His father was talking gibberish! Whenever he said silly things, his mother would cuff him upside the head and send him out to the barn to clean the stalls. And no matter how many times both sides strive for peace, we always seem to be on the brink of another.” The shepherd looked into the distance wistfully. Aye, there have been many pointless wars between greedy humans and the Fair Folk. Some people attack their land, wanting to reap the benefits of all their natural treasures.

They care to the plants, the animals, even the air itself,” he went on as he scooped up a handful of loose dirt and slowly made a soil wreath around the treat. Things like boots, hope, and dirt were what the farmer held on to tight now. Times had been tough of late, with King Henry demanding more and more of their crops and sheep every year. The soles were brown with the earth of the fields, and the tips were faded. “Why do they do that? What would we harm them for?” he asked, his tiny voice full of confusion.īefore saying anything, the shepherd smoothed the dirt beneath him with his worn boot. To show that we mean them no harm.”īut that was not enough of an answer for the boy. Smiling at his son’s inquisitive nature, the father answered, “To thank them for making the grass grow tall and helping the flowers bloom. Wasting a treat? The young boy had never heard of such a thing. “I’m leaving it there for the Fair Folk,” the shepherd answered, his weathered face serious. “You don’t want your sweet cake, Papa?” he asked. Noticing his father had placed his own treat on the ground next to him, the young boy cocked his head. Crumbs fell onto his lap as he enjoyed the treat. Supper had been quickly devoured, and now he took a big bite of his sweet cake. With all the new experiences and all the running and yelling, the boy had worked up quite the appetite. Then he had hooted and hollered, mimicking his father as best he could, to make the furry creatures move on. He had run behind his father the whole way, trying not to scare the sheep when they finally found them at the back of one of the farthest fields.

He had waited for this day forever, always the one left behind while his brothers took the flocks farther and farther afield.

This was the young boy’s first trip to the pasture with his father. At their feet sat two collies, their eyes closed as they relaxed from their watchdog duties for a moment. Sitting on a nearby stone wall, a shepherd and his four-year-old son kept watch over their flock. In the sky, clouds moved slowly, their unhurried movements mimicking the fluffy white sheep in the field below. LATE AFTERNOON SUN FILTERED ACROSS A WIDE EXPANSE OF THICK GRASS, TURNING THE GREEN BLADES GOLDEN.

Maleficent by Elizabeth Rudnick