| Faerie Garden Stories by Nanaborg |
| "Rush, scrub, hurry, clean," sang a castle maid, as she scoured the floor . It was a hectic time in the castle. Festivals always created a lot of work for everyone. Wonderful aromas were seeping out of the kitchens, promising delightful treats. Molly, the head cook, and her staff were, obviously, very busy preparing the food for the feast. The King's pages had all been given the job of getting things polished.They polished anything that could, possibly, be polished. One of them had even polished the studs on the collars of the guard dogs. Everything sparkled. Everyone in the castle, hustled and bustled, purred and perspired........except for the faeries. This was Rainbowdale Castle, and all of the faeries, inside, were fast asleep. |
| If you know anything about faeries, you know this is very strange behaviour. "Faeries are very busy creatures. They never sleep." you would say, ...but you would be wrong. The truth is that faeries must sleep twice a year, and this was one of those occasions...a Faerie Refreshing. Rainbowdale Castle is the place where all of the Faerie Refreshing Festivals take place. Four times, every year, at the start of a new season, the castle buzzes with these same activities. |
| Half of the Gardian Faeries attend these festivals, while the other half take over their duties, and watch over the human children they are assigned to protect. It takes two days, and three nights, to refresh a faerie. On the last day of a season, the faeries to be refreshed, travel to the castle. There, they are each assigned a room, and after a nice hot bubble bath, they go straight to bed, and are asleep within minutes. They sleep until, precisely, ten o'clock the next morning, when the bell in the castle tower rings, to awaken them. That is where our story began. Everyone in the castle was busy working, and waiting for the faeries to wake up. |
| copyright. Feb.2003 |
| Queen Gardenia was supervising the castle's seamstresses. Each faerie would receive a new gossamer gown on the final day of the festival, and the queen wanted every dress to be perfect. King Briarfaun was busy in the stables. This was also a resting and refreshing time for the faerie pets. They would be bathed and groomed, and be visited by the castle veterinarians. Each one would receive a full check-up, and any problems would be fixed, if any were found. Princess Floralee was assisting her father. She loved to help with the grooming of the unicorns, but she always left her father in charge of grooming the dragons. She wasn't afraid of the dragons. They were just so difficult to groom. Unicorns were much gentler creatures, and she loved every one of them. She loved the dragons too, but if you didn't watch out, you could get a burnt bottom, if a dragon sneezed. Floralee new this from personal experience. |
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| a castle maid |
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| Just as Floralee had finished grooming one of the unicorns, she heard the tower bell. "Goodness," she thought, "Ten o'clock. The fairies will be waking, and there's still so much to do. The faeries were, indeed, waking . It was a strange sensation for someone who rarely slept. They stretched, and yawned, and stretched again, My, oh my, this "waking up" was not the easiest thing to do. The beds were so comfy, it would be so easy to snuggle back under those covers. They had to rise, however, because there were many things to be done. |
| Tonight they would have another long sleep, then tomorrow they could do whatever they felt like doing. Usually they chose quiet, relaxing activities. Many of them would use the castle library. Faeries love to read. Some would visit friends, from other parts of the garden, that they seldom got to see when they were working. The faeries would be presented with their new gowns, and the day would end with the Grand Faerie Ball, and Banquet. This was the King and Queen's way of thanking the faeries for all their hard work.. After one final night of deep, restful sleep, the faeries arise, and have a farewell breakfast. There are hugs given, and "thank you" said to so many people. When all is done, they fly back to their part of the faerie garden, with wonderful memories of this time. They feel refreshed, and ready to face another six months of hard work, protecting the human children, and they look forward to the next festival. As they flutter away from the castle, you can hear their thoughts, because they all think the same thing......."This is a wonderful life." The people in the castle feel proud, and happy, because they have done a good job. Once the faeries have gone, it is time for everyone else in the castle to be refreshed.... but that is another story. copyright. S.E.G.Feb.2003 |
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| "Mydearon" |
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| Queen Gardenia |
