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Kyle's Beltane Lesson
by Lori Dake, 2002
Kyle's Beltane Lesson, by Lori Dake, 2002
Kyle is a little boy who lives in a big city. He lives in big apartment building with 12 other families, and every family is very different, but they all get along. Kyle has a mom and a dad and a big orange cat named Sneaky. Like every other family in the big apartment building, Kyle's family is different, too.It was just three days before Beltane and Kyle was very excited! Kyle knew Summer was just around the corner, and he just couldn't wait! No school, sleeping in, staying awake just a little bit longer, and playing in the warm sunshine were al things Kyle was really looking forward to.
Kyle continued to think of all the good things of Summer as he gazed out the window, when Mr. Collins startled him. "Kyle!" he exclaimed. "What exactly is so interesting out there that is distracting you from helping on the science project?" Kyle immediately sat up straight and looked up at his teacher. "Oh... ummm... nothing Mr. Collins," Kyle replied. "I was just thinking about Summer and stuff." Mr. Collins looked at Kyle intently. "Well, there's still a month of school left, so you will just have to put your vacation planning aside until after class." Kyle sighed. "Alejandro can't glue the planets and hold them at the same time, you know." Kyle sighed again and replied, "Okay, I'm sorry," and returned to helping his friend.
Later that day when Kyle came home, he saw his mom and Michael's mom sitting in the kitchen chatting while sipping tea and flipping through magazines. "Oh, this would be perfect!" Michael's mom said. Kyle quietly stood at the kitchen's entrance, because he didn't want to interrupt their conversation.
Kyle's mom looked up and saw Kyle standing patiently. "Well hello, sunshine!" she said sweetly. Kyle grinned, but he felt a little embarrassed about Michael's mom hearing that. "Come on down and take a seat," she added. "We're helping Scott and Gina plan this year's Beltane event."
Kyle smiled and sat opposite of them. He picked up a magazine that had a chef on the cover. He knew this magazine must be for cooking! Kyle flipped through the pages, looking at all of the pictures of food. "How about this mom?" Kyle asked as he pointed to a cake. It was a round cake with white frosting and covered with strawberries. "Oh, that looks delicious!" Kyle's mom said. Michaels' mom agreed when she looked at the picture. "We could decorate the sides with green leaves made out of frosting," Kyle's mom added. "Oh, and maybe even have them twine around on branches!" Michael's mom suggested. Kyle smiled, because they seemed to like his idea very much!
There were other plans to finish, so the three of them sat in the kitchen and wrote down lots of ideas and clipped articles from magazines. Kyle helped himself to a glass of milk and an apple while he helped out with the plans.
When Kyle's dad came home, everyone smiled and waved him into the kitchen. Kyle's dad noticed how excited the three of them looked. "Scott and I still need to find a good Maypole," he said softly. "We might have to end up buying something from the hardware store if I can't come up with anything soon." Kyle's dad looked a little disappointed. Michael's mom looked up and grinned. "He didn' tell you, did he?" she said. "Scottie was down at his mom's house over the weekend removing an old growth tree that passed on. He brought back a branch that's over 12 feet long!" Kyle's dad looked up and became very excited. "It's perfectly straight, too!" she added. "That's terrific!" Kyle's dad exclaimed. "I'm so relieved he found something!"
Kyle hadn't heard the news either, so he also became very excited. "That sounds pretty big!" he said. "But how much is 12 feet?" Kyle's dad pointed to the ceiling. "Well," he replied, "it's about 10 feet high in here, so figure this much higher." Kyle's dad extended his arms to show Kyle how much more two feet would be. "Wow!" Kyle said. "That sure is long! The tree must have been huge! Michael's mom looked at him and said, "Yes, it was." Michael's mom began to explain to Kyle how the tree was planted when Michael's great- grandfather was a little boy. His parented planted the tree when they bought the land that was used as a small farm. Kyle thought that must have been a very special tree.
Kyle's dad thought a little about the branch. "Hey Gina," he said. "Has the bark been removed yet?" Michael's mom looked up. "Nope," she replied. "Scotie thought that since I was coming over here today, I'd ask you if you'd like to help." Kyle's dad smiled. "No problem!" he said. "And I bet the bark would add some good flavor to our barbeque!" he added. everyone instantly agreed taht would be a wonderful idea.
