Into the Woods

Once upon a time, deep into the woods, a family of hobbits went in search of a place to picnic.

Along the way, they found magic walking sticks filched from the hut of Baba Yaga, the hag.

Just the right size, both. 

 They followed a trail of breadcrumbs to a fallen tree, and lunched off the ruins of a gingerbread cottage.

 They climbed beanstalks to the land of giants, somewhere in the thick of the clouds. 

 And, barely escaping an ogre bellowing Fee-Fie-Fo and Fum, tarried along downstream on a hunt for buried treasure.

 Things were getting really wet, but the brave pirate Gryffin John felt right at home.  He carried his dagger in hand, always at the ready.

 Lorelei, the mermaid from the lagoon, grew sea legs.  They were a bit wobbly.

And pirate-turned-Peter Pan discovered his lost shadow.  Wendy sewed it into his shoes so it couldn't escape again.

  The Frog Prince found the golden ball Princess Lorelei had lost in the creek, and won a seat at the king's table.

 And Gryffy called the bluff of a troll lurking beneath the bridge.

 The troll came out of hiding!  The hobbits barely got away.

 But all ends, for this family of hobbits, on this fine autumn day, precisely as it should--happily ever after.