Not that she didn't appreciate being with her mother, but sometimes it was rather overwhelming. Gloriana's mother sometimes finished her daughter's sentences for her, especially if it involved any vocalizing of her wishes and desires. Here Gloriana could think about the wonderful things she learned from her mother and others in the Magic Forest. Ting-a-ling! The little Fairy watched as the quote was revealed from her shiny apple:
...Love....
It surrounds every being
and extends slowly
to embrace
all that shall be.
-Kahlil Gibran
Gloriana sighed in satisfaction. "Exactly," she mused. She climbed a little higher, to the next branch. If she was lucky, she would catch a glimpse of Filigree, the red squirrel, who liked to hang around this area of the tree. She was trying to learn the language of the dear creature, who was one of the best of squirrel mates Gloriana had ever seen. Each year, Filigree's children grew into plump, stalwart rodents, quieter than most, yet they were excellent climbers and storers of nuts. So far, Gloriana could understand and speak two words of Squirrel: "chitter", which means, "What's the matter, my dear?", and "Chirky!" which means, "look out, strangers coming into The Forest!"
At that moment the squirrel alarm word resounded through the Forest, and it was none too pleasant to hear! "Chirky, chirky, chirky, chirky, chirky!"
Gloriana softly intoned "Chee," which she hoped meant "I understand, now be quiet." Then the sound of tramping feet caught the attention of the Fairy girl. She willed her quivering wings to stillness, bent down and peeked through the leaves. Mortals! A big man with a wide brimmed hat was shaking his head. There were two smaller Mortals. Were these the children she had heard about? Gloriana gulped. Mother would not want her to be here! But Auntie Treeheart, now, pretty much liked Mortals! The three humans headed out of the orchard. Gloriana could not stifle her curiosity, and prepared to follow.
Filigree chirped, but a fey finger shushed his lips. He hopped after his heroine as she stealthily followed the trio. They were following the Lethe River, a familiar path, so the Fairy flew in and out of sight, confident that they would never notice her. Her squirrelly companion flitted in the trees.
"Jess," the Mortal boy called, as they walked along. Remember that weird old man we saw in The Magic Forest last year?" The girl nodded. "Well, we are going right near to that place where we saw him!"
"Oh, no! Let's not go!" Jess hung back. She grabbed the big man's hand. Apparently he was her father.
Gloriana almost fell out of the sky when she heard the booming voice of the big man. "Jessica, We need to get a tree. There is a perfect Christmas tree near Lake Mirrormere. This may be your mother's last Christmas. I want her to have the best tree possible."
"But Dad, there was a strange man there! He was bald, ugly, and really old. He wouldn't talk at all! Jessica and I threw rocks at him. What if he sees us and remembers us?"
"Christopher! You threw rocks at an old man?" Gloriana gulped as the father's voice got even louder.
The boy, Christopher, had a somewhat whining voice. "But Dad, he wouldn't talk to us!"
"Christopher, Jessica, you two know better than to treat people like that! If we do see that man, and I hope we do, you two are going to apologize!"
As she flew along, Gloriana thought about her friend, The Peaceful Hermit. He was bald, ugly, old, and didn't talk. That must be who they were talking about! How could anyone throw rocks at him? When she had first come to The Magic Forest, Gloriana would go to no one but him. He did not try to soothe her with empty words and answer all her questions. His companionship taught her that she could just BE, that all her happiness was within her, no matter what happened.
If those children laid a finger on Hermit, or even touched one of his trees, they would have to answer to THIS little fairy fledgling! She was no pushover like Mother and Auntie Treeheart were!
"Look! A squirrel!" Christopher picked up a pine cone and through it up and missed a squirrel in a tree, for they were nearing Lake Mirrormere, and evergreens abounded.
"Stop that, Christopher! Do you have to throw something at everything you see?" The father's voice was tired.
"But Dad, you used to do it, remember?" Christopher's voice was getting a little tremulous now.
"All right, I know told you two a lot of stories of when I used to roam the woods back in Eastern Oregon, and I threw a few rocks at snakes. All the kids would do that then. We also picked up huge rocks and smashed them down on the rattlers. Another way to kill them was to shoot them.