One Beltane eve, Kyle's family rushed about to make sure everything was just right. there was food to prepare, drinks to make, supplies to buy, and a Maypole to peel! Kyle helped his mom mix the cake batter, while his dad searched through his mom's sewing supplies for extra ribbons. "Good thing we all have the day off!" Kyle's dad said. "Kyle's school is closed for a teacher's meeting, and I was able to reschedule my jobs." Kyle's mom added, "And I just used a vacation day!" Everyone got a good laugh out of that. "And with Beltane being on a Saturday this year, everyone should be able to make it," she added. Kyle's mom paused a moment. "Oh wow!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot to remind everyone!"
Kyle's mom put the cake into the oven and turned on the computer. She emailed reminders to most of the guests, and then phoned the rest. By the time she was done, the cake was ready to come out of the oven to cool. Their apartment had filled with the delicious smell of vanilla and baked strawberry jam.
After Kyle's dad found the ribbons and some other supplies, he drove over to Michael's home to help his dad work on the branch he brought back. As he pulled into the driveway, he saw Michael's dad sitting on a folding chair, already trimming the bark.
"Dan!" Michael's dad said. "You made it! Pull up a chair and help me out on the other end. He pointed to a stack of folding chairs in the opened garage, and then offered him something to drink. Kyle's dad was happy to sit out on such a pleasant day, with the warm sun shining on his back. He reached into his pocket and revealed a hunting knife. He looked at it fondly, and thought about the day when Kyle was old enough and responsible enough to have such a fine blade. Then, Kyle's dad laid the branch across his lap and began to remove the bark, being careful to thrust the blade away from himself.
After the two men finished, Michael's dad swept all of the bark from the driveway and emptied the dustpan into a large, white bucket. He then filled it with water and a whole bottle of worchestershire sauce. "That's going to make a great barbecue!" Kyle's dad said. "By tomorrow, all of that flavor will soak into the bark, and we'll be in business!" Michael's dad said. "Now let's get this pole into the truck so the kids around here won't play with it," he added. Kyle's dad agreed and lifted one end of the pole, while Michael's dad lifted the other. They heaved the pole into the bed of the pickup truck and walked inside Michaels house.
It was late Beltane morning when Kyle and Michael's families drove to a partially secluded grove outside of town. There was a sheltered place to eat with lots of picnic tables. There was also a fireplace inside. Nearby, there were a few stationary grills, portable restrooms, even an old-fashioned water pump. There was even a baseball diamond!
Kyle and Michael were so excited! They ran across the field to get a taste of Summer! "Not so fast, guys," Kyle's mom said. "We're going to need some help setting up before you can play." The boys sulked and walked back to where their cars were parked.
Once the cars were unpacked, the next thing they needed to do was secure the Maypole. Michael's mom tied on lots of ribbons of every color of the rainbow, and Kyle's mom put her pretty flower garland on top. Michael's dad dug a small hole about two feet deep, and the two men hoisted the Maypole into the hole, surrounding it with the leftover dirt. Kyle and Michael held two of the ribbons out as far as they could reach, and used a couple of stakes from a tent to push them into the ground. Kyle knew the garland needed to stay on top until they danced with their friends later that day. They took a couple more ribbons and did the same on the other ends. Kyle's dad shook the Maypole to make sure it was sturdy. Kyle knew it wouldn't be much fun if it fell down.
Once the Maypole was secure, everyone went back to the shelter to get a drink. Kyle's dad started the grills, and Michael's dad added the wet, flavored bark over the hot coals. The two men took care of the cooking, while the moms set up the tables. Kyle and Michael were on garbage patrol - raking the area for garbage and broken glass other people had left behind.
Soon, lots of people began to arrive, and the boys became very excited! They knew the fun was about to start! Kyle saw Sarah and her mom walking up from their car, as well as Timmy and his family. Kyle smiled brightly as more and more of his friends began to arrive!
Kyle's dad asked the boys to collect some sticks for firewood, and even though they both would rather play, they headed off together to the grove's edge to gather the wood. Timmy saw them and offered to help as well. There were lots and lots of small sticks, and a few logs as well. So, the boys helped each other collect an armful each to bring back to the shelter.
Kyle had turned around for a moment to talk to Timmy when Sarah sneaked up behind him. She put her hands over his eyes and said, "Guess who!" Kyle was very startled, and his armful of sticks fell onto the ground. Kyle became very angry! "Sarah, right?" he snapped, and pulled her hands off his eyes. He turned around to see Sarah giggling at him. When she realized Kyle was angry with her, she became very sad. "Kyle," she said softly, "why don't you like me?" Kyle realized she didn't mean to make him drop his bundle and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry," he said, "but you scared me and everything fell down, and now I have to pick them all up again." Sarah understood, and knelt down to help Kyle pick up his sticks.
