In an earlier chapter, it was mentioned that Roland and Melinda used to take James and Amber to Melodious Meadow when they were little. The kids loved playing with the flowers they found in the neighboring Lily of the Valley Valley, and Melinda reminded them that they have flowers like this in the garden back home, which ring like bells thanks to a spell Cedric cast. This also of course reminds her of a song, which she and Roland teach the kids. Gordon Lightfoot's music is not mine. (And on an unrelated note, happy birthday to me!)
"It was so nice of you to bring us here for a family picnic, Roland," Melinda smiled as she helped three-year-old James and Amber out of the coach and let them look around Melodious Meadow.
"Pretty!" Amber smiled as she looked around.
"Yes, Amber, this is pretty," Melinda smiled. "You and James are going to love this place as much as I do!"
"Music!" James smiled as he heard a soft sound when the wind blew past him. He tried to sing along with it as Roland picked him up. "La-la-la!"
"Well, I can see that James already likes this place as much as you do!" Roland smiled as he hugged him. "I thought we all needed a change of scenery, and I remember that my mother used to bring me and Tilly here when we were younger," His smile widened as he put James down and watched him and Amber start running around. "Besides, I know that Melodious Meadow is one of your favorite spots in the kingdom!"
"Mommy! Daddy! Flowers!" Amber smiled, picking some small flowers and running over to them with them.
"I got flowers too!" James smiled as he found some flowers of his own.
"That's right, sweethearts, those are Lilies of the Valley," Melinda smiled. "Remember those bell-shaped flowers in our garden back home? Those are the same flowers that grow here!"
James held the flowers up. "Cet-trick make bell flowers go ring-ring!"
"That's right, James," Melinda chuckled. "Cedric cast that spell on the flowers so they ring when a breath of air passes through them."
"And at least the ringing is quiet enough so it doesn't distract anyone from any work they need to do," Roland half-joked.
"Daddy likes bell flowers!" Amber giggled.
"Yes I do," Roland smirked. "And I remember a song about ringing bells that your mother and I used to sing to you and James."
"I know the one you're talking about," Melinda smiled. She picked a few bunches of Lilies of the Valley and handed them to Amber and James. "How would you like to join us?"
"Yeah!" Amber smiled.
"Yeah!" James agreed, shaking the flowers. However, he shook them a little too hard and they fell apart. His face fell, and he ran to Melinda. "I sorry!"
"Don't worry, James," Melinda smiled as she pulled him onto her lap and hugged him. "I know you like music, but you have to be gentle with the flowers. But it's okay; we'll help you and Amber with the song too."
"That's right," Roland agreed as he found some new flowers for him. "And I found you some new bell flowers. Just shake them slowly and gently, and they'll be just fine."
"Okay!" James smiled. He watched as Melinda took his hand and helped him gently shake the flowers. "I did it!"
"Well…I helped, didn't I?" Melinda asked.
"Mommy help too!" James smiled.
"That's right," Melinda smiled as she found some Lilies of the Valley for herself. "Now, just follow me and we can play the song together!"
"Okay!" James smiled.
"Me too!" Amber giggled, holding up some more pretty bell flowers that she found.
"Of course you too, sweetheart," Melinda smiled as she helped Amber shake the flowers and began to sing.
Ring them bells ye heathen from the city that dreams
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries, 'cross the valleys and streams
For they're deep and they're wide, and the world's on its side
And time is a-runnin' backwards and so is the bride
"La-la-la!" James joined in.
"La-la-la!" Amber echoed.
"Yes, this is the one," Roland smiled as he joined in, Ring them bells St. Peter where the four winds blow
Ring them bells with an iron hand so the people will know
Oh, it's rush hour now on the wheel of the plow
And the sun is a-goin' down upon the sacred cow
"Ring-ring! La-la-la!" James sang with him.
"And it looks like James found a new verse for his 'la-la-la' song," Melinda smiled as Amber started twirling around and shaking her flowers. "Easy, Amber," she continued. "Like we said to James, the flowers are delicate; shake them gently."
"Okay!" Amber smiled as Roland helped her slowly and gently shake the flowers.
Melinda kept an eye on Amber as she twirled and helped her gently shake them as she sang, Ring them bells sweet Martha for the poor man's son
Ring them bells so the world will know that God is one
For the shepherd is asleep where the willows weep
And the mountains are filled with lost sheep
"Ring-ring! La-la-la!" James sang with her as he made his flowers ring.
"La-la-la!" Amber joined in, shaking her flowers.
"The children do enjoy a good 'la-la-la' song every now and then," Roland smiled as he spun Amber and sang to her, Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf
Ring them bells all of us who are left
"Indeed they do," Melinda smiled as she joined him, Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through?
Ring them bells for the time that flies
For the child who cries when innocence dies
"Ring-ring! La-la-la!" James joined in.
Melinda smiled and gave him a little spin as she sang, Ring them bells St. Catherine from the top of the roof
Ring the bells from the fortress for the lilies that bloom
"La-la-la!" Amber sang as she twirled around.
Roland smiled as he joined her, For the lines are long and the fighting is strong
And they're breakin' down the distance between right and wrong
"We'll have to sing this when we're in the garden again, won't we?" Melinda asked.
"Ring-ring! La-la-la!" James sang as he gently shook the flowers.
"I'll take that as a yes!" Melinda grinned as they went over to where their picnic had been set up. "But let's eat first. We can play with the flowers again after lunch!"
