FAIRY BLUEBELL’S PRESENT

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 3, Issue 2, 1 August 1924, Page 37

FAIRY BLUEBELL’S PRESENT

A CHARMING STORY FOR THE LITTLE ONES

P AIRY BLUEBELL was crouching under a leaf trying' to get warm; the wind was blowing, the rain was falling, and she was all alone, for the other fairies had long ago gone back to Fairyland for the winter. She had stayed behind playing with the wood elves, and now her wings were so cold and so stiff she could not fly at all, so there she sat, wondering what to do. She did not know how to cry or she would have done it—what was she to do before the cold winter came if she could not fly away to Fairyland? “The longer I stay here the colder I shall get,” she said to herself. “I must find someone and ask them what I can do —surely someone will take me in. Oh, I don’t like the rain and the wind!” Fluttering her wet wings to help her along, she ran on, trying to shelter under the blades of grass as she went. It was not long before she met a mouse, just opening his door with his latchkey. “Please, Mr. Mouse, I want shelter for the winter,” she said. “I’ve stayed in the woods too long, and now my wings are too cold and stiff to carry me to Fairyland. Please help me “Everyone for himself,” said Mr. Mouse crossly. “I can’t take you in there are too many of us as it is. Don’t bother me.” He slammed his door, and Bluebell went on till she saw two big frogs sitting together enjoying the rain. “Please, Mr. Frog, can you tell me where I can find shelter for the winter”? I’m so cold and frightened!” “A fairy who doesn’t, love the rain would never do for us,” retorted the frogs harshly. “You should have gone with the other fairies. No, we can’t help you—go away!” Bluebell next saw an owl sitting on a tree. “Please, Mr. Owl, help me,” she pleaded. “I’m so cold and wet —and the winter is coming ” “Yes, I know it is,” blinked the owl. “You have reminded me that I must find a warm tree-trunk to hide in to keep warm.”

He flew away at once, and Bluebell clapped her hands. “I will ask the tree elves if they will let me sleep inside a hollow trunk for the winter!” she cried, gaily, “and the first thing to do is to find a tree that looks kind—then the elves will be kind, too.” The oak elves would have nothing to do with her, the elm elves chased her away, and not a single tree would shelter her till she came to one on the outskirts of the wood, just as she was so tired she could hardly walk another step, and her wings were quite useless to carry her. It was a big tree with a thick trunk, and the front door was wide open. Bluebell peeped in and saw the funny little elves with big hands and feet, and bald heads, all busily weaving a wonderful fairy silk that shimmered like pale greengold. “Please, do help me,” she whispered. “No one will tell me where I can shelter for the winter! And I’m so cold and tired !” The elves stopped their work and looked at her. “A fairy!” they cried, and Bluebell told them her story, and how the wind and the rain hurt her.

“We must help you,” said the elves. “Come in and sit down.” “What are you doing with that silk"?” asked Bluebell. “It is almost fine enough for dresses for the fairies!” “It is to wrap the tiny buds in, ready for the spring,” explained the elves. “It keeps them warm all through the long winter, and when the sun shines, the silk breaks and the buds on our tree will bloom. If Ave didn’t wrap them up the Frost Imps would nip them.” Bluebell clapped her hands. “Wrap me up in a piece of the fairy silk,” she begged, “and when I feel the sun on me, I, too, shall wake up, and fly back to Fairyland.” The elves were not sure it was right to wrap a fairy in silk and leave her there, but as she asked them to they did it, and put her safely on one of the topmost branches, snugly tucked inside, just as they treated the buds that were to break into flower in the spring. When the elves had finished their work, they lay down in the hollow trunk to sleep the winter away, and they did not wake till the sun was getting warm. This happened a long time ago, so long that a good many people have forgotten it. * When the elves woke, their buds had burst the silk cases, and the flowers were all in bloom, and though they had never had any scent before, now the air all round the tree was full of the sweetest scent imaginable. “Where’s the fairy?” cried the elves, and climbed up to see. But the fairy had gone, and then the elves knew the scent was from Fairyland, and it was her present to the kind tree that had sheltered her all the winter. And from that day, this tree has possessed not only a flower, but a scent that even the fairies, used as they are to sweet scents, say is one of the very sweetest on the earth. Can you guess which tree it is? It is the lime-tree. Enid Blyton.