TILE#7 October 26th - THE LITTLE PEOPLE APPEAR!

Timmy woke up in the middle of the night because he had an odd dream coupled with the sensation of being watched. Which as it turned out was quite correct but as he lay very still, his only conscious movement was, he thought, the opening of his eyes.

At first he imagined a log had fallen onto the hearth and the movement, noise and sparks had awoken him but only a moments careful evaluation showed him that he was, indeed, being watched by a very small person sitting cross legged on the hearth.

"Good night young master" it said politely "you'll be that orphan boy from the Citadel whose parents were cruelly done away with, or so I hear, but some of those city house elves do be terrible storytellers and maybe I've been led astray. I'm the house brownie name of Mouse, that being a jest of the master who was forever accusing 'that damn mouse' when his shenanigans went wrong."

"I've heard tell of brownies but the word was that you were never meant to meet one because if you did they'd turn into an imp and treat you cruelly. My name is Timmy and I'm very glad to meet you. I have so many questions needing answers and some of them may be just what you might know."

"Ah well there's a world of difference between knowing and telling my young friend. Some questions are best left unanswered if you follow me? We fey folk know that only too well, having had many a well meant fellow brownie turn into a malignant imp on account of not knowing when to keep its mouth shut!"

"What's an imp!" exclaimed Timmy who had sat up in bed now and was alert and interested in what his 'dream' had turned out to be.

"Already the questions start! Now there be rules to this you know, you're supposed to give me a saucer of cream before I must answer you but have no fear on that account as the master and mistress look after my needs right handsomely. It's a long story is that, why brownies become imps but it's a curse and came about because our kind broke the Rule and found a way past the Barrier into your world.

See now there's two powerful spirits fighting for dominion over humanity and their world. We don't name them but you'd best consider them as being like the stars at night, one provides light and warmth, the other tries to deny those benefits to mankind. In our world the brownies don't amount to much, see? We're best suited to caring for home and hearth so that's what we do for those that have the sense to know when to leave well enough alone.

The trouble happens when an alert person like yourself sees us at work during the night and wants to make friends, maybe leave us a gift. Except for rare places like this cottage because its inhabited by magic users, what happens is the curse comes into play and the brownie becomes a malicious, hurtful, dangerous imp who is the exact opposite of its former self.

Thats the price we must pay for escaping from the Barriers enclosure where we were safe but unregarded and rejected by the other fey who had no need of our services.