This is a short story for children.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ad0e3_8513d6f839854387aa99006c19800f1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_1181,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/3ad0e3_8513d6f839854387aa99006c19800f1a~mv2.jpg)
After what felt like forever, Rosalie finally had all the leaves raked into a giant heap in her backyard. Chore day was always hard, but this day seemed particularly grueling. She relaxed in her mom’s lawn chair and was just about to doze off when she heard a squeaky voice.
“You don’t have to work so hard. We can help you, you know.”
“Who said that?” Rosalie asked, sitting up with a start.
“I did,” said the voice. And then she saw it; a tiny elven-like creature with big, dark eyes, and little britches made of tree bark.
“Tee Kettle of the Kitchenette Clan, at your service,” he said as he held out the pinky on his left hand. For a moment Rosalie was confused. Was she promising something? Because she only held out her pinky for the most sacred of promises. But since he was tiny and not at all human, she gave him her pinky, thinking this must be his way of shaking hands.
“Hi Tee,” she said, as he gave her pinky a little twist before releasing it. “I’m Rosalie. Am I dreaming?”
“Nah,” he said. His big, floppy ears bounced as he hopped up onto the arm of Rosalie’s chair. “I’m here because you’re very good at your chores, and we’d like to show our appreciation. We live here too, you know, and we like things neat and tidy.”
“You live here too?”
“Of course.”
“But where? I’ve never seen you.”
“We’re the hobgoblins who live under the floor, and we only let people see us when we want them to. Also, just between you and me, we’d be much obliged if you left out some bread at night. Oh, and milk and honey. We looove milk and honey!” Tee’s eyes grew big, and a trickle of drool dripped out of the corner of his mouth.
“Milk and honey,” Rosalie giggled. “Got it.”
“Excellent,” Tee said, rubbing his hands together. “Now that that’s settled, I’ll get down to business.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “On behalf of my clan, The Kitchenettes, we’d like to invite you to Princess Tapioca’s wedding. Would you be so kind as to grace us with your presence?”
“A wedding? For a princess! I’d love to!”
“Excellent! Princess Tapioca will be pleased. Follow me,” Tee said, as he hopped off the chair.
Rosalie followed him through the forest into a circular clearing filled with autumn leaves. Before long, the leaves on the ground rustled and changed form, and soon she found herself surrounded by dozens of tiny, smiling hobgoblins.
“This is Ramekin,” Tee said as an even smaller hobgoblin stepped forward wearing a dress made out of white flower petals and a hat to match. “She and the others will prepare you for the wedding. I’ll return when the bride-pair is ready. Lots to do still, I’m afraid.” Then he cocked his head like he was tipping his hat and disappeared before her eyes.
Ramekin and her friends curtsied with big smiles before they began brushing her hair in a manner not quite pleasing, tugging it in all directions. Then her eyebrows were plucked, her shoes ripped off, and her hands and feet were scrubbed.
When all the scrubbing and tugging and brushing was over, Ramekin and her friends disappeared behind a tree and reappeared moments later carrying something long, flowing, and shimmering. The hobgoblins all hopped onto each other’s shoulders to hold it up for Rosalie to see.
“A dress!” she gasped. It was the palest of blues and glowed like the moon. “Is it for me?”
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ad0e3_69ade9c770e84bd4a36cc97df22b2c66~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1564,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/3ad0e3_69ade9c770e84bd4a36cc97df22b2c66~mv2.jpg)
The hobgoblins nodded.
“It’s made out of moonbeams,” Ramekin said in a very squeaky voice. Then she snapped her fingers, and a gush of cool air washed over Rosalie. It smelled like jasmine and sent goose bumps down her arms and tingles up her spine. When she looked down, she saw the glowing blue dress had replaced her dingy old one.
“Oh!” she gushed. “It’s so beautiful! It feels like a cloud.” She danced and twirled, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
Then Ramekin held out her hand. “For you,” she said. “A gift from the bride and groom.” And she dropped three rocks into Rosalie’s palm.
Rosalie smiled and admired the rocks, even though she was quite sure that rocks weren’t traditional wedding souvenirs.
“It’s time,” Ramekin said.
The hobgoblins parted and began singing the sweetest song Rosalie had ever heard as Princess Tapioca began her walk down the aisle. She wore a gleaming, golden gown and a matching tiara that sparkled and glittered in the sunset. She had big bright eyes and looked so very happy.
Tee and the groom waited at the altar. The groom wore gold too, only his suit was not as shimmery as the princess’. He looked nervous, but he had a big grin.
Nobody saw it, (not even Tee, and it was his job to make sure everything ran smoothly, and he took his job very seriously) but in the middle of the aisle, a tree root poked out of the ground, ever so slightly.
Everyone was singing, the prince was smiling, Rosalie was holding her breath, and the princess…
Tripped.
Princess Tapioca’s beautiful golden gown flew up, showing everyone the ruffles and lace on her bottom. The singing stopped. Everyone gasped.
Now, Rosalie, giddy and excited as she was, couldn’t hold back her laughter. She laughed even harder when the princess stood up with leaves in her hair and dirt on her nose. But then Princess Tapioca shot her a glare with a tear in her eye, and all the other hobgoblins turned to glare at her too.
Rosalie was very much ashamed and stopped laughing at once. She looked down at her freshly scrubbed feet and twiddled her thumbs.
“I’m so very sorry, princess,” she said. “Please forgive me.”
But when she looked up, Rosalie was alone. Her moonbeam dress had disappeared too, and she found herself wearing her dirty, old dress again.
Then she heard a giggle. It started out small, a tiny tinkle of a sound, but then it grew into a loud and boisterous chortle. Rosalie looked around in amazement, for she was still alone and wondering where the sound was coming from. But the laughter grew, and more and more chuckles and giggles and snickers joined in, and the hobgoblins began to reappear.
At first, Rosalie was concerned because Princess Tapioca’s shoulders were shuddering, and she was wiping tears from her eyes, but when Rosalie looked closer, she saw that it was the princess who was laughing the hardest. Soon, she was rolling on her back overcome with laughter. The groom walked over to help her up, but he tripped on the very same tree root! Now all the hobgoblins were rolling on the ground with laughter.
Rosalie couldn’t help herself, either. “Are you okay?” she asked, right before doubling over in a fit of hysterics.
The rest of the day was filled with happiness and seemingly endless laughter. The next morning, when Rosalie awoke, she remembered how much fun she had with her new friends and wanted to put out bread and milk and honey for them right away. She quickly changed from her nightgown to her dress and heard a clacking sound coming from her pocket. She recalled the rocks that were given to her and pulled them out. But what she had in her hand weren’t rocks at all – they were precious jewels that sparkled in the sunlight.
“Magic!” she gasped.
Rosalie’s heart soared and she whispered, “Thank you!”
So, every night, before going to bed, Rosalie leaves her little friends a treat, and the hobgoblins help her with her chores or leave her a magical gift.
Comments