Sarah collected a bundle for herself, and the four of them walked back to the shelter. Kyle was thankful for the extra help! He then began to understand that because he had the extra help, a good day was going to be great! Sarah's extra set of hands provided enough wood for the bonfire later - and all in just one trip!
Michael's dad was impressed with the amount of wood the children brought back, but thought they could use even more! "Hey guys," Michael's dad said to the children. "How much more can you gather?" Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "Lots more I guess," she replied. "There's a really big log out by the edge of the trees if you want it, but it looks very heavy." Michael's dad smiled. "Well," he replied, "if you four can gather the rest of your friends to bring it back, us grown-ups can make some good use out of it." Kyle's eyes lit up very brightly. He knew Michael's dad loved bonfires even more than he did! "We sure can!" Kyle exclaimed, and he immediately ran off with the other children to get all of the others in on retrieving the big log.
Soon, thriteen children were huddled around the very big log. Some of them were big kids, and some very very small. Even though they all tried to lift it, the big log wouldn't budge. Then Sarah got an idea. "Maybe we can all roll the log," she suggested. "I bet it would be alot easier." Michael nodded, and everyone else agreed as well.
Nine of the children began to push the log out of the dirt. They pushed with both their hands and feet, because it was wedged in there pretty good. There were some insects that began to crawl out, and Timmy asked everyone to stop pushing. He stood quietly for a moment, and then tilted his head slightly. "It's okay," Timmy replied. "We can use the log. I saw the bugs crawling out, so I had to listen to make sure they didn't mind us using their home." Kyle nodded; he knew lots of insects living outdoors use logs as home.
The same nine children resumed prying the log out of the dirt. After about ten good pushes, the log loosened from the ground and became much easier to roll. The other four children, Kyle, Timmy, Michael and Sarah, walked in front of the log as the others rolled it along. They made sure the log went in the right direction, and also that the log didn't begin to roll on its own! Even though the ground was fairly level, Kyle remembered how important being safe was!
When they finally reached the shelter, many of the adults gathered to see what the children brought. "You all did a fine job!" Kyle's mom said. Kyle and the other children were full of pride. Their teamwork truly paid off! Sarah scratched her head as she looked at the log. She wondered how such a big log was going to be used for a fire that was only half the size! When a few more adults gathered, she got her answer. They had retrieved saws and hatchets from their cars to break down the log a bit. The children were asked to play for a while so they could cut the log safely. Kyle had no problem with that, because that's exactly what he'd been wanting to do since he got there!
After about a half an hour, everyone was called to where the Maypole was standing. Everyone who wanted to participate walked towards the pole and chose a ribbon. There were little bells tied onto the end of each ribbon - something no one had seen done before. Kyle wondered why, but thought it was to make sure the ribbons didn't blow away. The boys were asked to stand on one side, and the girls were asked to stand on the other. The people who didn't want to dance were asked to create a wonderful beat to dance to. Some used different kinds of drums, others used rattles, and one woman played her recorder. She set the pace, and the drummers added a beat. Everyone began to dance, weaving in and out as they passed each other. The tempo grew faster and faster, and Kyle almost had a hard time keeping up! Sarah began to feel dizzy, but in a fun sort of way.
The garland that was on top fell as the ribbons were bound on the pole, and soon there was a beautiful array of vibrant colors covering the branch. Kyle again noticed how teamwork was used to have lots of fun! And soon, the last of the ribbon was used, and the garland fell to the ground. Kyle was a little sad because the dance was over, but he was also very tired, so he didn't mind too much.
Everyone headed back to the shelter to rest and chat, and Kyle really needed a drink! As he sat on one of the benches, he gazed at the Maypole. The little bells near the bottom of the pole were now right on top of each other, and they jingled from even the slightest of breezes. Kyle loved the sound of the bells, because it reminded him of the sound his windchime made on his back porch. The bells made a delicate "ting" sound, and Kyle thought it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He sipped his juice and gazed at the pole, watching the wind play wonderous music just for him.
