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A Sealed Envelope.

A sealed envelope, an important looking seal in bright red sealing wax closing the envelope as if forever. Did this envelope contain a secret message or was it a love letter only to be opened by the person it was addressed to? The envelope had been on its way for a long time the parchment of the envelope was now beginning to look faded and yellow was the shrift. The last messenger a wizened old Leprechaun came off the sailing ship as it anchored in Liverpool after crossing the Atlantic from New York in the United States of America. His hair needed combing and a shave would have made him look more respectable. His clothing looked as if he had been sleeping in them for at least a week or more. The leather satchel that he carried with the mysterious envelope was old and scratched it had seen long service.

The wizened old Leprechaun seemed to know where he was going. On foot he left Liverpool heading south over the old coach road leading to Manchester. He was making his way to London where he would receive instructions for his further journey. Weary and tired a week later he reached the busy City of London and made his way to a tavern in the Caledonian Road. Here another Leprechaun that had obviously been waiting for him contacted him. A few whispered instructions and the wizened old Leprechaun made his way further south to the old town of Dartford. Arriving on Dartford Heath late one Sunday evening he made himself comfortable on a bed of ferns and slept a fitful sleep until the morning.

Dartford Heath was much larger in those old days there was just a cottage or two it was mainly brush and scrubs with here and there a few trees. What the People of Dartford did not know the heath was a favourite place of the Little Folk. Fairies were to be found here in the spring and summer months in autumn and the cold winters where the cold East wind blows the Fairies just disappeared to return when it got warmer.

The wizened old Leprechaun was up at the crack of dawn wakened by the birds singing their praises to the new day. He impatiently waited for the Fairies to show. He had come a long way and wanted nothing more than his pay for delivering the envelope safely. At last the Fairies arrived singing and dancing and playing the age-old games that Fairies play when they are happy. The Fairies soon spotted the Leprechaun and asked him what he wanted. The Leprechaun smiled his slightly crooked smile and said, "Why her Majesty of course I have come a long way to deliver this important message in to her Majesties own hands."

The sound of music filled the air and her Majesty appeared dressed in a flowing long gown of silver and gold embroidery. On her head the royal crown. In her hand a magic golden wand. The Leprechaun on seeing her Majesty made a bow and slowly opened his old satchel. He carefully took the old parchment envelope with its bright red seal and gave it to her majesty. Her Majesty thanked him and gave him some magic gold. The Leprechaun his business done turned and walked away from Dartford heath. With never a glance back.

Her Majesty broke the seal and opened the letter. There was just one sheet of paper with no writing to be seen. The Queen waved her wand and there appeared a message on the paper that before had been empty. It was written in the old language and only her Majesty could read it. Smiling the Fairy Queen called all of the little Folk together and told them there would be an evening of merrymaking The Fairies from the United States and Canada would arrive later in the day.

On Dartford Heath there lived a wizard who hated the Fairies and all that they stood for. He heard the Fairy Queen’s words and swore that he would interrupt any festivities that the Fairies were to hold for that evening. On the Heath at Dartford there were many old dry gorse bushes. The Wizards plan was to set the gorse alight as soon as the Fairies from abroad arrived.

He did not have long to wait for there was a bright flash and a rush of wind and the Fairies from the America’s arrived in a shower of fine magic dust. As soon as the wizard saw this he set fire to a torch that he held in his hand and ran along the edge of the heath setting fire to all of the gorse bushes that he could. Soon the whole Heath appeared to be in flames. The Fairy Queen Feeanna smiled and waved her wand. A terrific thunderstorm appeared overhead and it poured with rain. The Wizard tried to set more gorse bushes alight but they were too wet to catch fire. The Queen Feeana waved her wand once more and the evil Wizard turned into a number of stones that flew through the air until they landed at the ford that was the crossing place of the river Dart. That is why Dartford is so called.

The Queen Feeanna waved her wand a third time and the sun shone down on Dartford Heath and soon all was dry again. One of the biggest Fairy dances that has ever been seen took place on Dartford Heath with the Fairies from Britain and the Fairies from the America’s. All had a most wonderful time.