The Party 3/5

By the time Saturday arrived, Dad had bought lots of paper plates and cups, put up trestle tables at the end of the garden and borrowed two more barbecue sets from his friends, "to feed the five thousand". Jennifer Jane had helped her Mum make lots of trifle and various sorts of cakes.

"We'll need some chocolate Swiss rolls," she told her Mother, "one of my friends loves them and she eats rather a lot, I'm afraid."

Jennifer Jane had dressed up in her goblin sailor clothes and her parents wore cloaks and tall pointed hats. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Oh well, it's too late to do anything else now," said Mum as she looked at the end of the garden to see the first guest arriving.

Jennifer Jane looked towards the wood. The first guest was a witch and she was just walking into the garden. Jennifer Jane made the introduction.

"Pleased to meet you," said Abigail.

"I see we're all witches together," said Dad with a smile.

Lieutenant Moonshine and some of the Wish Warehouse fairies came next. Jennifer Jane hadn't thought how she would introduce her to Mum and Dad but she didn't have to worry. Lieutenant Moonshine held out her hand.

"How do you do. I'm the Tooth Fairy and these are some of my helpers."

"What a lovely idea for a fancy dress character," said Mum.

"I do like your wings," said Dave, "they're very realistic. You'll have to show me how they're made sometime."

Lieutenant Moonshine didn't have a chance to reply, as some more witches and all the goblins turned up at the same time.

"Oh good, there's a lot of people your age," said Mary, "I was beginning to think everyone was going to be grown up."

Jennifer Jane was very pleased at the way everything was turning out and then she heard Dad say, "Good Heavens, he really is a giant and there are some more children in the same sort of costume as Jennifer Jane."

Jennifer Jane looked round quickly. The giant was rather shyly coming into the garden with Barnacle Bill and some of the sailor goblins. He wasn't nearly as tall as usual but he was still a lot taller than her Father.

Abigail whispered to Jennifer Jane, "we brought him down to about six foot six. He's so used to looking down at people that he wouldn't feel right if we made him any smaller."

Mary clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Just to get everyone in a party mood, I thought all the children would like to play pass the parcel. If some of the grown-ups want to join in as well, it would be nice."

Some of the goblins gave her a funny look but nearly everyone sat down on the lawn in a big circle and she produced a large parcel. She was just going to turn on a portable radio for the music, when Barnacle Bill stepped forward holding a concertina.

"Would you mind if I played the music for you?" he asked.

"Of course not, we'd be delighted," said Mary. So Barnacle Bill started to play sea chanties as the parcel went round the ring. He stopped lots of times and soon nearly everyone had had a turn at taking off the wrappings and the parcel had become a lot smaller.

Just as Jennifer Jane began to wonder if she was going to get a turn, the music stopped and she found herself holding the parcel. She could feel a box under just one layer of paper. She undid the string and held the box up in triumph. Everyone cheered and clapped.

"Open the box," called Abigail.

Jennifer Jane opened it and dozens of very small chocolate Swiss rolls, each wrapped in red and silver foil fell out.

Mary looked surprised, "I'm sure I put toffees in the box," she muttered.

"Pass them round, there's one each," called Abigail and of course she was exactly right.