A MIDNIGHT SUMMER DREAM

Written by Sandra Dermark

on Shakespeare Day (23rd of April) 2014
Dedicated to Elena, my dear mother, and the keeper of the Heritage.
To Mara Calzada, who recently crossed the door with me.
And to William Shakespeare, whose birthday and storytelling are celebrated today.

"Astory,mistress!",afinevoicemayechothroughtheroom.
"Onewithdragonsanddamselsfortoday!",anaivechildwouldask.
"No,no!",aslightlyoldervoicecorrects."Sandradoesn'tlikethatkindofstory.She'drather
makeuponewithwarriorprincessessavingharmlessdragonsfromwickedblackknights!"
"Calmdown",Ireply."Youshallhaveanicestory.Onewithoutdragonsordamsels,warrior
princessesorblackknights...atruestorythathappenedtomeafewyearsago.Anditisn'tthat
dullorordinary!"
"Let'slisten!Maybeit'sasgoodastheonewiththeRingstettens!",theycalledoutinchorus.
UponthatIreliedandbegantorelate...

ItwouldneverhavehappenedifIhadn'tflunkedtheMathstestthatyear.Anotherone
chocablocwithsignerrors,andanother4outof10.Itwasthethirdtimeinmyteenageyears.
Thus,IhadtotakethechancetoasksomeofmySwedishfriendsthatsummer.Beingableto
spendeveryholidayabroadisapleasure,andgettingawayfromtheheatwavesinSpain,
pickingberries,sailing...weredefinitelyonmyplaylist.
Butthatshortnight,IwaslyinginbedatmySwedishNan'sandhuggingmysoftwhitepillows,
whiletryingtofallasleep.Nothingspecialwouldhappenthatweek,meantforreading,forcrafts,
andgardening,andmakingcakes,orsoitseemed.
Now,beforeIresume,thereissomethingyououghttoknow.BehindmySwedishNan'schlet
thereisahighandsomewhatsteephill,withheathlandandwoodlandandevenalittlelakeatthe
top.EversinceIspentmyfirstholidaythereat7,Ihadoftenheardthewarninggivento
generationsofDermarkchildren:"Nevergouptothelakeonyourown!"AndIhadfaithfullypaid
heedtothatwarning.
IwasthinkingofnothingmorethanthepleasuresIhadalreadyexperiencedweeksbefore,when
suddenlyarayofmoonlightsneakedpastthecurtains,andthenIwokeup,startled,tofinda
youngboywithdragonflywings,astallasmyarms,sittingonthepileofbooks(toppedby
Andersen)onmybedsidetable,beneathmyreadinglamp.
Inearedby,headdressedme.Howdidheknowmyname?Hepickedupthewatchfromthe
floor,andputitinmyhands.Iturnedthelighton.Itwasfiveminutestomidnight.Thepixieboy
wasturningpaleandstaggeringasifheweredrunk.Ashefainted,Itookhiswarmforminmy
armsandtuckedhimintobedlikearagdoll.Hewascopperhaired,dressedinascarletdoublet
ofrosepetals,buttherestofhisclothes,andthehoodofhisdoublet,weremadeofgreenreeds.
Oncehehadbeentuckedintobedbymyside,hiseyelidsfluttered,arosycolourreturnedtohis
freckledcheeks,andhewokeup,revealingeyesdarkgreenaspineneedles.Hewascomingto.
"Carrymeawayfromhere,bringmetothelilac..."Hisvoicewassweetandmusical,morethan
anyhumanchild's."I'mweak,I'mdying..."
Cradlingtheyoungpixieinmyarms,Iputonmynightgowninhasteandranoutintothegarden.
Wesatbeneaththelilactree.Theskywasasrifewithstarsasourcheekswerewithfreckles,
andthebrightfullmoonwatchedoverthem,andoverus,likealovingmotherhen.
"Thankyou...yousavedmylife...therewascoldsteelinthere,soclosetoyou..."Ithoughtofmy
readinglamp.Coldsteelmakesfairiesweak.Iwrappedmyselfinmynightgownandlookedat
mynewfriend.Nowheskippeduponhisfeet."Ihaven'tintroducedmyself!Ihavemanynames,
butmostpeoplecallmeRobin",hesaid,asheputhisgreenhoodonandclimbedontothelilac
tree.
"I'mnotgoodatclimbing",Iexplained."Then,clingtoalowbranchastightasyoucan!"
IdidasRobinhadtoldme.And,voil,thelilactreestartedtogrowatlightningspeed,justlike
Jack'sbeanstalk!Withinfiveseconds,ithadgrownastallasourhill,soonecouldeasilyjump
fromourleafyandfloweringseattotheshoreofthelake,aliquidmirror,withaframeoflilypads,
forthemoonandstars.
