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'Twas Christmas Eve and the snow was falling gently on the beautiful glass
palace where twenty-five political elves and a handsome Mayor (more of a
frog really - but for the sake of the story, handsome) lived.
Nearly a year had passed since the Mayor had been discovered - frozen on a
plinth in Trafalgar Square. And much had come to pass in the land in that
year and the ruling order had changed.
The red elves had taken the cold, stiff body to No 10 Downing Street where
the all-powerful strong-willed Prince - much more powerful than the Mayor
- had breathed life back into him. But not life as the Mayor had known it
before. Now the Mayor no longer cared about the people of London. All he
now cared about was pleasing the Prince.
Meanwhile the dark shadow of mistrust had fallen across the land. Once
upon a time, not that long ago, the people had truly loved the Prince -
but he had betrayed them and taken them to war and death on falsehoods.
Now the forces of darkness were gathering against him.
His staunchest ally, an authoritarian and illiberal wizard, had fallen in
love with a seductive witch who cast a spell upon him. The spell made him
do things that no wizard should - and he had used his power for personal
gain. When a Wizard misuses his powers - he is done for - and thus it came
to pass that he left his master's service in disgrace.
And the enemy within was not far away. There was a most powerful foe
living only next door, brooding and jealous, and the strong-willed Prince
was scared - but still his power was absolute and his rule iron. Anyone
who challenged him was dispensed with. The Mayor too now did his bidding.
London was in darkest danger.
Only the political elves could save London. But the blue elves continued
to fight amongst themselves. The red and green elves (much less in number
than before) had no will of their own and did whatever the Mayor
instructed them to do. The purple elves - who were new - didn't have a
clue what they were doing. Only the golden elves stood up for the people
of old London Town. And the people were glad.
But the Mayor did not like the popularity of the golden elves. He was
jealous and he would peevishly attack them whenever he could. In fact the
Mayor and the Prince had both begun to notice a golden glow in the skies
above an area in the north of London Town.
On Christmas Eve preparations were already well underway for the Great
Event - an event foretold by the soothsayers which would fall on May 5 in
the year of Our Mayor, 2005.
The Prince instructed the Mayor to stop the golden political elves at all
costs. So as the snow fell on Christmas Eve the Mayor called the golden
elves to his chamber and offered them each a golden glass of bubbling
liquid to celebrate the year's end. But the chalice was poisoned and they
all fell into a deep sleep from which no one could awaken them.
The people were distraught. As they wended their way home no one knew
whether they would live or die. Golden helpers delivered leaflets up and
down the land asking people to clap their hands at midnight on Christmas
Eve as the only way to save the elves.
And the people did clap. And the elves were saved.
As the snow settled on the rooftops of London all was well and there was
peace and goodwill to all throughout the land.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
(c) Lynne Featherstone, 2004
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But the Mayor did not like the popularity of the golden elves. He was jealous and he would peevishly attack them whenever he could.
