Michael Dimmler placed a tweed cap on his head and slid down into a hard wooden chair. A blazing peat fire was behind him, filled with cast iron pots and pans. He cleared his throat and began, “Now, where would a storyteller be without his hat and sittin’ by a beautiful roaring fire?
“Tell us about Seamus’ relations!” cried Colin.

“Alright then,” said Michael. “Let me bring you back to a time when Ireland was full of the faery folk. The Tuatha Dé Danann were known as the ancient people, who were living amongst us mortals. So, it was a time of magic, people, and faeries co-existing together in this land, while we mortal people would fear the night. For all sorts of creatures and fearsome faeries wandered theses lands, seeking to grab hold of you and take ya away, down deep into the depths of the faery mounds, never to be seen or heard from again! It was on one dark and dreadful night, just near twelve o’clock, the witching hour, when Finn O’Sullivan, the local musician, was sittin’ in his wee cottage when a terrible rainstorm blew in from the sea. He tried his best to keep himself warm and dry as the crazed winds howled and moaned outside his door, but then, in the thick of it all. Finn heard three raps at the door, ~thump, ~thump, ~thump, it went.

“‘Who is it?’ he called, but no man answered. Then, he heard it again! Three more raps at his door, ~thump, ~thump, ~thump, it went. “Who is it, I say?” asked Finn, but still not a sound.

“So, Finn got up from his warm chair by the fire and walked straight away to the door. He feared the faeries were playing with him. So, he called out again, “I heard you knock,” he cried. “Will you not answer me?” And then it knocked three more times, ~thump, ~thump, ~thump, it went.

“Finn thought to himself, “What if it is the beautiful Kathleen O’Brien, traveling back from her father’s house to town, exhausted from her weary travels, and I, the only one who could save her from this dreadful night?” Finn gained the strength of a hundred men and opened the door to see if it was indeed the lovely Kathleen. And do you know what he saw? ‘Twas seven faeries just about the size of his thumb, which knocked on his door, soaked to the bone, they were. Finn stared at these wee folk, not sure what to do, so he did the unthinkable and asked them to come in. Well, the faeries made not a sound and waltzed right into his living room and sat down by the fire. At first, Finn couldn’t keep his eyes off of them, fixed on their large glowing eyes and knobby ears. Their skin was like the color of dirt and their eyes were as yellow as the sun. Finn of course, being a hospitable host, made them a fine cup a tea along with some biscuits. And after they were all warm and feed, they took out their wee instruments and began to play for Finn. Well, it was the most joyous music that he had ever heard in his life and he couldn’t help himself from jumping to his feet and dancing up a storm. Finn laughed, danced, and sang all night with the faeries. As dawn grew near and the storm died, Finn did a bold thing; he opened his mouth and said, “I wish I could play like you!” And then, poof, the faeries were gone. They disappeared, right before his eyes.

“Finn found himself back in his warm bed, waking up to the sound of chirping birds. At first, Finn thought of it as only a dream. He went to town and told the locals of his extraordinary dream. They told him, “The faeries had either cursed him or blessed him and the only way to know is to play!” So, Finn took up his fiddle and began to play. And do you know what happened? All the towns’ people began to dance around as jolly as they could be, including the lovely Kathleen. For it was the most beautiful music they had ever heard before in their lives. And to this day Finn is known as the best musician in all of Ireland. And so, he married the beautiful Kathleen and all their children to this day are blessed with faery music pulsing through their blood. And Seamus here is one of the descendants of Finn and Kathleen. That is why we all jump to our feet when he begins to play. Will you have a go?”

“I will!” said Seamus happily, cradling his silky fiddle under his chin and began to play like a musical faery.

Colin grabbed a goat skinned bodhrán, while Mr. Hennessey picked up his ten-key accordion and began tinkling his fingers merrily over the ivory keys. The joyous crowd leapt to their feet and then each couple tightly held one another around the waist. Boys and girls began to twirl and spin around the room to the steady beat of the thumping bodhrán with their feet keeping time to the music, knocking heavily on the flagged floor, while shadows, cast by the glow of the fire, began to dance against the walls.

It was then the Kennedy girls, all dolled up in their Sunday’s best of gold and emerald green embroidered dresses came stomping out doing their best Irish step. It was, right foot ~tap, ~toe, left foot ~tap, ~toe, ~knee kick up, ~back, ~toe, ~toe, ~kick, around and around they danced, ~toe, ~tap, ~knee kick up, ~toe, ~tap, ~kick. Their bodies jumped high in the air with their soft curls bouncing around like a football in a tournament. The crowd laughed and sang all through the night, and if ever there were a faery out tonight, they just might as well have joined in on all the festivities.