'Gently does it, ease yourself along..." Uncle Humperdinck was sitting aside a branch in the pear tree holding Aunt Mildred's hat for her, as she edged along the branch towards him. 'No need to rush My Dear, we'll be settled in minute.' Most of the gnomes were already comfortably nestled on their branches, but Aunt Mildred had been busy making a poultice for poor Humbert's gouty foot and was the last to arrive.
They were having a meeting to discuss the Mid-Summer Revels which were fast approaching. Long ago, The Council of Elders had realised that holding a meeting in the branches of a tree in blossom time, resulted in a much better outcome!
Hortensia had settled on holding the meeting in a wild pear tree as a seasonal treat. The soft white and pale pink petals and the warmth of the morning sunlight were intoxicating, and for ages the gnomes just rested on their branches, gazing into the beauty of the blossom all around them.
'Time to get down to business then' said Archibold, and with that Aunt Mildred passed around the mint humbugs. 'Nothing like a humbug to help one think' she muttered.
Soon the little tree of blossom was pervaded by the strong scent of mint and the sounds of loud sucking.
'Whose in charge of the marquee, and are we having a theme this year, that's what I want to know?' Archibold knew that he would be put in charge as usual of finding the perfect canopy for he marquee, (his skills at finding the right plastic bag to make the tent secure, waterproof and striking to look at, were legendary), but he wasn't too keen on a theme.
They all remembered the year that Aunt Mildred had decided on a Rabbit Rodeo, and the large number of carrots that they had been forced to borrow - as well as the trouble they had had from the rabbits for months afterwards. (Aunt Mildred had been watching television through the old lady's patio doors when she had thought up the idea, and though Hortensia had tried to persuade her that rabbits were not horses, and gnomes very different to humans - Aunt Mildred had won the day that year.)
Hortensia quickly spoke, ' I think that it would be wonderful to have the helter-skelter adventure ride again as well as the usual games.' So it was decided in minutes, lots of enthusiastic volunteering and hat tossing as the gnomes remembered the dangerous excitement of the helter-skelter ride through the tree tops and down to the games ground.
'Aunt Mildred, I think that you should present the prizes along with Archimedes, if we can persuade him to come along.' Aunt Mildred glowed, surely now she had the perfect excuse to make a new ceremonial hat! 'Well if you are sure, I could of course contribute towards the prizes?' Wild cheering from all the gnomes confirmed the decision as in the best interests of the whole community, and soon they were all scampering home to plot and plan the most perfect Mid-Summer's Day Revels ever held!
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