Dwarf Facts and Fables

It is unknown how far their magical abilities extend. Dwarf magic is very powerful and mysterious, primarily because dwarves are masters of keeping secrets. In fact, they specialize in secrets.

They usually keep to themselves and only share their names with other dwarves. However, if a dwarf extends friendship to another creature, he will be a fierce and loyal ally for life.

It is not known whether dwarf women or dwarf babes exist, because only dwarf men have been spotted. There is a theory that dwarves sometimes have pets other than Squits (see below), such as dwarf bunnies, dwarf rabbits, dwarf cats, and so on.

Dwarves tend to be somewhat greedy, seeking wealth and hoarding riches.

And a warning: Never ask them the question, "What Are the Names of the Seven Dwarfs?"**

**It won't be a friendly answer!

** Meeting a Dwarf (in his own dwarf fortress!) **

As she glowed brightly, leading the group through a dense, darker part of the forest, Firefly looked up dwarf in her handbook.

The fairies and squirrel listened as she read the definition aloud:

”Dwarves: Dwarves are magical creatures, slightly larger than elves and slightly smaller than trolls, which means that they vary in height from three to four feet tall.
They generally live in caves or old mines. Dwarves are skilled craftsmen and enjoy working with different types of metal and stone. It is unknown how far their magical abilities extend. Dwarf magic is very powerful and mysterious, primarily because dwarves are masters of keeping secrets. In fact, they specialize in secrets. They usually keep to themselves and only share their names with other dwarves. However, if a dwarf extends friendship to another creature, he will be a fierce and loyal ally for life. Dwarves tend to be somewhat greedy, seeking wealth and hoarding riches.”

It was nearly dark by the time they reached the dwarf ’s home, which was an abandoned mine tucked into the side of a hill. The entrance was hard to see because the area was overgrown. Tangled tree limbs and vines partially shielded the front door.

A closer look at the door revealed beautiful, intricately wrought ironwork hinges and locks, and a fancy brass doorknob. There was also a small, granite stone bench beside the door with scroll carvings across the seat and on the legs.

Firefly knocked on the door as loudly as she could with her small fist. The dwarf opened the door almost at once. “Well, well, well…fairies and a black squirrel. This is quite a surprise.”

Firefly introduced each fairy and the black squirrel to the dwarf. The dwarf said hello, but true to dwarf fashion, didn’t give his name. Instead, he said, “You can call me, Dwarf.” Smiling, he invited them inside.

It had never occurred to any of the fairies or the black squirrel that the dwarf might not tell them how to find the Black Stag.

“Let me explain my position,” the dwarf said. “I alone am entrusted with the secret of the location of the Black Stag. He is the last of his kind. Alone. He has been gifted with long life, speech, and the ability to find blue moon clover. But he is not invincible, or immortal. If someone sought to do him harm, he could not stop them.”

As promised, at 10:19 p.m., the dwarf, gave Firefly and the black squirrel instructions for how to find the Black Stag. “You must head directly east when you leave here. Pass through the forest, always east, until you reach the purple meadow. Cross through the purple meadow to the white meadow. When you cross the white meadow, you will come to a third meadow—the Forgotten Meadow.

In the Forgotten Meadow, you will find the Black Stag.”

Next, the fairies made up beds with their blankets and pillows in the same quiet corner where the squirrel had chosen to rest, while the dwarf shooed Firecracker into one of the empty mine shafts so his bouncing would not disturb them. Then they all drifted wearily off to sleep.

** Dwarf Names **

Next, the fairies looked up dwarves in the handbook and found out that dwarves were generally a little shorter than trolls and could be somewhat greedy, often hoarding riches. They were also masters of keeping secrets. In fact, dwarves never even shared their names with anyone, except fellow dwarves.

 ...

Periwinkle noticed that the dwarf was acting strangely. He was pacing back and forth, grumbling, and stomping his feet.

He looked very mad. Time was almost out. Even Periwinkle’s spirit guide had no idea the answer to the puzzle. He shook his head when she looked at him. “I can’t believe we are going to fail in our first task,” she said. “This is terrible!”

