Woodland tales for younger readers.
When I was a child my father wrote these fairy stories for me. I like to think they’re exactly the sort of story that Tom would read to his little sister Alice.
The Little Blue Ring
Once upon a time there was a little blue fairy, her name was Bluebell, and she was called Bluebell because she lived in Bluebell Wood. Her job was to look after all the bluebells and every day she flew from flower to flower, cleaning their petals so that they would look pretty when people came to see them. Sometimes she would stay up late just so that she could watch the people admiring the bluebells, but the people never saw her because she was too small - she was no bigger than a bee.
One day the queen of the fairies sent for Bluebell and said “I want to tell you a little story. A long time ago in a very cold winter I was lost in the woods. It was so cold that my wings were frozen with ice, and I was so tired that I couldn’t fly anymore and I fell to earth. I lay there for a long time, until I felt myself being lifted up and carried along, but I didn’t know who it was who had picked me up. Suddenly I was in a warm room and being laid gently beside a fire. I looked up and in the glow of the fire I saw a man. He got a little box and put some cotton wool in it and laid me on top, it was very cosy and warm. The next morning, he put me in his pocket and carried me all the way home, and I told him if he ever needed any help, I would help him. I have found out from the animals in the woods that his little daughter is very sick and there is nothing that can be done to save her… but there is something that we can do. In return for him helping me many years ago, I want you to take this ring to the woodcutter’s cottage and put it on the little finger of his daughter’s right hand. It’s magic and keep her well for the rest of her life.”
The ring the queen gave to Bluebell was a glittering blue, but to the little fairy it looked so big! She put it in her bag and hoisted it over her shoulder. She flew over the fields and into the woods but she had been flying for a long time and was very tired so she decided to have a rest. She came down to the ground and covered herself with leaves, putting the bag with the ring beside her, and she fell asleep. A little while later, a baby squirrel playing in the leaves saw the little bag, picked it up and scampered away with it, up the tree where he lived with his Mummy and Daddy.
Bluebell woke with a start, saw the bag was gone and started to cry pitifully. She had been entrusted with an important job by the queen and felt that she had let her down. Just then Mr Badger came by and seeing the poor fairy so upset, he peered over his round glasses and asked her what the matter was. Bluebell told him and he felt so sorry for her that he said he would try to help. He looked around and saw the little paw prints of baby squirrel on the ground. “I know who has got your bag,” he said and they walked together to the squirrels tree. Mr Badger knocked on the trunk of the tree with his walking stick and called out “Mr Squirrel. I say, Mr Squirrel!”
A furry little nose belonging to a copper squirrel twitched out of a window in the trunk and looked down at them. “I’m sorry to bother you,” said Mr Badger, “but I think your baby squirrel has a little bag belonging to fairy Bluebell.” Mr Squirrel said he would go and see, and disappeared into his tree house. A few moments later he returned carrying the bag. He climbed down the tree and gave it to Bluebell. She thanked them both profusely, gave Mr Badger a kiss on the cheek (which made him blush and cough) and flew off as fast as her wings could carry her.
She soon reached the woodcutter’s cottage, but try as she might she couldn’t make him hear her tiny knocks on the door. She looked around and there was Mr Mole coming along the path. Bluebell asked him if he could help make the woodcutter hear her and with his strong front paws Mr Mole scratched on the door. The door opened and there stood the woodcutter. Bluebell thanked Mr Mole and flew onto the woodcutter’s shoulder so she could shout in his ear. She told him all about the ring and he carried her inside to his daughter’s bed where the young girl lay pale and sickly. The woodcutter held up the little finger of her right hand and Bluebell slid the ring on it. Almost at once the girl opened her eyes and said “hello Daddy!”.
The next morning, after Bluebell had a delicious thimble of thistle soup and a crumb of homemade bread for breakfast, the woodcutter and his daughter stood at the door of their cottage and waved goodbye to the flower fairy. The little girl had asked her to stay but Bluebell had to get back to her job of washing the flowers with dew ready for the next round of visitors to Bluebell Wood.
Lost In The Woods
Once upon a time, there lived a fairy princess who lived in a beautiful fairy castle and her name was Esmerelda. She loved sitting at her bedroom window, looking across the fields at the woods in the distance, and daydreaming wonderful stories about fairy princes coming up to the castle to as her father the King for her hand in marriage.
One day, Esmerelda decided to go to the woods and explore, so early that morning she flew out of the castle, over the fields, over the tops of the trees, on and one until she was so tired that she had to have a rest. She looked for a nice place to land and saw a sunlit glade carpeted with soft grasses and feathered down. Touching down gently in her fairy slippers, she curled up on a soft bird’s feather and fell fast asleep. When she finally woke from her nap, Esmerelda looked around the glade and was suddenly worried - she didn’t know where she was or what direction to go to get home. Her wings were still tired from flying for so long so she set off on foot, hoping she was going the right way.
