I’ve been remiss in blogging lately because we’ve all been busy planning all the changes for next summer that you may have read about in our latest Sewataro Newsletter: the introduction of two-week sessions, the pre-camp two week “Sewataro Sprouts” half-day program for pre-schoolers, the half-day option for our youngest campers during the regular camp sessions, our extended-day option to accommodate working parents, and the box lunches offered to busy parents by Concord Teacakes. All of these are NEW! You have to wonder if we are crazy, don’t you, taking on all this innovation at the same time. And this doesn’t even include the additions to our regular camp programming that we are planning as well: Rock Climbing, the resurrected Sewataro Garden, the Frog Pond, Fire-Building Instruction, Overnights for older campers, and the Sewataro Music-in-the-Woods Studio. All of this is hard to explain in one gulp, much less accomplish, but we are ambitious and, in the spirit of our dear Alba Taylor’s passion for making Sewataro the best summer camp in the world for kids, we are excited about forging ahead. In my next few blogs, I thought I would tackle these innovations one by one, explaining our behind-the-scenes thinking on each.
Meanwhile, of course, let us continue our saga of the Elves of the Land of Three Ponds.
The Challenge of the Sorcerers
At the conclusion Shallimar’s speech, a stunned silence was broken almost immediately by the pops of scattered clapping, which spread like a growing groundswell into a wave of applause and cheering with even some high pitched whistling. The crowd of elves had clearly spoken their mind, allowing their enthusiasm for the perfomance to spill over into their acceptance of Shallimar’s request. When the “Daily Elf” carried the story the next morning, and Dragoric and Tifallel read in the cold light of day what Shallimar had said and how positive the Elvish reaction was, they almost at once headed in each other’s direction, in their haste and consternation almost bumping into one another on the road. “What should be done?” asked Tifallel. “We must immediately call a meeting of the Council,” answered Dragoric, “This is more serious than I imagined. I thought they would be gone by Monday.”
The Council elected a new President every three years, almost always choosing a leader from a different clan than previously in order to avoid any bias from developing. Currently it was Samiton of the Makers who presided over this emergency meeting. He got quickly to the issue at hand, allowing Dragoric to outline what he considered the serious and immediate threat to their community that this band of Sorcerers presented. “The trick Shallimar performed at the pond,” warned Dragoric, “was more than sleight of hand or an illusion. It certainly derived from the dark arts. Now the ordinary elves think his powers are so great that he should be welcome among us, but I fear this kind of power will corrupt us. It will lead us down paths we have long ago rightfully forsaken.”
Some of the Council were less alarmed, asking what harm indeed had the Sorcerers done. The most vocal in support of the Sorcerers’ request was Familor, the Players’ representative who had arranged the week-long performances and who was secretly conspiring with Shallimar. Most of the representatives, however, were persuaded by Dragoric’s logic and Tifallel’s questions. A vote was taken. Seven voted to refuse Shallimar’s request; four voted in favor.
Shallimar had anticipated this outcome, and frankly he was pleased that the vote was as close as it was, a fact he had learned from Familor in violation of the Council’s policy of secrecy regarding vote count. This closeness boded well, Shallimar thought, for his follow-up plan to call for a public referendum to overrule the Council of Elders.
Only twice in Elf history had this procedure been enacted, for to bring it about required that a written petition be signed by one quarter of the elves of the Land of Three Ponds. The Sorcerers asked each Elf to sign the petition as he or she entered their final performance on Sunday evening. At intermission the petition was passed from row to row. The drive was enormously successful as the crowds were awed by all the Sorcerers could do. Many secretly wondered if, in fact, they would be an even more effective safeguard against internal and external discord than the clan of Protectors.
Frequently families were divided according to age in their reaction to the petition that was being circulated. The younger members seemed to favor welcoming the Sorcerers as more modern and hip than the stodgy leadership of the village. The older family members were more cautious and suspicious, remembering past disruptions in Elf history and concerned about the nature of the Sorcerers’ magic powers.
Despite the disagreement that the petition occasioned in the village, the Sorcerers had little trouble collecting the requisite number of signatures given the popularity of their performances and their support among the young. Some even signed the document simply with the hope of regular Sorcerer performances after they settled in the Land of Three Ponds. Dragoric, Tifallel and the other concerned members of the Council were alarmed, for this nearly unpresidented petition to overthrow their decision meant that the outcome would be determined by a popular vote of the entire village.
What methods would each side use in trying to influence the outcome of this election? And who will win? Find out in the next installment.
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