Bluebelle

von Jacques Pinard Brown (Copyright)

Bluebelle was a fairy that stayed out in the old oak wood. All day she flew about among the flowers and the trees, with the butterflies and the bees.

She was weary of the evil magic creatures in the wood, such as witches, trolls and goblins. They were known to capture fairies, and use them in their potions. But she was not afraid of the good magic creatures of the wood, like elves and giants. They were known to be kind and had, as far as she knew, never harmed a fairy.

So when she saw a jolly gaint walk by one day she greeted him. “Hello giant.” The giant noticed her hovering next to a daisy and said “Hello little fairy, what is your name?”
“My name is Bluebelle, what is yours?” she said.

“I am Bigtoe, the giant.” He answered. They talked for a while and Bigtoe the giant invited her over to his house in the middle of the wood for some afternoon tea. He looked a very friendly and harmless giant, and she had nothing else to do today, so Bluebelle agreed. They went through the magic forest with the giant giving huge strides, and Bluebelle flying through the air alongside him.

At his house he opened the door for Bluebelle and she flew in. He put the kettle on to boil and Bluebelle went to sit on the table. As she was sitting there the giant suddenly pulled a string above his head, and a little cage fell over Bluebelle, trapping her inside.

“Hey, what did you do that for Bigtoe?” she asked. Then Bigtoe explained, “I am a very lonely giant. I live here on my own in the magic forest, and all the other giants have left, in search of fairer lands. So I need company, and have always liked little fairies, so I captured you.”

“This little cage won’t hold me.” Said Bluebelle the fairy “I have magic powers.”
“Oh, but that is a very special cage you are in, it has had a magical spell put on it by a powerful old evil witch, and no fairy can escape its bars once it is caught inside. No, you will be my little companion for as long as we live, if you like it or not.” Laughed Bigtoe.

He was a very merry giant all evening, and was very talkative, but Bluebelle was not. So eventually he switched off the light and went to sleep. While he was sleeping Bluebelle thought of a plan to escape, because she knew she would not be able to break the bars of the little magic cage. She came up with a good idea, and transformed herself magically into a little blue bird. Then she went to sleep and waited for dawn.

Early in the morning Bigtoe awoke to talk with his new companion. But when he looked in the cage he saw that there was no little fairy, only a little blue bird.
“Little blue bird, where has the fairy gone that was in this cage last night?”
But the bird only sang back a tune “Toodle-toodle, toodle-loo.”
The gaint tried several times to ask the bird where the fairy had gone, but each time the little blue bird just sang back “Toodle-toodle, toodle-loo.”

The giant gave up, deciding that Bluebelle must have escaped the cage, and that the cage was not magical after all. He realized that he had no need for a little blue bird that could not speak, and that only sang one tune, so he took the cage outside, and opened its door. The little blue bird flew off into the forest.

Then the giant went to the house of the witch that had sold him the cage, knocked on the door, and when she opened it he beat her up. “Don’t sell me phony merchandise again.” He said, when he had eventually stopped beating her, and left.

Bigtoe, the giant, became more lonely than ever, and often wondered through the wood looking for Bluebelle. But she always evaded him, not wishing to be caught again.

Yet sometimes, he would look up high in the branches of an old oak tree, and there he would see a little blue bird singing “Toodle-toodle, toodle-loo.”

A land far away

von Jacques Pinard Brown (Copyright)

In a land far, far way from here there lived a young maiden in a village by the sea. She came from a poor fishing family and her time was spent doing chores for the home, like all the other girls in the village.

Sometimes she would go down to the sea and sit on her own on the rocks. Here she sang beautiful songs to the sea. So beautiful was her singing that the mermaids would come out of the ocean and join her in song on the black rocks by the sea.

They would sit for hours and sing praises to the mighty sea; blissfully unaware of the world of man, until it was time for the maiden to go home. Day after day she would go down to the rocks and join the choir of mermaids, without anyone in the village knowing about this. Until a young boy from the village spotted her one-day while he was out playing.

He eagerly ran home and told his parents of the miracle he had seen. The villagers were struck with amazement at the fact that one of their daughters would be deemed worthy of singing with the angels of the sea. When she returned home that evening everyone treated her like royalty, even her own family. But the villagers fawning and doting over became so extreme that she eventually decided to move away from the village, to an old abandoned shack close to the sea.

She now lived close to her sisters of the sea, and she rose before daybreak each day to join them in heralding in the new day, as the sun broke over the sea. The tale of the beautiful young maiden chosen to sing with the sirens of the sea, was told throughout the land and soon it reached the ears of King.

The King was overcome with desire at hearing the tale of the lovely maiden, so that he wished deeply to marry her and make her his queen. He traveled across the breadth of his domain to meet her by her humble dwelling by the sea. When he saw her singing on the rocks among the mermaids he was even more stricken with desire to have her.

