Reckonings by Carla Jablonski Page B

“Maybe there’s something in the knapsack I can use.”
    Molly stood and Turnip snuffled her elbow, perhaps in search of another carrot. “Hm.” She gazed at the horse for a minute. “I’m not too sure how little fairy creatures feel about horses.” She walked around the horse and gave it a sharp whap on the rump, shouting “Hah! Go! Go home!”
    Turnip took the hint. The horse galloped down Leanan Hill and headed toward the woods. Molly stood with her hands on her hips, watching it go. “Granny’s fairies had better be as real as Tim’s,” she muttered. “I’m going to be pretty cranky if I have to walk home without getting a few good wishes first.”
    Molly was bending down to look through the knapsack when she noticed the ring of toadstools in front of the stones. It triggered anothermemory. “That’s called a fairy ring,” Molly said, getting more excited. “Gran always warned me to never sit inside a fairy ring or I’d end up kidnapped by the wee ones. Excellent. Now I know where to put this offering—if I can find one.”
    She rummaged through the knapsack. Gran was very thorough in putting together this picnic . She actually packed me a picnic blanket . She pulled it out and laid it over her knees, suddenly feeling stupid. She sank back onto her heels and shook her head. “How pathetic am I? I’m actually trying to invite a fairy to tea so that it will grant me a wish.”
    She placed the blanket in the center of the fairy ring. “I’m sure glad there aren’t any witnesses up here. I’d never live it down.” She eyed the monumental stones looming above her. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?” She laughed and shook her head. “And now I’m talking to rocks! I think I’m the blockhead here.”
    Gran was probably making it all up , Molly thought, her hope flagging again. Besides, fairies probably don’t like tea. They probably go for dewdrops and flower nectar or something.
    Her fingers closed around a tiny object. She pulled it from the knapsack and stared at it.
    In her hand was a tiny, elegantly carved teapot! Painted a pale blue, it was designed tolook like a flower, and it was just about the size of a thimble. And, Molly realized, once she opened the tiny top, it even had tea in it!
    I guess Gran wasn’t kidding after all . Molly carefully placed the delicate teapot in the center of the picnic blanket. She pulled out several beautiful flower-shaped cups and saucers, each painted a translucent pastel color.
    Molly grinned, gazing at the pretty setting. She didn’t usually like dolls and tea parties and such, but the flower set, complete with creamer and sugar bowl, was charming.
    â€œGranny didn’t pick you up at the corner store, did she,” she commented. “Well, this is encouraging. Maybe there is something to this fairy tea party concept.” And , she realized, creatures who could drink from these teeny-weeny teacups would be awfully tiny . Nothing to worry about there. “Folks the size of dragonflies I can handle.” Molly knelt by the picnic blanket, trying to figure out what to do next. Shouldn’t there be some magic words or a ritual or something ?
    While she pondered how to approach the fairies, Molly poured the tea. Maybe I should just invite them to join me . She cleared her throat as if she was about to make an announcement. “Uh, please do me the honor of joining me for tea,” she declared to the open air.
    Birds sang, crickets chirped, but other than that…nothing.
    Well, that didn’t work. Molly screwed up her face in thought as she tried to figure out a different approach. Maybe they prefer something more formal. But it’s not like I can mail out engraved party invites .
    The sun was starting to sink low on the horizon. Molly didn’t want to have to find her way back in the dark. She