Murky Dismal and Lurky sat in The Pits talking. "The Sprites are having a picnic today," Murky Dismal grumbled. "Go out to the meadow and bring them back here. We’ll put an end to their fun!"

Lurky look confused. "How will l do that?"

"l don‘t care how you do it!" Murky Dismal shouted angrily. "Just do it!"

Lurky hung his head and shuffled off. "Boy," he mumbled, "Murky Dismal sure is mean!"

When Lurky reached the meadow, the sprites were frollicking and dancing. "They’re sure having a good time," he thought. "l guess l better get to work." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a flute. "l’ll play a tune and make them follow me to The Pits. That’Il work!" Lurky blew on the flute. A terrible sound came out! He tried again. lt was awful!

The sprites looked up and covered their ears. "lt’s that pesky Lurky!" yelled Twink. "He thinks he’s going to charm us with
that flute! Ha! Ha!"

The sprites ignored Lurky and went on with their fun. "l know," Lurky said to himself. "l’lI offer them the ice cream I have in my sack. Then, when they’re eating, l’ll catch them and take them home!"

Lurky went down to the picnic. "Want some ice cream?" he hollered. He opened the container and waved it in front of them. The sprites rolled on the ground laughing. "Look!" Twlnk sprite snickered. "lt’s all melted!" All the sprites were chuckling to themselves.

Poor Lurky! He’d used his very best tricks. Now he didn't know what to do!

"Listen, Lurky," Twink sprite said smiling. "Why don’t you stop all this foolishness and come have picnic with us? There’s
plenty of food." The other sprites nodded in agreement. "Come on," added Twink sprite. "Don’t you want to have some fun?"

Lurky was confused. Here he'd been trying to trick the sprites and now they were being so nice. "Okay, l think l’d like that," he said, forgetting all about Murky Dismal and his plans. Lurky and the sprites romped and played all afternoon. They sang and danced and played all kinds ol games. Lurky had never had so much fun! The sprites shared everything with him. He ate lots of food and then he played and ate some more! lt was wonderful — but, suddenly, he was very sleepy. He lay down under an oak tree and fell last asleep.

When Lurky woke up, all the sprites were gone! Lurky rubbed his eyes and looked again, but there was no one there. He was all alone! "Where did everybody go?" he mumbled. He got up and looked around, but there was no sign of a picnic at all! Lurky shook his head. "lt must have been a dream!" he sighed. And, with that, he made his way back to The Pits.

Murky Dismal scolded him for letting the sprites get away, but somehow Lurky didn’t seem to mind. He even smiled a little. "Even if it was a dream," thought Lurky, "it was lots of fun!"