At dawn one summer morning, the birds sang so loudly outside Hyacinth’s window they woke her up. As she lay in her comfy bed, she pondered what she could do to celebrate such a beautiful day.

All at once she had a brilliant idea.

I’ll give a tea party…and it won’t be just an ordinary tea party…it will be a tea party by the sea.

Hyacinth jumped up and dashed to her desk in the corner of her room. She chose four pieces of her elegant blue stationary with the purple flowers. Then she wrote her invitations and whistled for a sparrow that was perched in a nearby tree.

“Could you please deliver these to Lily, Poppy, Camellia and Heather?” she asked the bird. “I would be frightfully grateful.”

“Of course,” the bird replied. He picked up the letters in his beak and set off to deliver them to the homes of Hyacinth’s friends.

Next Hyacinth wrote a note to the dragon that lived in the cave behind her house.

Dear Dragon,

If you are don’t have any other engagements today,

could you possibly help me transport a picnic basket to the cypress tree on the bluff overlooking the sea?

I will be ready to leave at precisely 4:00 p.m.

I promise you, a wild watermelon will be included among the delicious delicacies I will bring for the picnic.

The watermelon will be just for you.

Sincerely,

Hyacinth

She hurried over to the dragon’s cave and dropped the note in his mailbox.

Then she settled down in her tidy kitchen with her morning cup of tea and toast with brambleberry jam.

It wasn’t long before the swallow returned with the replies to her invitations. Everyone would be pleased to attend.  And the dragon sent a paper airplane sailing through her open window. He would be happy to help.

As soon as she finished her breakfast, she took her picnic basket from the cupboard and began to fill it with scrumptious delicacies. First she prepared an array of cucumber sandwiches (no crusts), then she added fresh blueberries, hazelnut tarts, lemon tizziewinkles, nasturtium blossoms, and light-as-air fairy cakes.  Next she put in a kettle, her favorite lavender tea, five delicate cups and saucers and a wild watermelon for the dragon.

(to be continued)