Vampires at work and play

Tuuli: I'm going to crochet some clothes for us. Do you think there is enough thread in this cone to crochet an outfit for both of us?

Pyry: I think there is enough thread to start a business of selling crocheted outfits - in case you can crochet.


Tuuli: Of course I can crochet.

Pyry: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

After a while Pyry comes back to check Tuuli's progress.

Pyry: What is this?

Tuuli: I think it could be a scarf.

Pyry: It looks a bit narrow. Don't you think a scarf should be a bit broader?

Tuuli: Do you think so? I'll try again.


Pyry: I wonder if this chain could be used as a lasso to catch some dinosaurs or dragons....

After some time Pyry returns to check Tuuli's progress again.

Pyry: Hey, this scarf looks like the right breadth, but isn't is a bit too long?

Tuuli: Do you think so?


Niks: We heard that you might have a scarf here.

Naks: We have heard that there might be a job opening for football hooligans.

Niks: And we also heard that one needs a scarf for that job.

Naks: The one you have looks just suitable for the purpose. May we have it?

Tuuli: You are welcome.


Niks: Do you think this scarf is the right color for any football team?

Naks: I have no idea. Lets go find out.

Tuuli: I guess I must restart again...

Pyry: Make something else, no more scarfs.

Tuuli: OK. No more scarfs.

After some time Pyry returns to check Tuuli's progress.

Pyry: Wow! Did you make that dress?

Tuuli: Yes. Do you like it?

Pyry: Well, at least it is the right size...


Tuuli: Boys don't understand anything about pretty clothes. I think this looks nice. Don't you agree?

Hairy Story

The little vampires look fully recovered - except for hair...

Tuuli: Pyry, do you think our hair will ever grow back?

Pyry: Don't you like being a skinhead vampire?

Tuuli: No! Haitula, do you have some potion for hair growth?

Haitula: Unfortunately no...


Niks: But we have a solution...

Naks: This fine hair elixir is guaranteed to produce hair anywhere. On you chest. On your head. Anywhere you want.

Haitula: Wait a minute, I bet that stuff grows troll hair.

Niks: But of course. It will grow troll hair even on a billiard ball.

Naks: If you happen to want a hairy billiard ball.

Haitula: And what is it made of? More frogs and poisonous snakes?

Niks: Of course not. Those are not hairy. It is made of hairy spiders

Haitula: Yuck. You are not putting any of this stuff on the poor vampires. I'll put it into a safe place.


Niks: Stupid Haitula. He always ruins our patent medicine business. But we have something else in store...

After a while Niks and Naks return with a cartload of something hairy...

Naks: Here it is! A beautiful selection of the most excellent wigs.

Niks: The best you can find in these parts!


Tuuli: Oooooooh, where did you get these?

Niks: A friend of ours is a hairdresser.

Naks: A troll hairdresser.

Niks: And this guy called Mr. Organizer paid a visit.

Naks: And said that she must clear the loose troll hair out of her shop at least once a year.

Niks: And we helped her.

Naks: And were left with a huge pile of troll hair.

Niks: So we decided to start our own wig business.

Naks: The patent medicine business is not flourishing, you know,

Niks: At least not as long as Haitula is around. He confiscates all our finest potions.

Tuuli and Pyry start trying on the wigs.

Tuuli: This looks rather wild, don't you think?

Pyry: Well, this is troll hair... But I think I'll try something else...


Tuuli: Aaaah... these are so white and fluffy... We look like little angels.

Pyry: Angels with pointed ears. And I don't want to look like an angel. Let's try something else...


Pyry: I think this looks cool. Not too fluffy and not too long. I'll take this one.

Tuuli: And I'll take the black one. I want something more dramatic now that I am a vampire, you know.

Niks: You must pay, then.

Tuuli: But we have nothing.

Naks: Just bring us a frog for supper.

Pyry: I know where we can find a frog. Come, Tuuli.

Soon the vampires return with a frog.

Tuuli: Here's your frog. Treat him kindly.

Niks: We'll cook him very gently... Hey that's a stuffed toy!

Tuuli: We are vegetarians, we don't know anything about cooking animals for supper. I thought they are supposed to be stuffed first...

Naks: Yes, but not with cotton!

Niks: We give up. Keep the stuffed frog. And keep all the wigs too. There was no market for them anyway.

Naks: No. No trolls lack hair.

Niks: Especially if they use the fine elixir Haitula confiscated.


Pyry: If you kiss the frog, he may turn into a prince!

Tuuli: XXXXX

Pyry: Be careful, don't bite him or he will turn into a vampire.


Tuuli: Look! He turned into a prince!

Pyry: He was a frog prince to start with. He was supposed to turn into a human prince.

Tuuli: What would I do with a human prince? He would probably just step on me. Humans are soooo big, you know. You are just jealous because you don't have a toy.

Pyry: But I do! Look, I have an elephant on wheels. And I did not need to kiss him either, he just followed me home.

Tuuli: I bet he did because you are holding the string!

Awakening

Haitula found a magic recipe for a potion that was supposed to revive the little pixies Umbriel and Haitula raked out of the River of Tuonela - and it looks like Haitula's potion is working!


Umbriel: Look! It is working! They are waking up!

Haitula: I said it would work.

Aniara: The poor little things need clothes. I'll go and see if I find some dolly clothes that fit...


Aniara: Here are some clothes that look about the right size. Let's see if they fit...


Aniara: A little loose, but they will do...

Haitula: Can you pixies speak? Do you have names?


Girl: My name is Tuuli. It means "wind".

