([Fig. 61]). The little creature signifies difficulties successfully overcome, but if dropped the fortune will be reversed. The porcupine is in reality a chestnut bur.
A Harmless Serpent
forms the fourth charm; it renders all girls and boys proof against fear of wild animals, and imparts the faculty of taming and making pets of many inhabitants of the forest, but the charm will be lost with one failing to pass it on its way. The serpent is a snake made of soft dough.
One of the best fairy gifts is
A Treasure from the Great Blue Sea
It means a joyous ocean voyage to new and beautiful lands, but if dropped, the player will encounter storms and perils. Hand the first player a slippery raw oyster.
When all the charms have been tested, announce that before returning the treasures to the witches you will place them on exhibition; then turn back the witch screen and let the girls and boys gather around the tray of queer charms, where they can laugh and exchange comments to their hearts’ content. The effect of the witch screen may be enhanced by using a breadth of brilliant-red muslin and pasting on it black moons, stars, cats, etc. Erect at each end of the screen a comic pumpkin lantern head, with white paper fastened on the inside over the features to light them up, instead of a real light placed inside. Slide each pumpkin head on the end of a pole, and rest the pumpkin firmly on four long, strong nails driven in around near the top of the pole. The lower end of each pole may be steadied and supported by being inserted in a hole bored through the centre of a heavy piece of plank, where it must form a very tight fit; or you can sink the pole into a deep pail of stones and earth. If it is possible to have the only light in the room placed back of the screen, the effect produced will add to the mystery and enchantment. Make all decorations as funny as you like, but avoid anything grotesquely unpleasant. Let every item be agreeable, from the least to the most important arrangement for the evening’s fun.
A very pretty way of telling fortunes is with
Fairy Airships
made of feathers. Take as many fluffy feathers as there are girls and boys in the party and paste on each feather a prophecy written on a bit of paper, such as: