Betty Kamer - Snørgl The Forest Goblin

One day Dagbjartur caught the forest sprites Böggvir, Amur and Allsvartur trying to steal the map. Just in time he was able to take it back and that same night the three head woodland sprites and the elf Lýsa took the map to a hiding place. None of us forest sprites learned where this secret place was. But today I know that in this secret hiding place there is also a copy of each of the other three parts of the map.

What we all didn't know at that time: on one of these old maps something is drawn in, which has great importance for goblins. But we all learn more about this as time goes on.

The goblins Böggvir, Amur and Allsvartur, however, were banished and had to leave their tree dwellings and the forest immediately.

And peace and quiet returned to our forest.

During a meeting of the Goblin a few weeks ago, we asked the head Goblin to allow all the Goblin to go on a dream journey together. The head Goblin had nothing against it. But we still had to find a way to make it possible.

Our adventure began when the elf Sóla told us that something terrible had happened: she had learned that Goblin living very far from our forest had been kidnapped and urgently needed help.

I immediately suspected Böggvir, one of the banished sprites, but I had no certainty.

Probably even Allsvartur and Amur helped him to kidnap the goblins.

I wonder how they managed to do that.

But whoever it was: they didn't count on me and my friends ...

But before we start this adventure together, my scribe line has asked me to confess something to you: I'm talkative. Very much so. I like to talk a lot. So please don't be too surprised.

Since time immemorial, our fireflies have been on the road for the elves to tell them about the children in their rooms. About happy and laughing children, but also about sad children. But I already told you that.

The first visit to the children is not really a visit, because the firefly shows us where the child lives, but we only bring them a book of fairy tales. We do not have personal contact with them at this point.

You're wondering what kind of book this is?

I'm happy to tell you: it's a book about forest sprites, dream journeys, elves and adventures, written by the head sprites a long time ago. Such a book is then put to the respective child in the garden, on the balcony or in front of the front door. And like little observers, the firefly then stays near the apartments or houses to see how the child reacts to the book. If it has no interest and does not believe in us Goblin and the elves, then it is not very useful to visit them to take a dream trip with them.

However, if the firefly sees that the child is reading the book and thus shows that he or she is interested in us, then it is also possible for us to accompany them in their dreams.

In the case of such a child, I then sit down on the window sill in front of their nursery the next evening, or rather the next dusk, and wait patiently together with the firefly until my 'lucky child' becomes aware of me. Usually they see the light of the firefly first and become curious. Then when the window is opened for me, I introduce myself and we can talk, since I am no longer a stranger. After all, you're not supposed to talk to strangers, and you're not supposed to walk along with them. You know, since the child has already read about me in the book, he kind of already knows me. Then we talk about family, friends and so I also find out what makes her sad. We also talk about hobbies and what books they like to read. So the moment comes for me, which is so important: we talk about THE BOOK. Our book of stories. And I talk about the journeys we can take together in the dreams and the adventures to be had. In most cases, I also find out what the child would most like to experience or where he or she would like to go.

Then it's time to go on a dream journey... wherever that child would like to travel, whatever he or she wishes to experience, whatever longing he or she has. For through the magical powder of the elves, we can experience this dream journey together.

When I got my first assignment many years ago, I was very surprised because I had never really paid attention to the fireflies before. I actually thought that they fly around with little lights and that's why you can see their light. But of course that's not true.

You see, fireflies have a rare ability in the animal kingdom: they produce light through a chemical reaction - something called bioluminescence. (I couldn't read the word correctly the first time, much less pronounce it. If you feel the same way, please ask someone in your family).

Yes, I know it's a hard word. But it really is, and it means that fireflies are able to produce light. They do that by triggering a chemical reaction through an energy component - which they produce in their body - and oxygen. Maybe you think that the light of fireflies is certainly warm and yellowish. At least, that's what I thought until Elin the elf explained it to me. Because in fact, the light is quite bright and cold.

What do I mean about it being cold?

Why don't you ask around your house and see if you still have any old light bulbs? You know, when a light bulb broke, you had to let it cool down before you could replace it. The light from those bulbs wasn't as bright, but the bulb itself got very hot. And with the fireflies, it's the other way around: the light is super bright, but in return it doesn't give off any heat. So it uses all the energy to shine brightly and not to give off heat.

The glow is mainly for the animals to communicate. Some flash very quickly one after the other and then again for a long time continuously. I have often wondered what they are talking about - but I have never asked.

They live very safely in our forests now, as birds and spiders used to love to eat them. You don't have to be scared, because it's natural. But since the elves had explained to all the animals in the forest how important the fireflies are for us and how much we depend on their cooperation, the animals leave them alone and respect them.

It is especially common to see this beautiful sight of flying light on dry summer nights: Suddenly, the darkness is teeming with tiny points of light. These are fireflies that, depending on the species, either glow continuously or flash at short intervals. This also distinguishes the females from the males when they glow.

Yes, what else is there to tell? Ah yes: the female fireflies can't fly and mostly crawl around on trees and most male fireflies fly about a meter above the ground. Of course, there are exceptions, like with 'our' firefly. Well, and actually they are not 'worms', but beetles.

See, now you know why sometimes you can see little lights floating in the dark.

Let me think for a moment... yes, now I have told you all about the lucky children and also about the fireflies, at least I think so.

Firefly

"I can't get this darn knot undone. Wizened and sewn shut."

Oh dear, I recognize that voice among a hundred other voices. It's Galdur for sure, once again annoyed at something. But most of all about himself, when he doesn't get something right.

I have a very special friendship with Galdur. We have known each other for a long time and have experienced many things together. He is my best friend. It was he who found me as a young wretch at the edge of the forest, near the big rocks. I must have fallen, hitting my head. That was probably the reason I couldn't remember anything that had happened before the fall. I could remember a voice that sounded good to me and a feeling as if I were floating. It has remained that way to this day. I will probably never know what happened then. It was Galdur who - after he had found me - ran to the head sprites to get help. They brought me back to the forest and nursed me back to health with the help of the elves.