He made his intensions clear to her and she said she needed time alone to think and consult with her sisters, the mermaids. That evening she spoke to them on the rocks. She sang of how she did not wish to be with the King, or any other man. How she had no other wish in life than to sing on the rocks with her sisters. They sang back that she should leave be her pride and marry the king, for where they went she could not follow. Her life was in the domain of the King.

They were singing songs of sadness and departing when the sun went down and they followed it into the ocean. The sea became rough then in the darkness, as she stood alone there on the rocks. Her heart was calling her to her sisters and the sea, under the brilliant round moon, and she followed them into the deep. The sea and the night took her to their bosoms.

The King and the villagers mourned their loss, and since that day much time has passed.

But a young boy once told me that, if you go out alone to the beach on a misty night, you can see her sitting on the black rocks, singing among the mermaids under the clear moonlight.

Singing the praises of the deep.

Rex

von Ayan Bhattacharje (Copyright)

I do this thing sometimes. By this thing I mean getting down at an unknown station from an unfamiliar train. I have a shop that sells stainless steel utensils in central Calcutta. My shop has made me a man of reasonable means. I have not married yet. There is a manservant who looks after my house and does all the cooking. Whenever I feel like escaping from the city I ask the handyman to go on leave. Then, I am free to do as I please. It is winter now and the chill makes the weather pleasant. I sent my servant home yesterday and bought a ticket to Quota today morning. I have no idea where Quota is except that it is within India. I picked up the name after a random search of the railway time-table. My train leaves Calcutta at six pm.
The train took two and half days to reach Quota. It was six am. The station seemed to be very old, straight out of 1950s films. I took one look at the station and another at my train. I had only a single piece of luggage-a suitcase. Clutching the handle of my suitcase tightly I alighted from the train. And even as I looked the train started moving out of the station. Despite past experience I felt very unsure and vulnerable. I looked around and the first thing that I noticed was a tea stall. I scampered to the stall and asked for a glass of water. The person who was manning the stall smiled and said, “So Mr Rex, you want ordinary water or you want lemonade. Or shall I give some special tea.” I thought the man was mad. Nevertheless I told him that I wanted nothing but water. He was a little disappointed at my brusqueness. As I made my way towards the exit someone spoke to me from behind. “Mr Rex, you want shoeshine. I will shine your shoes like mirror.” I turned to find a boy of about fifteen with a shoeshine box in his hand. Now you don’t find people like him anymore. Most people shine their own shoes these days. So I was rather surprised. I said, “No!” rather firmly and prepared to leave the station. More surprises lay in wait outside. An elderly man was waiting near a huge car that we see in vintage rallies, on the other side of the road. As I began looking for a taxi he came running towards me. Well, almost. “Rex my boy,” he said, “am I pleased to see you. Your wife is nearly dead with worry. Now hop into the car and let’s go to the mansion.” I was really very confused now. First someone wants to give me lemonade. Then there is the shoeshine fellow. And now someone wants to take me home to a wife. And all of them call me Rex. My name is Jack and I neither have a mansion nor have I ever married. This is the first time I have come to Quota and they act like I have been here all my life. The gray-haired man who called himself the ADC repeatedly assured me that everyone would listen to me this time. He told me I could do what I wanted and no one would get angry. I tried to explain to him that I was not Rex. But the ADC was not prepared to listen. He only said that all would be tolerated this time. As we drove to the mansion I noticed that the surrounding countryside consisted of paddy fields. The locals appeared to be happy, prosperous people. The mansion itself was huge. It had five floors. The family that owned it had a lot of property, a lot of property. Mr Rex was the only son and he liked to do things that were not liked by the others. From his childhood he was known to start business ventures which were doomed from the beginning. He bred pigeons which he released when they were big enough to fly. He would drink a lot of alcohol but always the cheap, toddy-like variety. No one could understand him. Rex had lost his mother very early in life and had been brought up by his father’s sister. When I was being introduced to the new servants Rex’s aunt came rushing out to greet me. She cried all over my shirt and requested me not to go away ever again. It was this going away which troubled the mansion people. Rex had been married to Lene just six months before. Meeting her was the most difficult part really. She was young and exceedingly pretty. It was expected that I should sleep in the same room with her that night. I cited some silly reason to avoid being in the same room with the unsuspecting lady. I also sought permission to sleep on the floor which was granted.

The light in my room was switched on at the stroke of midnight. I was only half asleep. As I rubbed my eyes in walked a miracle. It was a man who looked exactly like me. Every inch of us was similar. I guessed that this man was Rex. We shook hands. Rex spoke, “Hello, Mr Jack. You now know that we have been born identical with each other. I want to work in a circus and I cannot do it as Rex. And I gather you would not mind being a rich man’s son. So, from now I am Jack and you, Rex. Agree?” I nodded and Rex left the room without uttering one more word. I went back to sleep.