Weremainedperchedonthebranches,asIlistenedtoRobin'sstories."Youknow,you'restilla
childatheart.Notmanyhavethepleasureoflisteningtomystories".Weleaptontothehill,and
then,Robinstartedtotellafamiliarstory:
"Oncethereweretworoyalbrothers.And,whiletheeldestwenttowarinforeignlands,andwas
finallykilledattheendofthesewars,theyoungeronestolehiscrown.Hegotdrunkonpower
andoppressedthecommonpeople...Nowthefairyking,Oberon,sawthemortalking,John,
becomeamercilessdespot...andhesentme,hismostfaithfulservant,toaidthepeasants.I
recruitedafewrebels,wesetupatreefortintheforestsofSherwood,westolefromthenobles
andgavetoourfellowpeasants.Therewasalsoacourtladyinourmerryband,anorphanleftto
dieinthewoodsbyherguardians...HernamewasMaryAnne,orMarian,Ican'tremember
exactly.ButIhadtolethergo.Forabetterrulercame,andthepeasantswerewellfedonce
more,andMarianwentbacktotheroyalcourttomarrythenewkingorbecomeoneofhis
queen'sladies.Thepeoplestillrememberme,ahero,afreedomfighter,RobinGoodfellowinthe
legendaryHood.Butatricksterhero,wholoveschaos,whoenjoysplayingpranks..."
"Pranks?SodidI,beforegoingtohighschool!"
"Youshouldhaveseenme.Foronlychildrenatheartcanseeme.I'ddanceapolkainsidea
butterchurnandlistentothemilkmaid'scursesonthecream.Intheend,she'dhavewhipped
creaminthereasIflewout!Ortrickthecoppervatsinthebrewery(allofourutensilsaremade
ofcopper)andspoilthegoodlads'beer!And,oncethebeerwasservedthatevening,I'dturn
intoacrab,slipintoatankard,andpinchanyfellowwho'ddrinkitinthenose!Orwhenanold
nanistellinghergrandchildrentalesbythefireside...offgoesthechair,downgoesthenan,
everyoneislaughing!Alas!!Ican'tdoanythinglikethatanymore!Formortalsnowadayshave
coldsteelvatsforbeer,coldsteelchurnsforbutter,coldsteelboxesinsteadofgrandmothersto
gethitchedonstories...andcoldsteelchairstowatchthepicturesonthoseboxes...The
numberofpranksIcanplayhas,honestly,dwindled.ButnothingcanbecomparedtotheprankI
playedonTheirMajestiesontheirweddinganniversary!"
"Aroyalprank?Soundsinteresting!"Weweresittingonamossyrockbythelake.Afterall,itwas
thewitchinghour,andIwasnotonmyown.
"PictureyourselfinthewoodsofArden,onashortandquietsummernightlikethis.KingOberon
andQueenTitania.Bothofthemtall,blond,beautiful,withpointyearsandbrittlewings.Having
anargumentoverthecake.AndIwascloseby,listening.HerMajestyhadforgottenHis
Majesty'sanniversary.Buthehadn't.AndhewantedJamieasaspecialgift.NowJamiewasa
changelingfromoneofthenearbyvillages:aravenhairedlittlemortalboywhosufferedthe
misfortuneoflosingbothhisparents.TheQueenherselfwhiskedhimawayfromanabusive
stepmotherandputPeasblossom'syoungsoninthecottagecradle.Soshekepthimasavalet
ofsorts,andtheKingwantedhimforabodyguard.Bythetimethisstoryisset,suchabickering
wouldmeanadeclarationofwar.QueenMotherMab,responsibleforthemortalchildrenwe
rear,haddeclaredherselfneutral.Theroyalsweregoingtobreakup.AndIcouldn'tpartakein
thefeastwithsuchathreatahead!Nowthereisthisflower(here,Robintooksomewildpansies)
calledloveinidleness.Youspraythenectaronasleepingperson'sorfay'seyelidsand...voil!
