THE NAUGHTY FAIRY

                     

This Christmas short story is Written by Jan a lovely little piece.

“I hate Christmas!” said the Head Fairy.

    “Yes, I know you do.” muttered gnome sighing, putting on his leather apron on over his red top and green trousers, ready to start work.”You tell me every year.”

    “Well, it’s such a lot of work and for what? Nobody cares any more. All too busy with them silly phone things and  games, to pay much attention to the Christmas tree.” She flounced about getting ready for her next round.

      “ “In My day –  yada yada yada…….” “quoted gnome, raising his twinkly  blue eyes to the ceiling.”Just get on with it. The sooner you go the sooner  you’ll be back for a nice cup of tea and biscuit. Go on. Off with you. ” 

     She made a rude face behind his back, then with wings fluttering irritably, flew out the door of the workshop into the cold frosty night.

      “It’s alright for him” she fumed to herself. “ He sits in the warm all day making toys, drinking coffee, eating biscuits any time he likes, no wonder he’s so fat”.

      She flew round her patch, peeping through windows, checking that the fairies on the top of Christmas trees were properly dressed, skirts all fluffed out, wand at the ready and, most of all, smiling. The majority were well trained and complied but there’s always one and that one was Matilda. Many a night Head Fairy

 had found her dancing on the floor, singing, swaying and waving her wand to the beat of  music. She had told her and told her but she took no notice.

      “Oh! Matilda” she groaned. “ you know the rules. You can have a break, fly down, stretch your wings when the family are safely in bed, not a minute before, why do you persistently disobey. Why?”

      “’Cos I’m so bored sitting up here”  moaned Matilda. “And anyway they all out at a carol concert.Won’t be back for hours.”

       “And what about the dog? He’s gone too has he? He nearly caught you the other night remember?”

        “Well he didn’t did he?” Matilda answered rudely.

        “No, not that time. You fairies don’t appreciate how cushy your job is, just sitting up there for a couple of weeks then it’s back to the attic where you can play with the other toys to your heart’s content. Whilst I am out in all weathers, rain, snow, frost and fog trying to do my job.”

        “Oh stop going on, Head Fairy. You love it really and you have all summer in the workshop, getting the new fairies ready.”

        Snow was now falling fast.  Head Fairy shook the flakes off her wings and returned miserably home, only to find   Gnome with his feet on a stool drinking tea and munching biscuits, she let rip.

         “I’ve had enough” she said. “I’m worn out. And that Matilda will be the death of me. I’m sure my wings are getting thinner. I wish they could be fur lined.”

     “ You’d never get off the ground gel” said Gnome grinning.

      “Oh shut up, you know what I mean.”

     “Well ask for some help then.”

       “I can’t ‘cos They would retire me if They thought I couldn’t cope”

      “Well you’ll just have to carry on being a martyr then. Won’t you?” chuckled Gnome as he waddled off to the kitchen to make another cup of tea.

       Head Fairy went and stood by the fire to try to dry her wings before she went on her last round. She did three rounds a night. One early evening, one about nine and then the last one after midnight to make sure all the houses were in darkness so that the  fairies could safely take their break. Conscientiousness was her middle name. Other Head Fairies only did two.

        “Right. I’m off to do my last round” she informed Gnome

      The night was bitter cold. She shivered as she flew over the snow covered rooftops. To take her mind off winter she turned her thoughts to summer at the workshop. How beautiful it was, with doors open,  perfume  drifting in from the flowers in the garden, trees rustling their  leaves,  birdsong and the buzzing of the busy bees gathering pollen. Gnome hammering out  new toys and her  busy getting the  fairies ready. They’d take their tea and  sit outside at a table, drinking in the warmth of the sunshine. Oh how she wished she was there now instead of out in the freezing cold.

     Arriving at Matilda’s house she could not believe her eyes. Matilda was nowhere to be seen.

      “Oh, for heavens sake what’s she up to now?” She muttered angrily..

     She, Matilda, was having a great time. Her household had gone away to take presents to relatives, staying overnight, taking the dog with them.  They had accidentally left the drawing room door open, Matilda could not resist.  She hopped down, flew  through the door to the rest of the house. Being inquisitive by nature she thought it was a hoot, nosing around. In one small room where  there was a peculiar sort of seat thing, she noticed that the window  was ajar, and without a second thought she flew out into the inky night.

        “Brrrrr, it is cold out here.  Head Fairy was right. But it is so beautiful. I’ve never seen a night sky before. Are those twinkly, shiny things, fragments of jewels I wonder? “She perched on a tree branch for a rest, looking over the snow dusted rooftops, seeing coloured lights flickering both inside houses and outside ,and strung around a very large Christmas tree sitting in the market place. Matilda flew and perched on the tip of the star which adorned the top.

      “Wow!” she said.”Will you just look at that. Those trees look as if icing sugar has been dusted over their branches. And the

moonlight coming and going between clouds seems as though someone is turning the lights  on and off.”

