them with respect. Pixies, titans, medusae, mermaids …”
“You have to find these first,” Holl said, his eyebrow raised skeptically.
“I will,” Keith said, full of confidence. “Somehow.”
“Some of these of vhich you speak could not attend because of geography and physiology,” the Master reminded him. “And vhat uf the vuns who are bigger than your kind? Chiants, und others.”
“Well, then the party will have to be held outside,” Keith said, not missing a beat. “I don’t know what sort of things they eat, but I know from all the books they like good liquor and beer. I can bring in some kegs.”
Marm cleared his throat. “Well, my brewing is known far and wide as the best around. I’d be most pleased to offer beer for the party, if I can come to it.”
Keith grasped his friend’s shoulder. “It wouldn’t be a party without you,” he said. “That would be great. Your beer is the best I’ve ever had.”
“How much will you need, and when will you need it?” Marm asked. “A good brew takes longer than overnight.”
“I don’t know yet. Lots, I hope. I haven’t had much luck in making contact with other kinds so far. I try when I have time. The air sprites have been giving me these tantalizing glimpses of beings racing over the landscape, but I haven’t caught up with any of them yet. By the way, the sprites send sunrises to Tay and Holl.”
Tay grinned. “Since I’m unlikely ever to clamber into a balloon again I’ll probably never see them, but I am glad they remember me kindly. Give them greetings from me.”
“You bet.”
“And if you succeed in making contact with every being that can walk, crawl, swim, or fly, where do you propose to put them all?” Holl asked. “Your parents’ home, in the midst of the Chicago suburbs? That’d be a subtle get-together, with giants towering over the trees, and salamanders burning holes through the fences.”
“Well, I was sort of hoping to have the party here ,”Keith admitted. The group fell silent. A few of the older elves looked shocked. Keith bit his tongue. Uh-oh, too soon, he thought. He saw his glowing plans die away to ash. But not all the faces were unhappy.
“That is not an unreasonable request,” the Elf Master said after a moment’s pause.
“Really?” Keith asked, relieved. “I thought I’d have to do a lot more persuading. It would be okay with you?”
“Yes, uf course. Don’t be so surprised. You haf done much for us. It is a small thing to ask. Ve vould appreciate a chance to show our gratitude. And ve vould enjoy such a gathering.”
“Thanks, sir,” Keith said. “Wow. Yeah! I’d better start making a list of what I’ll need.”
“I can get you cold cuts at cost from Food Services,” Diane said. “Their produce doesn’t hold a candle to yours, though,” she told the Folk.
“With time enough we can persuade the fields to produce what you need,” Siobhan, Dola’s mother, said.
The others gathered, clamoring to add their own offerings. “The best cheese you’ve ever tasted, boyo.” “You’ll need a mort of bread and rolls, will you not?” “Candy! What about sweets?”
“You guys are great,” Keith said, overwhelmed by their generosity. “This is going to be one terrific party.”
“We’d be only too happy to help,” Maura said. “When would you want to hold it?”
Keith did some mental calculations. “Well, this is August. Say sometime next spring. It’ll give me a chance to fill out the guest list. I’ve got to figure some way to get the word out.”
“Take care you don’t attract anything unwelcome,” Holl warned, “such as more of your own kind. I don’t think they would enter into the celebration with the spirit you hope for.”
“I’ll make sure that no Big People even figure out what I’m doing,” Keith assured him.
***
Chapter 5
The gold pendulum swung wildly back and forth over the map of the central United States. Gradually, it slowed and began to
“You have to find these first,” Holl said, his eyebrow raised skeptically.
“I will,” Keith said, full of confidence. “Somehow.”
“Some of these of vhich you speak could not attend because of geography and physiology,” the Master reminded him. “And vhat uf the vuns who are bigger than your kind? Chiants, und others.”
“Well, then the party will have to be held outside,” Keith said, not missing a beat. “I don’t know what sort of things they eat, but I know from all the books they like good liquor and beer. I can bring in some kegs.”
Marm cleared his throat. “Well, my brewing is known far and wide as the best around. I’d be most pleased to offer beer for the party, if I can come to it.”
Keith grasped his friend’s shoulder. “It wouldn’t be a party without you,” he said. “That would be great. Your beer is the best I’ve ever had.”
“How much will you need, and when will you need it?” Marm asked. “A good brew takes longer than overnight.”
“I don’t know yet. Lots, I hope. I haven’t had much luck in making contact with other kinds so far. I try when I have time. The air sprites have been giving me these tantalizing glimpses of beings racing over the landscape, but I haven’t caught up with any of them yet. By the way, the sprites send sunrises to Tay and Holl.”
Tay grinned. “Since I’m unlikely ever to clamber into a balloon again I’ll probably never see them, but I am glad they remember me kindly. Give them greetings from me.”
“You bet.”
“And if you succeed in making contact with every being that can walk, crawl, swim, or fly, where do you propose to put them all?” Holl asked. “Your parents’ home, in the midst of the Chicago suburbs? That’d be a subtle get-together, with giants towering over the trees, and salamanders burning holes through the fences.”
“Well, I was sort of hoping to have the party here ,”Keith admitted. The group fell silent. A few of the older elves looked shocked. Keith bit his tongue. Uh-oh, too soon, he thought. He saw his glowing plans die away to ash. But not all the faces were unhappy.
“That is not an unreasonable request,” the Elf Master said after a moment’s pause.
“Really?” Keith asked, relieved. “I thought I’d have to do a lot more persuading. It would be okay with you?”
“Yes, uf course. Don’t be so surprised. You haf done much for us. It is a small thing to ask. Ve vould appreciate a chance to show our gratitude. And ve vould enjoy such a gathering.”
“Thanks, sir,” Keith said. “Wow. Yeah! I’d better start making a list of what I’ll need.”
“I can get you cold cuts at cost from Food Services,” Diane said. “Their produce doesn’t hold a candle to yours, though,” she told the Folk.
“With time enough we can persuade the fields to produce what you need,” Siobhan, Dola’s mother, said.
The others gathered, clamoring to add their own offerings. “The best cheese you’ve ever tasted, boyo.” “You’ll need a mort of bread and rolls, will you not?” “Candy! What about sweets?”
“You guys are great,” Keith said, overwhelmed by their generosity. “This is going to be one terrific party.”
“We’d be only too happy to help,” Maura said. “When would you want to hold it?”
Keith did some mental calculations. “Well, this is August. Say sometime next spring. It’ll give me a chance to fill out the guest list. I’ve got to figure some way to get the word out.”
“Take care you don’t attract anything unwelcome,” Holl warned, “such as more of your own kind. I don’t think they would enter into the celebration with the spirit you hope for.”
“I’ll make sure that no Big People even figure out what I’m doing,” Keith assured him.
***
Chapter 5
The gold pendulum swung wildly back and forth over the map of the central United States. Gradually, it slowed and began to
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