Loveatfirstsightensues.Ihadseensomemortalsnotfarfromcourt,anactortroupeinfact,
andtheshyleadgoingtoessayhislinesawayfromtheothers.Ifoundtheactorsleepingona
mossyrock,likethis,andmyqueensleepinginherriverbankbower,decoratedwithallthe
flowersoftheNorthernsummer.Afewdropsofloveinidlenesshereandthere,andadonkey's
headspellgiventoNickinamoonflowercup,andsoonIwaswatchingfromatopafirlikethis
one...abeautyandabeastmadwithloveateachother,yetunawareofit!Soon,Nickhadthe
Queen'sladiesandmaidsathiseverybeckandcall:Peasblossommassaginghimbetween
thoselongears,Cobwebtakinguphoneyfromahollowhivetreeinacorncups,MustardSeed
shavingthosefurrycheekswithacopperrazor...andQueenTitaniafondlingandkissingher
lover,whorespondedwithlovelycaresses.Inthelightofthefullmoonandthefireflies,asquirrel
broughtthemsomehazelnutstodunkintheirhoney.Andtheyfinallyfellasleeptogether.Asthe
Kingchancedtopassbyandtakehishandtothehiltofhissword.Iwoketheloversupandthe
effectofthespellsfadedaway.Nick,withahumanheadoncemore,setofftoencountertherest
ofthetroupe,asTheirMajestiesreconciliatedandthankedmeforthetrickthathadsavedtheir
relationship".
"Ilikebeingapeacemaker.Ican'tstandfighting".
"Well,"Robinsaid,"youmortalsareworsepeacemakersthanwefayare.Therewasthisyoung
ladyinthisoutpost...shewasbeautiful,shewasclever,shewasgiftedintheartslikeyou.And
shewasmarriedtothisgreatgeneralwhowouldgivehislifeforhersake.Nowtherewasone
lieutenantherage,achildhoodfriendofhersandequallycleveranddashing.Andthislieutenant
waspunishedforgettingdrunkonduty.SoheaskedHerLadyshiptomakepeace,tobridgethe
riftbetweenthegeneralandthisirresponsiblelieutenant.Andsheputallofherpassioninto
defendinghiscauseaswellasanylawyer.Nowshelostashawlwhichherlordhadgivenher,
andthelieutenantfounditinoneorotherway.Sothegeneralthoughthisladywasunfaithful...
andthus,ledbythewhispersofhisdeceptiveaide,hestrangledherinbedonasummer'snight
likethis,withanequallyfullmoon.Thelieutenantsurvived,butheleftthearmytobecomea
lecturer,forhehadbrokenhisleftleginafightwiththeaide'scronies.Theaideliterallylosthis
head,andthegeneral'sheartbrokeapart,piercedbycoldsteel,withfourtearsofregretandone
lastkissfromhislatebeloved."
"Poorfolks!Itmakesmesad,thattherearewickedpeoplehereaswell!"Wehadleftourmossy
rocktositoncemoreonourlilacthrone,beforeIreturnedbackhome.
"Yes,mortalscanberatherwicked!Buttherearegoodonesaswell.Iknewonewhocoulddo
magiclikeus,andhedidn'tgetdrunkonpower!Helivedwithalittlegirl,asprite,andamonster
(thetwolatterwereslavesofhis)onarainforestislesomewhereinavastocean.Themortals
weretheonlysurvivorsofashipwreck.Andanothershipwreckdidtheycause,tosinktheroyal
flagshipoftheirhomekingdom(forthewizandthegirlhadbeendrivenawaybycourtlyintrigue
andwartotheNewWorld).Theyhadtheheirtothethroneandhiscrownedfatherwashupon
oppositeshoresandthinkeachotherwasdead.Andthen,theyensuredeveryonereunitedina
rainforestcave.Theroyalfamilyjoinedinonepassionateembrace,andthegirlwasdoubtlessly
acceptedastheoldking'sdaughterinlaw,forshewasadethronedprincess.Soallthreesailed
tocourtinaraft,whichallofthecastawayshadmadetogether.Theoldwizfreedthespriteand
themonster,relativesofmine,andthenhecasthiswandintotheoceanfromacliffandburied
hissorcerybooksinanoakenchest.OnlyArielandCaliban,myspriteandmonsterfriends,
knowthelocationofthathiddentreasure,thatinspiredgenerationsofpiratesthroughthree
centuries,buthasnotbeenfoundyet".
Thelilactreewasslowlyshrinking.Ithoughtofmystorybooksandasked:"DoIhaveastashof
treasure?"
"Youhaveoneindeed",RobinrepliedasIlandedandlookedsorrowfullyathim.
"It'stimeformetogotobed.Aftersomuchfuntogether!"
"Thisisnotthefarewell",herepliedwithaCheshireCatgrin."Justmakeawishformeevery
nightyoufeelbored,takemeawayfromcoldsteel,andI'llbringyoumoreofmystories".Then,
liketheCheshireCat,Robingraduallyfadedaway,hiseyesandgrinbeingthelastofhimIsaw
thatnight.
Thenextmorning,Iwokeupatmidday.Atfirst,Ithoughtitallwasadream...butIhadgoneto
bedinadewynightgown,andtherewerelittlehumanfootprintsonmyAndersenstorybook.
Comewhatmay,Iwillneverforgetthatmidnightsummerdream.