She hadn’t gone far when she heard a noise coming down the path. At first, she hid behind a dandelion stalk afraid of who it might be. But then she saw it was Mr Badger, looking very smart in bright red trousers, a yellow checked waistcoat, a long blue jacket, and a little hat perched on top of his head.
“Excuse me,” said Esmerelda.
“Yes! Yes! What is it?!” Said Mr Badger, who was clearly in a hurry.
Esmerelda explained that she was lost in the woods and didn’t know how to get back to the fairy castle, and being a good and kind badger, he said that he would help her find her way home. The only problem was that he had never seen a fairy castle before and so wouldn’t know where to start looking.
“I know who may be able to help us though,” said Mr Badger. “My friend, Mr Squirrel. Let’s go and see him.” So off they went with Esmerelda holding his hand tightly.
By and by they came to a big oak tree and half way up it, where a large branch met the trunk, was a door. At the bottom of the tree was a sign which said, ‘Mr Squirrel’ with an arrow pointing upwards. Mr Badger looked around for a door knocker, but finding none he started calling “Mr Squirrel! Mr Squirrel, are you home?” But there was no answer. He was just about to call again when there was a loud thump on the ground. There beside them lay an acorn. Thump! Thump! Thump! Three more acorns hit the ground. A fourth hit Mr Badger on the head. “I say Squirrel!” He said. “Careful where you’re dropping those acorns!”
A furry head looked down from the branch next to the door. “Sorry Mr Badger,” Mr Squirrel said. “Can I help you?”
“Not me,” said Mr Badger. “But you may be able to help my little friend here.” And Esmerelda gave a little curtsy as she’d been taught by her mother the Queen.
So down came Mr Squirrel, running round and round the tree trunk as though he was riding a helter-skelter. “How can I help?” He asked.
Mr Badger told him about Princess Esmerelda’s predicament, but Mr Squirrel shook his head sadly. “I’ve never heard of a fairy castle, let alone seen one.” But he also said that he wanted to help the fairy princess. “I’ll take you to see my friend Mrs Owl,” he said. “She’s very wise and knows the lands beyond the woods. Perhaps she knows where your castle is.”
So with Mr Squirrel holding Esmerelda’s left hand and Mr Badger holding her right hand, off they went. After what seemed like a very long time to the poor Princess, they came to a very old tree which was gnarly, bent and twisted. At the bottom was a door with a sign on it which said, ‘Mrs Owl’ and hanging on the door handle was a label with the words ‘Do not disturb - on night work’ (because everyone knows that owls only come out at night). Mr Squirrel knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He knocked again, louder and they heard a loud yawn from behind the door. A tired voice said, “Who’s there?”
“It’s Mr Squirrel and some friends,” said Mr Squirrel. “We need your help.”
The door opened very slowly, just enough to show one large bloodshot eye. “What do you want?” Said Mrs Owl sleepily.
Mr Squirrel quickly told him the Princess’ story and Esmerelda curtsied again. Mrs Owl thought deeply but slowly shook his head. “No I’m sorry, I don’t know of any fairy castles.”
“Oh dear!” Said Mr Squirrel.
“Oh dear"!” Said Mr Badger.
“Oh dear!” Sobbed Princess Esmerelda, for she was tired and upset and just wanted to go home.
“I don’t know who else to ask,” said Mr Badger shaking his head.
Mrs Owl suddenly clucked her tongue. “I know who you could try - the pixie that lives near the edge of the woods. I have only seen him once, but perhaps he could help you.”
“How do we get to his house?” Mr Badger asked.
“Follow that path opposite my door,” said Mrs Owl. So the three thanked Mrs Owl and walked on down the path.
A short time later they came to a clearing. In the middle was a large toadstool which had a red roof covered in white spots, and a door and windows in the stem. Around the toadstool house was a pretty fenced garden full of flowers. They opened the gate, went up the short path to the little door and knocked, but there was no answer.
Mr Squirrel called out, “Mr Pixie! Mr Pixie are you home?” and from the back of the toadstool house a voice said, “Yes, I’m in the back garden".”
The three friends walked around the house and saw Mr Pixie working in his vegetable patch. As soon as Esmerelda saw him she shouted with delight, as she recognised him as the one who delivered delicious vegetables to the castle. After greeting each other properly and sharing her story, Mr Pixie gave them all a drink of cold elderflower lemonade and pointed out the yellow path that led back to the fairy castle. Esmerelda thanked Mr Pixie, Mr Badger and Mr Squirrel for all their help and kissed them on the cheek. Then she flapped her wings cautiously before flying down the path. As she neared the castle she saw her mother and father, the King and Queen, standing on the steps looking for her. They were so happy that she was home they threw a huge party and all the fairies and pixies and animals of the woods were invited. But Mr Badger, Mr Squirrel and Mr Pixie were the guests of honour and they all had a wonderful time.
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