Just as the timer was counting down the last five seconds, and the door was looking positively too small for use by either the dwarf or Annie, the dwarf said loudly, “Warfen-Kin-Neeble-Hamer Smith!”

He was right! The timer stopped at one second to go, and the letters of the puzzle magically filled themselves in. Then the puzzle disappeared, as the door stopped shrinking and slowly swung open.

The dwarf sat down cross-legged on the floor of the cave and shook his head. He still looked angry and upset, even though the others of the group were cheering.

“You solved the puzzle!” cried Periwinkle.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so angry?”
“I’ll tell you why I’m angry!” he said loudly. The dwarf paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then added more calmly, “The puzzle is my name. Dwarves never share their names. They are secret. We only share our names with other dwarves.”

“But, why?” asked Rosemary. “It’s a very interesting name.”
“Well, for one thing, dwarf names are so long that no one can ever remember them correctly.”
“I can remember it,” replied Rosemary, and she proceeded to repeat his name carefully, and correctly. “Warfen-Kin-Neeble- Hamer Smith.”

The dwarf smiled and responded, “But you may be the only one who can remember it. It’s kind of insulting for people to almost never get your name right.” The others sat watching him carefully to see if he was still upset at having to reveal his name. After a few moments, he added, “Not sharing our names also adds to the dwarf mystique. We are supposed to be experts and masters of keeping secrets.

If we are forced to reveal our names, we might not be held in very high esteem with regards to our secret-keeping abilities. Then where would we be?” The others nodded understandingly, and Annie said, “It’s a lovely name.” Then she added, “King-Hammer-Smith of Keeble-Worf.”

“No,Annie!” said Rosemary, exasperatedly.
“It’s Warfen-Kin-Neeble-Hamer Smith!” Rosemary was silent with the others for a minute. Then she had an idea. “What if we just call you Mr. Smith?

Then no one else would know that you had revealed your whole secret name to us. And Mr. Smith is simple enough that everyone here can probably remember it and get it right.” The rest of the group looked sideways at Annie, who was muttering, “Mr. Smith,
Mr. Smith, Mr. Smith…” under her breath, trying to memorize the name.

The dwarf smiled and nodded. “That would be highly acceptable,” he said. “Thank you.”

...

** Dwarf Mythology **

Many of the dwarves had brought their squits to the gathering. Squits were dwarf pets that looked like furry balls. They were about the size of soccer balls and were many different solid colors. There were squits in turquoise, lemon yellow, lilac, orange, bright green, red, and even a black one. In the process of catching invisible air flies, the squits were all bouncing around Fairy Circle like popping popcorn.

However, the fairies knew that it was possible that the squits did not actually exist.
Many magical beings commonly thought that squits were a dwarf mind-trick: a distraction technique to keep others from getting a good look at the dwarves’ hoarded riches. Touching squits to see if they were real or not was nearly impossible because the fluffy creatures moved so fast, popping around like firecrackers while chasing air flies. And the dwarves were such good keepers of secrets, they never owned up to any mind-trick, but always acted as though the squits were completely real. Most of the fairies didn’t care if they were real or not; they just loved watching the squits bounce around.

One of the lilac squits bounced so fast and furious that he knocked over one of the refreshment tables. His dwarf owner came over to shoo him away from the mess.
Thistle, Primrose, Firefly, and Spiderwort had been watching, and Thistle asked her friends, “If the squit isn’t real, how did he knock over the table?”

The girls thought about this for a few seconds, then Primrose stated, “He must be real.” However, Firefly shrewdly gave her input. “Unless it was dwarf magic that knocked over the table, to confuse us and add weight to the proof of the existence of squits.”

The girls all laughed. Mysteries were so much fun!

...

** Dwarf Clothes **

As Madam Toad said this, a burly dwarf stepped forward. He was dressed in dwarf work clothes, which were very much like mining clothes in colors of black, white, and gray.