Princess Ellie and the Magical Blue Bird

Love is in the air... love is in the air... everywhere you look around! Happy early Valentines Day! Valentines Day is a holiday that traditionally celebrates the love and affection that exists amongst friends, family, and lovers. To be quite frank, I am not a large proponent of the holiday. My objection is not to love itself, but intead the commercialization of relationships. Your care and excitement for another individuals cannot be restricted to one day a year, and furthermore love cannot be expressed by candy and flowers. Its not a tangible phenomena, and thus we must celebrate it as such.

D&E Casino has a love story of its own. The owners and operators of D&E Casino, Dan and Ellie Bingham, are the subject of today’s tale.



Many years ago in a country far far away, there was a beautiful princess from Illinois that had taken refuge in a bustling city, Glen of Lakewood. Princess Ellie was amazed by her new surroundings, all the people and events were of great fascination to her. Unfortunately Princess Ellie’s evil father would only allow her to leave the house for school. Watching all of the other boys and girls play outside, Poor Ellie sat in her room crying sad sad tears. One day a magical blue bird came to Ellie’s window “chirp chirp come closer,” said the bird. Surprised but intrigued, Ellie walked to the bird. Without any notice, the bird puffed itself full of air, beat its wings, and Ellie was transported away form her room and to the wooded glen that surrounded the city.



What awaited her was beyond comprehension. A gushing strwam played sweet music as glowing children, river nymphs, and spring elfs danced in the reeds. Large golden fruit lay in floating baskets and plum wine sprang from rocks. Ellie was swept away by the dancers and played until daybreak. The magical bird arrived and transported her back to the gated prison that was her home. After school the next night the bird arrived again and took Ellie to magical glen..



This happened night after night for the next year, until finally the Evil King suspected that something was amiss with his daughter’s behavior and barred her windows with thick iron beams. Ellie cried and cried until the blue bird arrived. “oh little blue bird, I cannot go tonight,” She cried and cried. Her tears grew so heavy that Ellie’s room started flood. As the water level rose higher, some tears spilled out the window and touched the bird’s feathers. Within seconds, the feathers fell away, wings grew to legs, beak to nose, and finally a handsome prince appeared. “ Prince Dan at your service;” he cried. Slashing the bars with his scepter, Dan took Ellie away to wooded glen where they stay till this day. Far away from the Evil King and his frolicking bans, they spend their days eating rich fruit, dancing, and singing everyday.



Love does exist, if you know where to find it :)