As Kyle gazed in wonder at the bells and listened to their pretty song, a set of hands covered his eyes once again. "Guess who!" said a voice behind him. Once again, Kyle was very startled! "Sar-ahhhhh," he whined. "Stop doing that!" He removed her hands and turned around to see her smiling face. Sarah blinked innocently and giggled. "Gotcha!" she said. Sarah looked at Kyle with loving eyes, and then gave him a peck on the cheek. Kyle became both surprised and embarrassed, and he began to blush. Sarah giggled again and ran off. "Na nanny na naaa!" she teased as she started running off. "You can't catch meeeee!" Kyle became angry and chased after her.
Before Kyle was able to catch Sarah, his mom called for him. "Kyle!" his mom cried. "Time to announce the King and Queen!" Kyle watched as Sarah kept running, and turned towards his mom instead. "This is going to be more fun anyway," he thought to himself as he ran back towards teh shelter.
All of the children, the big and the small, gathered around by the now roaring bonfire. Michael's dad rached into a decorated green top hat and drew a name. "Congratulations Kyle!" he exclaimed. "You're this year's May King!" Kyle grinned excitedly and ran towards the picnic table where Michael's dad and Timmy were standing.
Timmy, who was crowned the year before, dressed Kyle in his green cloak, handed him a bundle of sage, and placed a crown of artifical ivy on his head. How special Kyle felt to be the King of the May!
Next, Michael's mom drew another name from a decorated white top hat. "And many blessings to you, dear Sarah," she said. "For you are now the Queen of the May." Sarah's eyes grew bright and smiled wildly. She grinned and giggled and blushed as well, and bolted to receive her gifts. Little Autumn was standing next to Michael's mom, and began to dress Sarah in a white cloak. Autumn had to stand on top of a table because she was small, but she did a very good job. She placed a garland of various artificial flowers on Sarah's head and gave her a bouquet of wild flowers.
Kyle and Sarah turned to face the people and waved, and everyone cheered for them. Sarah kissed Kyle on the cheek right in front of everyone! Kyle was so embarrassed, but since everyone said "awww...", Kyle thought it wasn't so bad. even so, he still felt a little embarrassed and awkward.
The new King and Queen of the May led the people to gather around the bonfire, which was crackling and hissing, and created really neat flames. All of the other children helped carry their cloaks; not only so they wouldn't get dirty, but also to honor their new King and Queen. Kyle tossed in his bundle of sage, and Sarah tossed in her bouquet of flowers as offerings to the Gods and Goddesses for a good growing season. Sarah's mom became teary-eyed because she thought how beautiful she was. Sarah was just plain thrilled to play such an important role!
Everyone cheered as the offerings began to burn and smoke, because they knew Summer was now with them. Kyle felt the sun itself rested in the fire, and that it touched the hearts of everyone there. They all joined hands and sang in praise of Summer, and Kyle again felt very special.
After the ritual, everyone walked back to the shelter and sat down to enjoy a wonderful barbecue. Of course, Kyle and Sarah were now the guests of honor, and they sat together and were served first. Even though it was a little cooler than Midsummer, Beltane felt just as great!
All kinds of things were at the table. There were grilled meats and vegetables on skewers, fruit salad, cole slaw, potato salad, cookies, and, of course, Kyle's mom's strawberry cake, decorated with ivy and flowers all along the sides. There was so much to choose from that Kyle couldn't decide what to nibble on first!
Everyone had more than enough to eat. In fact, Kyle thought his stomach was going to explode! Even so, Kyle still found room enough for a few more bites of sliced fruit. And Sarah managed to steal one of the chunks of pineapple off Kyle's plate! Kyle knew she was just trying to bug him again, so he pretended he didn't notice.
When it was time to go home, everyone pitched in to help clean up, as well as to tear down the decorations. Michael's dad got a few adults together to put the Maypole on top of his truck. Kyle thought it was a good idea to save it for next year, even if someone else was going to use it. As King, Kyle didn't have to help, but he wanted to anyway. His mom pinned up his cloak, and he took a broom and swept up the little messes on the floor. Seeing this, Sarah decided to help out as well. Her mom pinned up her cloak, and Sarah wwalked around the shelter, picking up any trash she could find, and put it in its proper recycling container.
"Well," Michael's mom said to Kyle's mom, "it looks like this year's King and Queen are a perfect match!" Kyle's mom smiled. "They certainly are!" she replied. She then continued to wrap up the leftover food. Kyle's dad helped by emptying the grills into the bonfire, and a few more adults helped by making sure the fire was put out safely.
Soon, everyone said their good-byes and began to drive off in different directions towards their homes. Kyle thought about everything on the way back to his home, and how everyone helped to make the day so much fun! He now knew how important and valuable each person really was, no matter how big or small.