Tigerlilly at Christmas

The following story is probably the first story of any length that I ever finished. I think I was nine or ten. (I'm basing this off the fact that Sugar Maple isn't here, but Starlilly is.)

This is an early writing of what has since become Infiltration. I have modified the world some since then, though, and a few names have been changed. Tigerlilly's name has been split into Tiger Lilly, Marigold has become Mary Gold. Buckhyde became Elkhyde. Christmas is no longer celebrated like this in the Rowa. Instead they have the Month of Blessings (which is a combination of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and perhaps some other holidays).

However, this is a very sweet story (I think, anyways) and it shows how far I've come in my writing.

I have one other bit of completed Tiger Lilly writing dating from this time, but it's written on paper (and has a really cute illustration. I might share it at one point. (I also have several unfinished story starts ... including one that was simply a retelling of The Hobbit ... that one was quickly dropped, though it was the one when Tiger first became an herbalist)

So, without further ado ....

Find some Eggs!

Tigerlilly at Christmas


   Once upon a time in a place called the Rowa lived the Elvings.  The Elvings are half elf and half something else.  Girls are named after flowers, and boys are named after trees and bushes, and last names come from Animal body parts.
   This story is about a girl named Tiger Lilly Bunnietoes.  Tigerlilly had curly brown hair witch she got from her pa, Aspen Bunnietoes, blue eyes, and like most Elvings she had hairy feet.
   Her ma’s name was Daffodil Bunnitoes.  She also had a sister whose name was Marigold Bunnietoes.  She had so many cousins I won’t even begin to name them.
   Every year at Christmas time there is held by one of the high Officers, and every kid gets a present.
   On Christmas Morning Tigerlilly would run downstairs, but not to see what’s under the tree, they don’t even have tree.  She’s running downstairs to start breakfast.  When every one is up and breakfast has been eaten then it’s present time.  There present time is much different than ours, it begins with present hiding, one at a time they hide a present in others room, then it’s find time.  “I’d like to know why we do Christmas this way.”  Tigerlilly said once.  
   Her ma answered, “On the first Christmas long before I was even born, the Shepard’s just had to find Jesus and they only one clue, the clue was that he was in a stable, but witch one?  The reason why we follow stars to find the nativity Jesus is because The Wise men followed the star to find the real Jesus.” 
   “Speaking of stars,” said Aspen  “It’s time to do the stars.”  So Aspen took out the hunk of stars and put them in a line. Then when they led to the nativity Jesus he said to young Marigold, “The trick is to follow the stars.” Tigerlilly and Daffodil followed on behind.
   After they found the nativity Jesus it was lunchtime and they went to the place where everyone ate on Christmas day called the Food Center. They had a grand feast and afterwards Tigerlilly went and played outside with her friends Magnolia and Blueberry Eaglewing.  They had a grand time playing zoom tag I guess you need to know what zoom tag is. It is a form of tag played by the Elvings; first you have the player that was chosen to tag first hold still for ten seconds and then run around and tag anther player then that player dose the same. When the thing is over she and her sister receives a present each.  Marigold got a sewing kit and Tigerlilly got some cooking utincles.  Then they headed home.
   When they got home they went strait to Grandma and Grandpa Buckhyd’s compartment in their tree home.  Tigerlilly ran strait for Aunt Paintbrush and gave her a big hug.  Marigold ran strait for Aunt Wisteria and asked if she could hold Baby Starlilly, Starlilly was Aunt Wisteria’s new baby. Everyone was there including Tigerlilly’s cousins from the far north of the Rowa. Everyone there got a nice present. It was fun, but Tigerlilly was getting very tired, so they went to their rooms and went to sleep.
   Tiger Lilly wondered what next year would bring. Would it be a nice one too? Would the Rowa be the same?  Soon she went to sleep, ready for the next day and what it would bring her and her family and friends.


The End