A dreamland tale

Steven, a wizard of many
dreams, lives in a green hut in the midst of the woods.

At night the fairies come
out, walking around his hut on tiptoes. He then sinks into his dreams amidst
this fairyland.

In this tale, Steven finds
another wizard in his hut. He grabs a broomstick, shaking it as he chases the
wizard out into the night, with a cry of:

“You darned vagabond! You
rogue! If I found you here again, I will chase you down to hell!”

Steven calms down with a sip
of his red wine and sinks into a turbulent dream in which the fairies and the
wizard are in his hut. This time, in his dream, Steven welcomes the wizard with
a goblet of wine. The wizard is clad in a multi-coloured cloak.

It is nearing Halloween.
Steven looks out of his window. He sees a witch stuffing her broom with twigs,
strengthening it for her Halloween flight. Her cat is pawing at a log. The
witch lifts the brim of her hat as she notices Steven. She rushes to the
window, asking Steven for some milk for Marmalade, her cat. Steven explains
that he only has wine. The witch replies: “Marmalade will have to go without,
yet I would dearly love a glass of wine for my travels”.

In the dream, Steven lets her
into the hut. He, the other wizard and the witch are having a party. The
fairies have vanished. The witch is a good witch, yet woe betide anyone who
crosses her.

The threesome are enjoying
the wine when a rap is heard on the window. It is another witch. She smiles.
Steven is charmed by her smile and lets her in. She grabs a goblet of wine and
throws it at the good witch with a cry of: “You have defied the witch’s statute!
You are drinking from the wizard’s goblet!” The other witch says: “Aha, but I’m
a good witch. The statute does not apply to me. It applies to you though, you
evil sinner”.

The evil witch picks a flagon
and is about to throw it at the good witch, but Steven intervenes. He cries
out: “Ladies, whether good or evil, you are wasting my wine! Please both of you
leave my premises now”!

The witches pick up the hems
of their robes and vanish into thin air, along with their brooms. Marmalade
runs from the hut.

Steven awakens from his
dream, relieved it is all over!

The End.