by Sadie,
( The furry secretary of the Old English Sheepdogs' club written for puppies of all breeds including Humans)

odi came running down the dormitory corridor in her fluffy pyjamas.  She was waving an envelope in her paw. "They've come! They've come!" she cried. As they looked out of their windows they could see the red post van with "Post Brenhinol" (The Royal Mail) written on the side disappearing round the corner of the garden wall.

"It's the invitations! They've come!" she  said turning  excitedly to Llewelyn.

"Lets have a look" he shouted as Dodi excitedly ripped open the envelope. There, inside was a beautiful, beautiful card. (On the top it bore a crest. A crown over a wolf's head. The card was edged in gold and it had the words "The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by Her Majesty the Wolf Queen to invite all the dogs, her close relatives, at Dreamland Kennels to the Lupercalia at the Grotto,. Fairy Glen, Dwygyfolchi on February 15th 1997, from Midnight till Dawn.               Morning Dress, Uniform or lounge suit."

"Shall I have a new hair cut d'you think?" Dodi asked Chaucer. She polished the tiles on her bedroom wall  with the furry back of her paw and peered at her face intently.

"I'm going in my grey suit" said Chaucer "I've only just grown it, so it's quite new." He fluffed up the fur round his face . His reflection in the tiles showed a very handsome dog indeed!

"Are the puppies going?" asked Lucy.

"No silly. It'll be far too late for them. The Humans will find baby sitters for them ." said Biba. "They'll be at your birthday party anyway the day before the Lupercalia. That'll be quite enough for them!"

"Have we got lots of candles? We all have to take candles, so we can go in the procession to the waterfall."

"There's loads of candles in the Humans' cupboard. Fat ones, thin ones, all sorts." Llewelyn shouted over the hubbub, "I saw them when I was in the kitchen with my bad leg."

"Was that when you ate the beef from the fridge?" Biba shouted back laughing. "Did you get the whacks? When the Human's son was in school in Oswestry he was always getting the whacks. He got a lot of whacks when he put the potty on the top of the school spire and painted 'For sale' on the roof!"

here was lots of joyful shouting and talk of what to wear and talk about staying out late, which wasn't very often allowed.

Soon it was the day of Lupercalia. The whole place was completely hushed. They were all listening for the slightest movement that would mean the Humans were coming through their front door. They were all ready, clutching  their candles in their paws.

he door opened. Everyone started shouting  all at once "We're off! We're off! (that's what "woof" really means) We're going to the Lupercalia."

hey jumped into the cars. The Humans wore their black velvet robes with gold stars on their backs, and carried their swords at their sides. They smelled so beautiful it made the dogs'eyes water. Julian put his guitar in and the strings hummed as he put it down on the back seat. "Did you remember your plectrum?" asked Wendy. Julian held it up and grinned from ear to ear. The Humans were excited too.

hen they arrived at Fairy Glen lots of people and lots of dogs were there already. The Dreamland dogs knew their way to the waterfall, but for people who hadn't been there before ,the path was marked with sticks laid in the shape of crows' feet, pointing  upwards to the falls .  Everyone was chattering and  laughing, waiting by the huge wolf  who held an enormous torch. . It flared  and danced against the darkness.

hen they put their candles into the flame. They all took a small piece of living flame,  and everyone started up to towards the Grotto under the waterfall,  their candles glowing and fluttering as they moved.

The procession was so beautiful that after all the excitement a silence fell upon the gathered friends. Before the eating and drinking began there was a solemn ceremony to take place. The icicles on the mountain above the Grotto were struck by the Wolf Lord Chamberlain with his long,long  magic wand.  They made a tinkling sound,  which was the signal for the ceremony to begin.

"Are you going under the waterfall?" Llewelyn whispered to Dodi. "Of course" said Dodi "The people of Wales need us to go to be purified to make their flocks and herds better."

"Its so cold though" Biba shivered

"We must do it" frowned Dodi "Remember it's for Wales. Come on now be brave"

"I'm going." Llewelyn stood up very straight and fixed his eyes on the wolves at the waterfall. They beckoned to him. He went forward along the stones worn smooth  by the waters and green and slippery with algae, He plunged into the cascade. He fell in a dead faint, so freezing was the torrent, and the wolves lifted him up and took him into the Grotto. Then they put him in the magic fire which dried his suit at once. When all the brave dogs and humans had been in the purifying waterfall and been in the magic fire. They knew that  this year's crops and flocks and herds were in the safe hands of the Wolf Queen. Then they sat in a circle.

he Wolf Queen rose from her throne of iridescent shells and spoke.

"You have all been very brave and  have been purified in the icy waters of the sacred falls. Your people must remember your ordeal and be grateful.  We the wolves will feed the country people of Wales as we once fed two human children before in ancient Roman times. You, "she looked over to the dogs "will have the opportunity to help us don't worry. Now go and make merry. Let Julian play and sing to us and let us dance and eat and drink our fill".

hey danced around the fires the wolves had made outside the magic cave. And they all had a wonderful night that they will talk about for ages and ages.

Good night puppies. Sleep tight.