| One by one, the faeries made their way to the dining hall, where a hot breakfast awaited them. After breakfast, they would have to go through a similar process as their pets had endured. Every faerie would visit the dentist, and have any necessary work done. It was very important to take care of ones teeth. They would be seen by the doctors, and have a complete physical examination. Then, they would go to the Flight Department, where their wings would be fluffed and repaired. Once everything else was done, they would visit Mydearon, the castle wizard, where their magic, and faerie dust, would be renewed. |
| FAERIE REFRESHING |
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| THE PROOF OF A PRINCESS |
| I was relaxing in my garden, minding my own business, when this big lummox (excuse my language) came along and carted me off without so much as a "By your leave." Grabbed me right out from the middle of my family and took me away. Honestly! I was shocked. I couldn't do anything about it! It was very scary, and I didn't realize it then, but it was going to get much worse. He put me in this padded prison. I'm not kidding! Pushed me into the center of the room, them dropped the roof on me! Luckily, the floor and the roof are made of some soft material, so I survived the experience, but I'm stuck here and I can't move. As if that wasn't bad enough, the roof kept getting heavier and heavier. It felt like he was piling more and more things on top of me. It's dark and uncomfortable in here and I don't like it one little bit. |
| To top it off, there is some grumpy woman upstairs who is continually complaining about me. She says I am keeping her awake. Can you believe it? Me? I have no idea what she is talking about. I'm a pea, lady, and I don't make a sound. Besides, I didn't ask to be here, you know? Hold it. Wait a minute. I hear that lummox fellow talking. Is he crazy? He's telling the woman upstairs that she is a true princess. Ha! She's a royal pain, if you ask me. Her, and her constant complaints. Well, maybe since they both seem to be in a good mood, they will let me out of here. I just want to go home. This really hasn't been a very good day for me. |
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| NOT QUITE A FAERIE TALE |
| "Halt! Go no further! Who wishes to pass over this bridge?" "It is I, Johnny Pooh. Who is it that wants to know?" "Hold it just a minute. I thought I was supposed to be Johnny ROO. What are you doing, Pooh?" "Oh no! We are getting all mixed up," said Christopher, "I'm afraid we must start all over again." "Okay," they all agreed. "I am Christopher Robin Hood," said Christopher, "and neither of you are supposed to be Little John. That is Kanga's part. Pooh, you are Friar Tuck." "I don't want to be fried," said Pooh, "I should think that would be most uncomfortable." "No Pooh. You don't get fried," said Christopher, "You are my best friend." "I always WAS your best friend," answered Pooh, "We don't need to play Hooded Robins to know that." |
| "Oh goodness," sighed Christopher Robin, covering his face with his hands. He spread his fingers and looked at his friends lined up in front of him. "Okay. Let me explain," he said, "I am Robin Hood. Friar Tuck and Little John are Robin's best friends. They rob the rich and feed the poor." "I will NOT be associated with thieves," said Rabbit. "You are to be Prince John, Rabbit, not a thief," replied Christopher. "Oh! I like that, said Rabbit, " a prince eh? Yes. Yes I could be a prince." "Eeyore will be the king returning from the war, Owl will be the Sherriff of Nottingham, and Tigger will be Maid Marian," said Christopher. "Hold it just a diggedy dog minute. Isn't that a girl's name?" asked Tigger, "I can't be a girl! Kanga's a girl. Why can't she be this Merry 'un?" |
| "Well, Kanga is large and Little John is large," began Christopher. "That makes no sense," said Owl, "Little has never, ever meant big. Roo is right. He or Piglet should be this Little John fellow." "I don't care," drawled Eeyore, "Just as long as I don't have to lose my tail." "Besides," said Owl, "I thought you said we were doing a faerie tale. Is this Hooded Robin a faerie tale? It doesn't sound like much of a faerie tale to me." "Perhaps you're right, Owl. I think I'd better get another storybook from my shelf. This one is not turning out as I had expected," said Christopher, "A different story might be better." "Good," said Tigger, "I don't want to be a girl." "At least you weren't going to be fried," said Pooh. "Well I hope I'm a prince in this next story," said Rabbit. |
| Christopher Robin Hood walked to his bookshelf without his Merry Men, and replaced the book on its shelf. Picking up another book, he stared at the cover. "I hope this one will do," he said to himself, "But I must remember that Tigger will not want the lead." Placing "Alice inWonderland" firmly under his arm, he headed out to greet Tweedledee, Tweedledum, the Chesire Cat and the Queen of Hearts. |
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