#fenixtj

Neema walks along and sings "This is my island in the sun
Where my people have toiled since time begun
I may sail on many a sea
Her shores will always be home to meOh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters,
Your shining sand As morning breaks
The heaven on high
I lift my heavy load to the sky
Sun comes down with a burning glow
Mingles my sweat with the earth below"

Wearing an odd helmet, Tonto follows... he pounds it... and it reverbs like a steel drum.

Neema is having a hard time not laughing during her song, but the selike manages to keep it just to a smile and keeps singing "Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters,
Your shining sandI see woman on bended knee
Cutting cane for her family
I see man at the waterside
Casting nets at the surging tideOh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters,
Your shining sandI hope the day will never come
That I can't awake to the sound of drum
Never let me miss carnival
With calypso songs philosophical

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters,
Your shining sand!"

Neema moves on, Tonto following like a big horned puppy

Ellie pokes her head out from the girls' room.

Neema turns to see her and waves the song is ending but she switches to a wordless sort of song and motions the girl foreward

Ellie drifts out, princess-doll tucked under her arm and ocarina in hand.

Neema sings a bit more, but upon seeing the orcarina, takes a seat and motions for the girl to sit in her lap even as she sings

Ellie comes over.

And Neema lets one song end, and switches to another "Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with ABC
When you sing you begin with Do, Re, Mi, Do, Re, Mi" And she taps the holes of the girl's instruments, suggesting fingerings both the ABC part and the Do Re Mi
"The first three notes just happen to beDo, Re, Mi, Do, Re, Mi
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Te" Hitting the major scale step by step

Toot!

Ellie follows, working through the scale with Neema.

A laugh and nod and showing fingering and sings very slowly, not to mock the girl but so she has time to hit the notes on the words "Oh let's see if I can make it easier
Do- " She waits for the toot "A deer, a female deer"
"Re-" likewise " A drop of golden sun
Mi- A name I call myself
Fa- A long, long way to run
So- A needle pulling thread
La- A note to follow so
Te- A drink with jam and bread"

"And that briiiings us back to do!" 🎵

"Very good!" A smile and sings ahead just a bit "Now children Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So and so on are the tools we use to build a song
One you have these notes in your head you can sing a million different tunes by mixing them up like thisSo, Do, La, Fa, Mi, Do, Re
Can you do that?
So, Do, La, Fa, Mi, Do, Re" slowly to see if she does it
"So, Do, La, Te, Do, Re, Do" showing a switch
"So, Do, La, Te, Do, Re, Do" likewise
"Now, put it all together
So, Do, La, Fa, Mi, Do, Re
So, Do, La, Te, Do, Re, Do"

Ellie follows, happily mimicking - this is a game!

And a game it remains, but a learning game, for Ellie's fingers get practice on speed and accuracy but without worrying about if she slips... one can just try again! She learns the scale, she's been taught it on harp but that was firm, JUST So, so precise, and so on... but here the notes are hers to throw about and play with.. .she can follow the troubadour's 'steps' or she can step just a bit to the side.. and it's okay

It's a game, and it's by ear - not struggling to read the music and puzzle it out.

This isn't "serious" and so she's able to relax and not get hung up with frustration.

Ash watches as the Selkie and the childling sidhe play and practice. Neema nods often, and offers other mixes of notes..

Ellie is quick - and she luaghs when she recognizes the song Neema was showing her.

"You've seen the movie? " Neema says pleased "It's lovely"

"I've heard the songs..."

"Oh it's a gold mine of songs," Neema says "When I was young and there were some scary storms coming in from the sea, I used to sing 'These are a few of my favorite things' "

"I don't know that one..."

"Well," Neema says "In the movie, the children, even the boys who like to pretend they are brave, become scared as a terrible storm rolls past their manor. Now, this was not as strong as a hurricane, but mortal children are more in tune with the Dreaming than their mortal parents.. so perhaps their imagingings made it so? Or perhaps they saw something more? Fortunately, their new governess, set them at ease wit ha magic trick of thinking of GOOD things to quell their fears. Which, frankly, sounds a bit like fairy magic to me" SHe says "Shall I sing it for you?"

"Yes, please!"

Neema's voice is not Julie Andrews, it is her own, but it is clear and strong and lovely and she begins with confidence, "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things!"

"Oh, those are all NICE things!"

It's so easy to visualize ALL This.. the song is meant for imagery. No wonder Neema swears the governess in the story used fairy magic "Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things."

And hoof taps coming up, as Ariel hears one of her favorite old songs

"Ariel, come learn a song!"

"I know it" Ariel beams "Can I join in?"

Neema nods "You may"

And they sing together for her "Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things!"

Ariel's voice is high! but she knows how to work with Neema isntead of just jumping on her notes and it gets dramatic "When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad"

Ariel whispers "The next stanza is the same as the first so you can try to sing along"

And sure enough, with room for her to join in, "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite thingsCream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things"

"It is a silly song, it doesn't have any books it in." Salma says, but softly, not wanting to interrupt.

"Oh, we should make a verse with books!"

"Shelves full of books with their pages for turning, pots filled with soup all a bubbling, not burning.
Little Donquito on my lap purring - these are a few of Salma's favorite things."

She says in a sing-song voice.

"Books with crisp covers and baskets of churros, kittens and beaches and friends who are burros..."

And a quick smile to Ellie. "You don't know me at all."

A smile back.

"Dreams that are bueno and never too frightening, trips to the beach that are warm and exciting,
Our own favorite Cabracita, and the way that she sings, these are a few of the best of these things."

Neema laughs ..Ariel looks unsure, this is not how the song goes

Ellie claps!

Neema says "Ariel, it's okay to play with songs. To touch them up"

Ariel nods and smiles "Well, I guess..."

and she claps too