Elementary Read Free Page A

forever.”
    Both men gasped and, ignoring the painful spikes, began frantically snatching up leaves. Eagerly they broke the leaves open and guzzled down what they found within. They swallowed, coughed, swallowed, gagged, swallowed, wheezed, and swallowed. Soon both began to sway on their feet. Their faces were bright red, and they sweated heavily. The fat man rubbed at his eyes, blinking them blearily, and turned to speak to his rival, but all that came out was a thunderous belch that echoed clear down to the village below. The two men gawked at each other, then burst out laughing.
    Mother smiled and lifted Octli from her lap, then used her stick to help herself to her feet. “I think that they have learned their lesson,” she said.
    The bird, who had been watching this strange scene in puzzled silence, hopped to the ground in front of Mother. He looked worriedly over his shoulder to where the two mages were hugging and professing their mutual admiration and affection in words that were not at all clear to anyone else. “How long will this magic last, my Lady?” he asked.
    â€œNot long. They may not feel very friendly when they first wake up, but as long as you remind them of how much more powerful their energies were when combined with a tiny bit of the Earth, I think that we can make their friendship last a long time. I will leave you with that task.”
    The bird dipped his head low and spread his wings in a regal bow. “Thank you, my Lady. I will make sure that they do not forget.” With that he leaped into the air and rejoined his Master, who was now leaning heavily on the Fire Mage as the two wobbled their way noisily back down to the village.
    Mother turned to go, but paused when she saw Octli sniffing curiously at one of the leaves. He started guiltily and backed away, but she smiled and said, “You may try some if you would like.”
    â€œIt is kind of you to offer, Mother,” he said, and nibbled carefully, and with the leaf came the water and the fire at the same time. “Oh!” he croaked, hopping backward and shaking his head. “This is . . . very different.” After a moment his head began to feel strange. He looked down the hill to where the two mages were stumbling along, singing merrily and clapping each other on the back. He took another bite, and then another, and by the third, he was beginning to understand why the men were behaving so. “I think I like this. May I share the magic with some of my brothers?”
    â€œOf course, little one. Invite them all. There is plenty for everyone.”
    â€œOh, I don’t know about that, Mother,” Octli said, his voice becoming less steady. “I have quite a lot of brothers.”
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    Author’s note: To the Aztecs, the
Centzon Totochtin
were a group of four hundred rabbit-deities who would gather together to enjoy the intoxicating beverage originally known as
octli
, and later called
pulque
, which was the great-uncle of what we now know as tequila. While originally prepared by the mingling of Fire and Water magics, the arrival of the Spanish brought about new methods of preparing
pulque
through a tedious fermentation process that made the drink available to all humankind. Most
pulque
today is created by this method, but those of us “in the know” still prefer the original recipe.

Fire Song
    Diana L. Paxson
    â€œTo you, Hestia, the first and the last . . .”
    Kyria smiled as her mother tipped her wine cup over the hearth. It always amused her that Eudocia, otherwise so unworldly, should be so dedicated to the rituals of household piety. “When I see you do that, I know I am home.”
    Flames leaped, and the coals sizzled as the drops hit them. For a moment Kyria glimpsed the bright shapes of salamanders dancing there. She did not see them well—her Element was Water—but after she had learned to see the nymphs,