-"Herb and plant that, winter long,_
Slumbered at their leisure,
Now bestirring, green and strong,_
Find in growth their pleasure."~
For those most merry, ignorant folk of the season, their simply sweetest acts may be deemed the most annoying. It be known that carolers of all sorts receive varied approval from their shifting audiences. And as per tradition, they step out to spread the joys of music in voice and instrument through street to street. From door to door.
A rather befitting example could be said of the recent roaming bands of Hedgetroll in town.
What ‘Trolls? Hedgetrolls, obscure cousins with strange kinship to the taller hidden brethren of hollowed backs (perhaps more deserving of namesake) and peculiar natures. These roughly meter standing persons bore a greater resemblance to the forests outright in physical expression. With those bright and dark verdant skin tones, walking alongside seamless blends of brown or ruddy complexions, Hedgetrolls were certainly more rustic in approaches to life itself.
Not that they be entirely bland, heavens not! The vocalizing groups of three and more would be the nearest likeness to the very elves of Christmas tradition. Being garbed in many greens and reds adorning the self-made sweaters, gowns, other articles of clothing… Which again, all follow a spectrum of quality and not-so-appealing sights; yet, always striving to be festive… And in addition, they even opted to speak favorably of the local Feastday holiday customs in their wake. Adjusting native musical numbers with words and phrases to fit the tunes sung.
Though… who led this cheerful, roaming tiny ones?
That would be the gray-hued Hedgetroll, the Devout Duchess Vendula, a quite obscure figure of royalty. Among these carolers though well-known, if possibly made up just to impress the doubting, relative giants among them. She wouldn’t be the richest in dressed material, being humble in having sown her own fluffy clothes for the wintry season. As well braiding her straw-sated hair in wondrous knots, and dragging the heaviest cart by her lonesome through the snow. Vendula had other singers occasionally toss out festive junk, colored debris on occasion-to hurling balloons in the air with randomized sweets tied at their strings end, slowly drifting down.
Each and everyone of them could handle a decent punt or two. Noisesome ‘Trolls making a mess, enduring the worst and smiling at the best of those in the Encampment.
((Here be 'Trolls! Determined to be spreading holiday cheer, whether you all want it or not. They'll be around for more than just Feastday, if overstaying their welcome.))