The Magic Mushroom Circle

Narrator: The Magic Mushroom Circle Narrator: The warm golden sun shone through the green leaves of the big oak tree in the backyard. Jenny, who was eight years old, sat on a blanket with her brother Jack, who was seven. Between them sat Fudge, a very special talking hamster with tiny glasses. The garden was peaceful, filled with the smell of grass and the buzzing of a bee. The air was warm and smelled like jasmine flowers. Jenny saw something unusual near the hedge. She stood up to see better. Jenny: [Whisper] Jack, look over there. Do you see that perfect circle of white mushrooms in the grass? Jack: [Curious] It looks like a magic fence for a tiny hidden garden. Is it magic, Jenny? Fudge: [Excited] That is a fairy ring! My grandfather told me stories about them. If you step inside, you might see magic things that humans usually miss. Narrator: Jenny walked toward the circle. The mushrooms were white with brown spots. Jack followed her, and Fudge hopped along. The ground felt soft and springy under their sneakers. Jenny took Jack’s hand and they prepared to jump in there now together. Jenny: Let us step inside the circle. One, two, three! Narrator: As they stepped inside, the world began to spin. The blades of grass shot up like giant skyscrapers. The dandelions grew as large as umbrellas. They felt very strange as their bodies changed size instantly. Jenny and Jack were now only two inches tall. Fudge looked like a giant golden bear. Jack: [Gasp] Jenny, look! We are tiny! The grass is like a huge forest! Fudge: [Proudly] Don’t worry, I will protect you. Listen to that noise! Narrator: A clashing sound came from behind a clover leaf. The children pushed through the grass. They saw two groups of tiny people. The Petal Knights wore rose armor. The Root Guards wore bark suits. They all held pine needle spears and looked grumpy. A butterfly flew over their heads and it looked like a giant colorful airplane in the sky. The insects around them looked like many huge clear wings. Jenny: Oh no, they are going to fight! We must stop them. Narrator: A knight with a tulip helmet pointed his spear at a guard. Jack: Wait! Please do not fight! There is no reason to be angry! Narrator: The tiny warriors froze. They were shocked to see humans and a giant hamster. The tiny people whispered to each other in high voices. The knight lowered his spear and looked at them. Jenny: Why are you so angry? This garden is for everyone. Fudge: [Sternly] Yes, tell us the problem. Fighting is never the best way to solve a disagreement. Narrator: The leader of the Petal Knights sighed. He looked very tired from all the shouting and arguing. He said they were arguing over the Great Flat Stone. Both groups wanted to use it tonight. The knights wanted to dance, and the guards wanted to dry seeds. Jack: That is an easy problem. Why don’t you just share? Jenny: Jack is right. The stone is big. One side for seeds, one for dancing. Fudge: [Excited] You could even work together! Dancers can move seeds, and guards can play drums. Narrator: The tiny people looked at each other. They had not thought about sharing. They realized that being friends was much more fun than fighting. The leader of the guards shook hands with the knight. Jack: [Laugh] See? Everything is better when you work as a team. Narrator: A light filled the garden. The fairies began to glow. Their anger turned into golden dust. The magic felt like a warm hug on a cold day. They thanked Jenny, Jack, and Fudge. They gave Jenny a silver pebble and Jack a blue feather. They felt very, very proud indeed. Jenny: We should go home now. It is almost time for dinner. Fudge: [Whisper] We must step out of the circle to grow big. Narrator: They walked back to the spot where they had entered. They stepped over the mushroom boundary. The world spun. The grass shrank. The dandelions became small. Jenny and Jack were back to their normal size. The backyard looked exactly the same as it did before they had jumped into the middle of that magic mushroom circle. Jack: [Happy] That was a great adventure. I am glad we helped them. Jenny: Me too. It is always better to be kind and share. Fudge: [Yawn] Now I think it is time for a nap. Being a giant is hard work. Narrator: They walked to the house, feeling happy. The garden was peaceful. The stars were just beginning to peek out from behind the soft white clouds in the dark sky. Their adventure was finished. Now, it is time for a quiz. Jenny, Jack, and Fudge, are you ready? I hope you are. Jenny: I am ready to answer your questions! Jack: Me too! I remember the whole story! Fudge: [Excited] I love learning new things! Ask us! Narrator: First word is 'boundary'. Jenny, what is a boundary? Jenny: A boundary is a line where something ends and something else begins. Narrator: Second word is 'conflict'. Jack, what does that mean? Jack: A conflict is a disagreement or an argument between people. Narrator: Last word is 'mediate'. Fudge, do you know this one? Fudge: To mediate means to help two sides talk and agree. Narrator: You are all very smart. Goodnight, everyone. Bye!