         Matilda was mesmerised by the scene. An owl hooted, a dog barked , snowed slithered off a roof and landed softly on the street below. Suddenly the church clock  chimed out the half hour, the noise startled Matilda so much she fell off the star and tumbled

down the tree, ripping her dress, dropping her wand and the pine needles scratching her  as she somersaulted, landing  on the  wet snow.

       “Ouch!”said Matilda. “that hurt.”   She looked at herself, what a mess, dress all mucky and torn, wand broken, as she had landed on it and wings soaking wet.

       “I think it’s time to go home, don’t you Matilda? Yes I do.” she answered herself. “Oh heavens, I can’t remember how I got here.”

       She flew round and round looking for her house. Up and down streets, peering in windows hoping to see a tree with no fairy but she couldn’t.  Then, panic set in.

        Meanwhile, Head Fairy had gone through the glass into the house . She flew around  calling Matilda . Then  she noticed the open window.

        “Oh No! Matilda. You haven’t, have you? Course you have”  she said with angry resignation. “I suppose I’d better come and find you.”And out the window she went.”

        She flew round and round her patch, hoping to find Matilda but not a sign of her. Her head began aching, she was shivering and her wings felt heavy.

        “ Where the devil are you, Matilda. I can’t look much longer, I feel rotten.” And with that she crumpled and fell to the ground.

           Matilda started crying. “I’m so silly. Head Fairy was right I shouldn’t be naughty.  Look where it’s got me. Please , I just want to go home.”

         Through her tears Matilda noticed something on the ground. She flew to take a look. “Oh! It’s Head Fairy.” she cried “ Oh dear,  she must be very ill. What can I do?”

        Head Fairy opened her eyes and mumbled “Get me back to the workshop”.

     “But I don’t know the way” she wailed.

“I’ll guide you” muttered the semi-conscious Fairy.

     Matilda struggled to carry Head Fairy as her wings were soaked and heavy but somehow with instructions they made it to the workshop. Matilda put Head Fairy down gently in the comfy armchair by the fireside and folded her wings in.

       “Who’re you ?” growled Gnome, “And what’s happened to Head Fairy? Is she alive?”

        “Just” she croaked..

       “I’m so sorry Mr Gnome” stuttered Matilda “It’s all my fault that Head Fairy is so ill. I disobeyed her and she had to come looking for me. Will she be alright?”

       “She’ll be fine. She’s as tough as old boots. She’s got a fever and a bad cough. Nothing that a few days rest and some of my special cough medicine won’t cure” answered Gnome.

 “I told you to get help, didn’t I?”  said Gnome shaking  his head as he looked directly at  Head Fairy” But No you wouldn’t listen.  Now you’ll have to do as your told for a week or so, what d’you say to that? Your daft eejit!”

        “I have to get back” said Matilda.”If you could just tell me the way I’ll be off. I must be back for when the family return”

         “You’re not going anywhere young fairy” Gnome said ominously. “I need you here to look after her and take over her duties till she’s well.”

     “ I can’t, I have to get back. If my family come home and notice I’m not there, what then?” pleaded Matilda.

            “ Well,” said Gnome thoughtfully.”We’ll have to think our way round the problem, won’t we.  ‘Cos you look a mess right now. I know, you could take a new fairy and put her on your Christmas tree then return”.

       “A brand new fairy on their Christmas tree would stand out  like a sore thumb” interrupted Matilda.

       “OK. Take one of those reconditioned ones from the pile by the door.” said Gnome irritably. “They won’t notice the difference. Then by the time you get back I’ll have had a word with Them and have sorted something out. I’ve drawn you a map so you can find your way home. Off you go and don’t be long.”

      On her return, Gnome informed Matilda that They had changed her format so she could now pass through glass in order to carry out the duties of the Head Fairy whilst she was ill.

Matilda bowed her head  but underneath she was half ashamed of herself but also half excited at being able to do something useful  instead of just sitting on a tree.

      “Thank you Mr Gnome” said Matilda  respectfully. “I won’t let you down.”

        “Well” said Gnome in a serious voice. “I should hope not.

        Then he started laughing. A big grin spread over his red face, tears began coursing down his cheeks and he held the sides of his wobbling belly.

        “You two  are a right pair aren’t you” said Gnome between guffaws.”  the naughty one and the proud one BOTH getting their  just deserts  AND on the same night. Who would’ve thought that I wonder.? I hope you have both learnt a valuable lesson tonight. Have you Matilda? And you Head Fairy?”

       “Yes Mr Gnome I have. That being naughty has consequences, not just for yourself. but other people too. I will try harder not to be naughty.” answered Matilda with humility.

       “Good. And you Head Fairy, what have you learnt?”

       “To not be too proud and stubborn to ask for help” she said begrudgingly.

        “Right, now that’s all sorted   I’ll make us all a nice cup of tea” said Gnome with a smile.  He turned to see two repentant faces, looking hopefully up at him.

      “If you both promise to do better” the recalcitrants nodded their heads furiously.  “I’ll see if I can find a few biscuits to go with the tea” And with that he turned, still laughing to himself. and disappeared into the kitchen.

Jan Cunningham