A Fairie Tale

von Jerry Pat Bolton (Copyright)

Once upon a time in a far off land called Temptationville there lived a beautiful princess named Love.
Love was adored by her father who lived across the big mountain in a valley named Lonely. His name was Forgetmenot. Love did not know her father. Love lived in a big castle with King Sunflower and her mother, Queen Rose.
Everyone in Tempationville worshipped Love. Love lived in grandiose style. She was showered with gifts from the people of the countryside. Love was so happy. Everyday was her own special holiday.
On Love’s sixteenth birthday, King Sunflower and Queen Rose gave her the biggest birthday party ever given in Temptationville. All the people came bearing gifts for the lovely princess.
There were dancing in the streets and joyous adulation for the beautiful Princess Love. The people spread their gifts in front of the Gift-Giving Temple. Everyone was so happy because they were able to show their feelings for Princess Love.
Forgetmenot left the Valley of Lonely and came down the big mountain to watch. All Forgetmenot could bring as a gift was the Special Feeling within his heart. Forgetmenot was very poor.
As the happy people piled their gifts before the Gift-Giving Temple, Forgetmenot stood off to the side and watched with happiness within his heart which was almost unbearable. Each time someone presented their gift Forgetmenot reached across the void with the Special Feeling in his heart and blessed each gift.
Love did not know who Forgetmenot was. Forgetmenot had left Temptationville many years before and climbed the big mountain to the Valley of Lonelfinger and held her as she wept.
But as Princess Love cried she felt a sudden burst of energy springing from within her, which was at first, very scary. She overcame her fright and allowed the strange sensation to fill her whole being.
She pulled away from the embrace of King Sunflower and Queen Rose. Her little heart was pounding at an alarming rate and she felt as though she knew . . . She wasn’t quite sure what it was that she thought she knew but she suddenly felt she knew far more than anyone else in Temptationville. Quite without realizing why Princess Love knew that she, and she alone, was aware of things no one else could comprehend. She felt so . . . superior to the rest of the people.
Princess Love ran back to the box which held her present. For by now, as far as she was concerned, it was the only present she cared about. She grabbed the box, ignored pleas from King Sunflower and Queen Rose, she ran to the castle and to her room with her treasure.
The odd-shaped, prickly gift that Princess Love took with her became her all. She found that when she would prick herself with the spiny plant, the world of Temptationville, with its happy people dissolved into pettiness and contempt.
The everyday activities which once had seemed so beautiful, now only spawned rejection from Princess Love. It was as if everyone were like children at play. Playing childish games of life. It was all so very beneath her now.
Princess Love acquired such an attitude that she was unable to even converse to anyone about anything. No one seemed to be tuned into her and couldn’t understand and she thought they were absurd.
Everyone except Count Cacti.
The Count returned to her when she needed him the most.
And Love found that she needed him because each time she would prick herself with the spiny plant the needle-sharp point would fall from it and become useless. And every day she needed more and more of the self-inflected wounds for her body and soul. But it always seemed that when the plant was about to become barren of the little points Count Cacti would show up with another one.
He would only bring one at a time, however, and Princess Love wanted more of them because she felt insecure without it. The little plant had become her world.On Princess Love’s twenty-first birthday she decreed to the people of Temptationville that they should bring only the small, spiny plant for presents and nothing else.
Princess Love needed to know that she would have an endless supply of the special plant which had become her only reason to live. And by her decree, she would not have to worry anymore.
The day of her birthday arrived and all the people of Temptationville arrived with their gifts. Princess Love watched the somber people from her window, high in the castle. There were no laughing and dancing. The people of Temptationville were sad.
King Sunflower and Queen Rose stood before the people with bowed heads and tear-stained eyes. They were also saddened by Princess Love’s strange enchantment with the little plant.
All the gifts had been laid round the Gift-Giving Temple and the people had silently departed.
Except one man who Princess Love did not know, but that Queen Rose recognized as Forgetmenot.
Forgetmenot had come down from the mountain from the Valley of Lonely again for his daughter’s twenty-first birthday.
This time he brought her a present. A Magic Mirror.
Forgetmenot walked to the Gift-Giving Temple and looked up at Princess Love as she watched from her window. He placed the Magic Mirror next to the many little plants the people had brought. Then he rose and looked again at Princess Love before leaving.
Princess Love, incensed by this strange, tattered man who dared not bring her the cherished spiny plant, ran from the castle to the Gift-Giving Temple to confront him.
She picked up the Magic Mirror, intending to smash it to the ground. Before she did so, she looked into it. The Magic Mirror seemed to explode her image from within it straight into her very soul. She looked at her face staring back, and from somewhere deep within herself came the terrible truth.
The truth of who she was.
The truth of who she used to be.
The truth of who she had become.
It was all so real, and the moment weighed upon her. The past five years seemed like an awful nightmare.
Then Queen Rose came to Princess Love and told her who the man was that left the Magic Mirror.
Princess Love ran after him.
Forgetmenot and Princess Love walked back to the Gift-Giving Temple and set fire to the hundreds of tiny plants.
Forgetmenot climbed back up the big mountain to the Valley of Lonely, but now Princess Love talked to him with her Magic Mirror.
She had broken her Magic Mirror in half, so that now they both had one. And they talked to each other from Temptationville across the big mountain to Lonely.
And they all lived happily every after.

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