As a big brother, I laugh when Asa gets into predicaments.  Well I couldn’t believe my good fortune on a recent hike at Mackworth Island, thanks to some irate Fairies and an innocent mistake.  Asa often carries a walking stick in his mouth during our hikes, so I didn’t think twice when he helped himself to the nearest one.  Little did we realize that pile of sticks was a Fairy house, and would lead to all sorts of fun…for me!

Next thing I knew, Asa was surrounded by tiny winged people, who were some sort of cross between beautiful butterflies and angry sailors.  For enchanting little creatures, they sure have nasty tempers!  Apparently Asa committed a felony by removing what was once the main support beam of one of their makeshift dwellings, and the Fairies were the judge and jury for his innocent act of vandalism.  According to one Fairy it is a great offense to remove even just one twig from their homes and that he needed to make restitution immediately.  Confused Asa dropped the stick, and slowly backed up – knocking over a second house!

Now I know at this point I should have intervened on Asa’s behalf.  But I was laughing so hard at his predicament that I almost accidentally demolished a third house with my tail!  Luckily, the Fairies were too busy discussing Asa’s punishment to notice my indiscretion.  Want to know who else was distracted?  Mom and Dad, of course!  Despite having Dad tethered to us on his leash, he and Mom were too busy trying to think of the name of the fort in Casco Bay, and were oblivious to Asa’s plight.  Although I quite thoroughly enjoyed Asa’s trial by Fairy, and even debated representing him as his lawyer, I knew it was time for me to take matters into my own paws before things escalated.  After all, it’s one thing for me to bark at my brother, but it is a totally different situation for someone else to yell at him!  With one yank of the leash we left the scene of the crime and continued our hike.

Ok I have to admit, this is too funny to let drop.  Right now I have Asa convinced that he is a fugitive from justice and is on the Fairy Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted List.  Poor little guy is afraid to even go out in the backyard for fear the FBI will arrest him.  I suppose I’ll let him in on my little joke…later.  I can understand why he’s so rattled though.  We’ve certainly have had some surprising hikes lately, between the free range chickens roaming the forest in Kennebunkport and now the Fairies of Falmouth.  Just to be on the safe side, perhaps this weekend we should stay out of the woods!