Fairy Luminaries.  We transformed mundane candle jars into fae-tastic tea-light holders!


The rest of the day was merriment and revelry with friends old and new...speaking of knew, WHO knew that Wotan hearts My Little Ponies?!


Next stop: Wenatchee RenFaire!

Tree Lore: Magnolia

Today is the First day of Spring, otherwise known as the Vernal Equinox!  Happy flowers and sunshine everyone :)  In celebration, I decided to highlight one of my favorite trees associated with the Spring Season....

Magnolia

Elemental Association: Earth

Astrological Signs: Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Ruling Planet: Sun, Venus 

Gender: Female

Magnolia is an ancient genus of plant having evolved even before bees appeared on the timeline.  The giant blossoms on this tree developed to encourage pollination by beetles first.  Some fossilized specimens have been found to date back approximately twenty-million years!

Various parts of this tree have found popular uses across the world.  In traditional Chinese medicine (known as Hou Po), the bark is used for regulating Qi (life-force) and resolving stagnation.  It helps with coughing, vomiting and bloating.  The dental community has also taken interest in the Magnolia bark extract because it interferes with the formation of bacterial plaque.

In ancient China where the plant was called Yu-lan (Jade Orchid), only the Emporer was entitled to own a Magnolia and he would occasionally give a root as a sign of imperial favor. The ancient Aztecs also knew of the Magnolia tree, naming it Eloxochitl or "Flower with Green Husk". One superstition tells that a blossom placed in the bedroom will kill anyone who sleeps there.

In Japan the blossoms are used to wrap some foods and eaten and the Magnolia is the state tree of Mississippi.  The fragrance of the blossoms is thought to possess aromatherapy qualities that help reduce anxiety.  Native Americans were said to avoid sleeping under the tree when in bloom because of its strong scent.

In flower symbolism, the Magnolia represents nobility, perseverance and a love of nature.  Indeed, this plant has been known to survive ice ages, mountain range formations and continental drift and still rises regally among other flowering trees with some of the most magnificent foliage.  Dreaming of Magnolia symbolizes beauty, grace and elegance.  It can also represent a need to feel protected and safe, or to be recognized.

Wands made from Magnolia will help to encourage a regal but gentile demeanor.  There is an almost hypnotic and languid quality to this wood that is at once commanding but unhurried.  It will help the practitioner to make wise decisions and develop patience and endurance.  Magnolia will inspire a graceful and elegant application of will and encourage one to see the beauty of nature everywhere.

Tree Lore: Monkeypod

The name sounds so strange, but I do like the lore that goes along with this tree - not to mention the tufts :)

Monkeypod

Elemental Association: Water, Air

Astrological Signs: Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, Aquairius, Gemini, Libra

Ruling Planet: Neptune, Pluto

Gender: Male

Monkeypod - also commonly known as the Raintree - is a popular ornamental tree.  It is often used for shade and flourishes well in tropical climates with an impressive, spreading crown.  In Hawaii it can flower any time of year with spindly pink clusters that look like powder-puffs caught in the canopy of the tree.  This tree loves to be in the sun and its fruit is an edible nutrient for various birds and wildlife.

The Hawaiin Monkeypod wood has often been a popular choice for carving figurines of various gods such as Kan, Ku, Lono and Kanaloa, often referred to as Tiki Gods or statues.  In New Zealand, the tree is said have sprung from the leaves which fell from the crown of Hatu-patu, god of the winds.

The Monkeypod gained it's alternate name of Raintree because according to legends, water has been claimed to fall from underneath its leaves even in the driest of weather.  Though this phenomenon has legendary status, it is a very real occurrence.  Due to the ability of this tree to rapidly condense ambient moisture in the air, the trunk is sometimes found to drip with water.

Magical tools made from this wood will be good for use in celebrations and festivities.  It may also act as an excellent conduit for invoking the weather to one's favor.  Having an air of mystery, it will also assist with puzzle and riddle solving.

The Monkeypod is a cheerful and majestic tree whose canopy provides a sprawling shelter to any who come beneath it.

Princess Diaries: The Troll King

I have the grand fortune of knowing many a magical folk such as Gnerkgzorp the Goblin King, Wotan the Barbarian and the Troll King who lives in the Duchy of Lilac Fields (or Amethyst Brambles, depending on your perspective).


The Troll King had occasion to recount the story of our meeting the other day, to some of the other fae residents in Lilac Fields, so I thought I would re-share the story of our meeting :)


Once apon a time a fat man wandered into the world of fatherhood. He, being from a family of lesser parents, but good watchers of children was woefully unprepaired for this daunting task. 


Nonetheless, he grabbed the task with both hands and roared to the skies, "I AM A DADDY!" 


From that day of knowledge he was unsure what was going to come about, but he started preaching to his unborn childling the wisdom of baseball and the stories of lore like Who Was on First. 


The Troll King spoke to his child through the womb and told stories of great feats and of gaurdians past and present. Names like SPIKE and Rascal were present! Prominent also was the great warrior THREE! All were servants of the Troll King and protectors of the Fairy Princess. 


