麻豆约拍

By Hilary Robinson

Read by Alice Bullard

鈥淗urry Jake!鈥澨� said Jess, excitedly.听 鈥淚t鈥檚 Midsummer鈥檚 Day 鈥� the longest day of the year and Meg鈥檚 going to open the library cellar!听 She said that it鈥檚 the only day in the year when our world can mix with the world of fairies, elves and sprites. And 听there are lots of books there about that!鈥�

At the library, Jake and Jess were greeted by Meg, the librarian, who led them down the stone steps to an old oak door.听 Meg turned the golden key and the door creaked open.听

鈥淭hese books,鈥� whispered Meg, 鈥渨ere written long ago in a faraway land.听 I鈥檓 the only librarian who can release them and I have the perfect one for you.鈥�

鈥淲ow!鈥� said Jake, 鈥淚t鈥檚 an Aladdin鈥檚 Cave of Books.鈥澨�

Meg led them to a treasure chest at the back of the cellar and lifted out a dusty book.

鈥淭his is for you,鈥� she said. 听鈥淚t鈥檚 called 鈥楾he Crystal Sprites鈥� and it can only be borrowed on Midsummer鈥檚 Day by twins who can help sprites to look after Planet Earth.听 听My brother and I borrowed it when we were your age,鈥� she said, twiddling the colourful jewels on her necklace.听

Then she started to read:听

鈥淒eep in the centre of the earth live the Crystal Sprites.听 Air Sprite darts around like a dragonfly. 听She keeps the air fresh.听 Fire Sprite, with hair like orange flames, keeps the sun burning.听 Water Sprite, with his streaming blue coat, keeps the oceans and rivers clean. Earth Sprite鈥�, she continued, 鈥渨ith a hat of green leaves helps fruit to grow.听 And Quint Sprite, sparkling like a star, helps sprites to dream of ways to create a better world for humans.听 They all live in the Crystal Caves but another sprite, Anger Sprite, lives close by.鈥�

鈥淎nger Sprite lives in a cold dark cave,鈥� said Meg seriously. 听鈥淗e waits for humans to neglect Planet Earth and then rises up and tries to destroy everything.鈥澨�

Jake and Jess could not believe their luck. 听听听

鈥淭ake it home!鈥� 听said Meg, 鈥渁nd bring it back tomorrow. That鈥檚 the Midsummer鈥檚 Day Book rule!鈥�

All afternoon and all the long summer evening the twins read to each other from The Crystal Sprites.

鈥淚鈥檇 love to visit the Crystal Caves,鈥� said Jess as she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

Later that night 鈥� Midsummer鈥檚 Night - the covers of the book blew open, the words scattered everywhere and five Crystal Sprites flew out from the pages into the bedroom.听

Jake and Jess woke up, startled!

Air Sprite flew around creating a whirlwind and the twins found themselves being spirited down a passage in the book to the Element World.听

By the Crystal Caves Jake and Jess listened as the sprites told them how they could create a better world for humans.听听

鈥淏ut our work for Planet Earth can only be done if you help us to encourage children to take care of everything,鈥� 听said Quint Sprite. 听

鈥淒on鈥檛 pollute the air with gases,鈥� said Air Sprite and Fire Sprite.听

鈥淒on鈥檛 poison the water with chemicals鈥�, said Water Sprite.听听

鈥淎nd never drop litter!鈥� said Earth Sprite.

Then Quint Sprite said: 鈥淚f humans don鈥檛 look after Planet Earth then Anger Sprite will rise up and destroy everything. Your world, and our work, will be over.鈥�

The twins looked at Anger Sprite hunched up in his dark cave and grumbling.

Then each of the sprites gave them a coloured crystal to take away. 听

鈥淭hese look just like the jewels on Meg鈥檚 necklace,鈥� said Jess.听

鈥淵es,鈥� said Quint Sprite, 鈥淢eg and her twin brother, Michael, visited us years ago.听 Meg is our connection with the real world and finds twins to help us with our work.鈥�

Then Air Sprite created another whirlwind and Jake and Jess were spirited back through the book to their beds.听

The next morning the twins woke up, bleary eyed.

鈥淚 had the most amazing dream,鈥� said Jess.听

鈥淢e too!鈥� 听said Jake.听 鈥淚 dreamt that the crystal spri 鈥�.鈥�

He then stopped and looked at the book. Jess looked too.

There, gleaming in the sunshine, were five crystals.听 听听

鈥淭he Crystal Sprites!鈥澨� they said together, 鈥渨e鈥檝e been chosen to encourage children to take care of the world!鈥澨�

听