Boy: And my name is Pyry. It means "snowfall" and not just any snowfall, a heavy one with lots of snow.

Tuuli: And when you put wind and snowfall together...

Pyry: ...you get a BLIZZARD!

Aniara: I bet you are hungry, would you like to eat something?

Pyry: I wonder if you have any blood oranges?

Haitula: It just happens we do. I'll get you some.

The little pixies eagerly grab the oranges and start to suck...

Haitula: Ummm... I think you are supposed to peel them first...


Tuuli: What?

Haitula: They sucked the oranges dry!

Tuuli: I suppose we must confess...

Pyry: ... we are vampires.


Tuuli: There was this vampire, you see.

Pyry: And he bit us.

Tuuli: But as we were vegetarian pixies, we turned into vegetarian vampires.

Pyry: We hate to bite people. But we love to suck blood oranges and strawberries dry.

Tuuli: But the gardeners did not like it....

Pyry: So we ended into the River of Tuonela... We thought that was a bit drastic, but people are afraid of vampires and wanted to get rid of all of them.

Tuuli: But you can't kill vampires by throwing them into a river. Even if it is the River of Tuonela.


Tuuli: We are very grateful to you for saving us, but now that you know we are vampires, I suppose we must leave.

Pyry: But we would not mind getting a few more of those blood oranges to take with us and eat on the way...

Aniara: Nonsense. There's no need to leave, you just said you are vegetarians.

Umbriel: Just promise you don't bite any people. Not even trolls and Zumikloxians.

Tuuli: We promise! We'll only bite vegetables.

Pyry: If you have some broccoli you hate, we are glad to bite it dead and suck it dry for you!

Trip to Netherworld

Umbriel has found another dimension door...


Haitula: Cool, now we can go exploring again!

Umbriel: This door opens with the key to Netherworld. I'm not sure if it is a good idea to go there...

Haitula: Nonsense! We can rush back if it looks dangerous. I want to see what it is like.


Umbriel: It is awfully dark here... And there seems to be some kind of river.

Haitula: It must be the River of Tuonela... Look there's something floating on the water!


Haitula: They look like little pixies!

Umbriel: I think they look dead...

Haitula: They can't be dead because they are floating. We must resque them!

Umbriel: They are too far from the shore, I can't reach them.

Haitula: Can I come back here if I go and fetch something?

Umbriel: Yes, if I hold the door open. But be quick.

Haitula: Yes, I will.

And soon Haitula returns with a rake.

Haitula: Can you reach the pixies with this?

Umbriel: I'll try.


Umbriel: I got them!

Haitula: Let's take them to the other side, quick!

And Umbriel carries the little pixies through the door, and Haitula quickly locks the door.


Aniara arrives while Haitula is examining the pixies.

Haitula: I don't think they are quite dead. I think I can save them with the right potion...

Aniara: Poor little things, they look cold. I'll fetch the laundry basket and some blankets. They must be kept warm.

And warmth and tenderness seem to have effect. The little pixies don't look so dead anymore, almost if they were just sleeping...


Haitula has got his magic book...

Umbriel: Ummm... that looks like German poetry book...

Haitula: For humans it looks like German poetry, but it is really a magic potion book. Elves and fairies can read between the lines. Now I must find the correct recipe for reviving creatures raked out from the River of Tuonela...

Niks and Naks arrive dragging a kettle and a netful of something...

Naks: Did we hear someone talking about recipes? We have just what you need!

Naks starts emtpying frogs and lizards and snakes from the net into the kettle.

Naks: Now this is a real magic troll brew.

Haitula: That is horrible! That kind of potion won't cure anybody, it'll only make them worse! Take that stuff out of here immediately!

Naks: We know when we are not wanted. Niks, let's go and cook these frogs for supper. They'll taste delicious.

Niks: Well, I suppose I'll have to remove the poisonous snakes from the kettle. Should I remove the poison dart frogs, too?

Naks: No, no, those are the best tasting ones, they make the brew nice and spicy. Just remove the poisonous snakes...

Niks and Naks leave with their troll broth ingredients, and Haitula seems to have found the recipe he was looking for.

Umbriel: Did you find what you were looking for?

Haitula: Yes, now I just need a bee to fetch nectar, honey and mead...

Umbriel: Finding bees at this time of year may be difficult.

Haitula: Not necessarily if I summon a magic one...

And Haitula summons a magic bee. But as it is so small, it has to make three trips before it has brought back all the ingredients Haitula needs.

Umbriel: I just can't believe this!

Haitula: You must learn to believe three impossible thing before breakfast.


Haitula: Now I must smear them with the ointment using this woodpecker feather... I hope this works. I have not tried this before...



Will Haitula's potion work?
Will the little pixies come back to life?
What kind on story do they have to tell?

To be continued....

Cross Ice Skiing

Even the big lakes are now frozen and we got more snow last week, so the weather is perfect for skiing on the ice.

- We've come an awful long way from the shore...


- But we can't go any further because there is a rift in the ice and there is water on the ice. We can't ski over it.


We must turn back...


- We did not go straight home. It is such a nice day that we went to see the Hedgehog Rock Lighthouse. One can only get here in the winter when the lake is frozen. This is a very popular place to visit. There were a couple of other people here, too, but they are currently behind the lighthouse.


- It's still such an awfully long way home through unbroken snow...


- We got heaps of wet snow yesterday, and children have been making snowmen and snowforts. Here's a snow couple. They are standing on the ice in the harbor.


- The snowman has a long nose and smiling mouth. He has some hair on his head, too.


- The snowwoman is also smiling, and she has long hair. As you can see from the houses in the background, we did make it to the shore.