Sooner than a wink of they eye, the day came that the Troll King's daughter, a young fairy princess in her own right, was to receive her birthright and become magical herself. The Troll King travelled to the Emerald City, to the Crytal Castle of Princess Lolly.  


There, he struck a bargain between the elder and younger Princesses.  Lolly would make the young princess her first magic wand. Many branches were gathered for the bargain. Branches of quaking aspens, elm, plum and pear. The most prized however, was the Lilac. 


The Lilac was in great demand and grew with great abundance in the Troll King's land.  Using the raw branches provided by the Troll King, Princess Lolly crafted an elegant wand for the young daughter.


Thus the Troll King fulfilled his promise to the little fairy princess and granted her first wand, made from Lilac wood and Unicorn hair and Spruce. 13 and 3/4 inches long.

Here begins the start of many an adventurous tale...!

Money Quill Giveaway!

It's a steal! No need to spend all day hunting for the gold at the end of the rainbow.  

Being a Fairy Princess and what not, and in celebration of the wee folk, Ireland and St. Patrick's Day, I've decided to host a fun contest. Between March 1st - 10th, you can enter to win a Silver Dollar Money Quill free! 

To help draw money and resources into one's life, this pen has been decorated with silver, fairy 'coins' from the commonly known "money tree plant". It is wrapped around the base with a leafy 'dollar'. The base is over-wrapped with cream colored ribbon. The nib is brass, for use with dipping ink.

Éirinn go Brách!

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Overlap: Tuatha De Dannan and Hyperboreans

Tir Nan Óg

The Tuatha Dé Danann were spoken of as having come from islands in the north of the world or (Tir Nan Óg, "Land of Youth"), in other sources, from the sky.  They became the Sidhe (people of the mound), also thought of as Faeries, known to love music, dance, games and hunts.


Today I smile at "the overlap" or, the place where subjects coincide such as science and religion, life and art, or imagination and reality, bad luck or new opportunity.  The Overlap is that between place where things seem one way but might be another; it's where anything is possible.


I look for the overlap every day for that is the place where we have the power to transform lemons in to lemonaid.  


Consequently, I've always got a little piece of my mind geared toward these intrigues.  Was that a weeping cedar tree, or a Seussical creature migrating?  A dead-end road or the gateway to a trod?  Trash or treasure?


Yesterday, I had a conversation about the origins of the Fae, wherein the legends of the Tuatha De Dannan were spoken of and this morning, in mulling over those legends, a flap of overlap happened to slap right across my brain.


What is folklore and what is history?  Sometimes no one can say, but we would be short-sighted to conclude that they do not ever overlap.


It always makes me smile to find these mingling insights, all the better to share and spend the rest of the day in a little bit of wonder.


In Greek mythology, the Hyperboreans were a mythical people who lived far to the north of Thrace.  Their land was perfect with the sun shining twenty-four hours a day.

"Never the Muse is absent

from their ways: lyres clash and flutes cry

and everywhere maiden choruses whirling.

Neither disease nor bitter old age is mixed

in their sacred blood; far from labor and battle they live."

Hyperborea

Tree Lore: Greenheart

Every good Fairy Princess attends to her studies.  My course in Tree Lore here at the Fairy Academy has proven to be quite intensive!  Just to share the wealth of knowledge that I'm learning, and to lighten the homework some, I put a poll on my Facebook site asking about which tree I should elaborate on this week.  The winner was Greenheart, and this is what I've learned in my research :)

Greenheart

Elemental Association: Earth, Water

Astrological Signs: Capricorn, Taurus, Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio

Ruling Planet: Moon, Neptune

Gender: Male, Female

Greenheart is quite the temperamental wood.  This is a tropical wood and verges on the smaller side of trees that inhabit the rainforests.  Even still, the tree tends to grow tall and straight. The heartwood of this tree varies from light to dark olive (and sometimes blackish) tint from which it derives its name. Greenheart is native to South America and particularly Guyana.  

It is rather infamous for both its incredible durability as well as its dangerous nature.  The wood of this tree, when cut, has been known to dry and expand or split so quickly and with such force as to drive splinters into the roofs of the lumber mill.  One is cautioned against splinters when working this wood because they will cause infection.  

That said, a goodly piece of tamed Greenheart is second only to Teak in its durability and is particularly resilient in wetter atmospheres whilst still maintaining its flexibility.  This makes it popular for the construction of docks and pylons. Greenheart was also a very popular wood in the making of fly-fishing rods in some cultures.

One very interesting American Folklore says that Greenheart (or Greenheart-Er-Knowledge) is the name of the devil's daughter.  In contrast to her father, she appears to be a sympathetic and benevolent character. In a story of Jack and the Devil, she helps Jack out-smart the devil three times by building him a ladder from her cut nail and stands of hair.  Eventually he wins her in marriage.

This wood will be good for encouraging ingenuity and creative solutions to challenges or hurdles.  It helps to remind us that while knowledge is valuable, applied knowledge can be extremely versatile and powerful.

Greenheart helps to strengthen courage and resolve and is an excellent choice for working with the ocean and Merfolk.  It is resistant to decay by water and so can act as an excellent vessel for travel, scrying in ponds, lakes or other aquatic sources.  It may also deliver messages and draw upon the energy of the natural world around us.