I also spent a lot of time skipping rocks across the White River. That's how I got in a rock fight with the kids across the river. They thought we were throwing rocks at them. Then they started throwing back."
Jessica smiled craftily at her father. "Then what happened, Dad?"
"Hey! Never you mind! I was giving you a lecture! Times are changed! We don't go throwing rocks at everything now!"
Christopher spoke in a soft voice now. "Dad, there IS one thing I've learned about throwing."
"What's that?"
"Mom says that when a lady asks you for something, you don't throw it at her, but that you are supposed to place it gently in her hands."
"That's right, Christopher! Of course your mother has not ever been especially good at catching things! But that's wise advice. What could it hurt to follow it?"
Christopher smiled. "I've been trying it, Dad! It works with Mom, and it works with all the girls and teachers at school!"
"Now, if you can curb your natural tendency to throw things at ladies, do you think you could start telling yourself "no" when you get the impulse to throw at other living creatures, for no reason?"
"Yeah."
Gloriana frowned. That boy just had better not try throwing anything at HER. And if he throws one more thing at Filigree, his goose would be cooked!
Gloriana could smell the magic Lake now, and stifled the desire to get a glimpse of herself in the shining waters.
She was wearing her long dress with the red bodice, the skirt falling into many layers of variegated colors. Rubies winked around each of the layers, and she wore her matching red pointed cap with the tassel.
But what would the magic Lake reflect? Her vanity? Her resentment of her mother's sweet concern? Her disobedient curious ways? Perhaps she should not have followed these dangerous, fascinating Mortals.
"Look, Daddy! It's the TREE!" Jessica squealed.
"No, that's not the tree, Jess. See how some branches are missing on the other side?"
Her father indicated that she should look on all sides of the trees, not just view them from the front.
Jessica stuck out her lip. "I know Mommy would like this tree."
The father looked at his little girl for a minute. "Jessica, would you like to have a tree for your very own in your room?"
The little girl brightened. "Really? For my very own? I could decorate it and show it to Mom!"
"Do you want a tree for your room, Chris?" The man asked.
"Naw."
Filigree
chittered loudly and hopped up to the top of one of the trees near the
Hermit's cave. "Stay away from THIS tree!" he chattered down at the
lumbering people.
Unfortunately
this only drew their attention to the perfect little tree with the squirrel
atop it like a little star.
"This
is it, kids. Stand back." The man unfurled his old axe, and began
chopping. Pound, pound, pound! Little creatures ran away!
Filigree jumped to the next tree. "CHIRKY! CHIRKY! CHIRKY!"
he shrieked.
Unseen
by the humans, Treeheart materialized a few feet away. The old Hermit
yawned and gently ambled out of his cave.
The
Elf Tyraelin, who had been lying on the island in the middle of Lake Mirrormere,
reading a story, twitched her pointed ears. She got into her canoe, and
slowly started gliding her way toward the pounding sound on the shore,
her own heart pounding away. Still the violent vibrations continued.
The
humans did not look up, until a sudden shadow and a chill surrounded them.
"Daddy,
what's happening? It's getting dark! It's only 2:00!" Jessica
once again clung to her father's hand.
Tyraelin
the Elf watched in the shadows as another shimmering, shadowy form alighted
before the three astonished Mortals. To the Mortals, it appeared to be
an Angel or a Fairy!
Christopher's
pine cone dropped out of his hand. The offending axe was laid down.
Two pairs of brown eyes widened, and one pair hid in the folds of
a man's red woolen coat.
It
was the Fairy Rosamunda! Her head was crowned with ever blooming roses,
her blue gown sparkled with crystals like dew, and she had spread her iridescent
wings, which gave her a much larger appearance than normal.
Rosamunda
held her hands up before the Mortals, in the universal sign of "stop".
Her nose was twitching from their rancid smell, but they did not have to
know that.
Then
Christopher breathed out, "an Angel!"
The
father looked disbelievingly on the seeming
apparition,
and slowly sat down on a rock. The Hermit walked slowly up to him
from behind, and laid a hand on his back. Startled, the father turned around
to look at him, then turned back, open-mouthed, to gaze at the Fairy.
The
little girl, hearing the word "Angel", looked at Fairy Rosamunda.
She found her voice at last. "Are you an Angel? Is my mommy
dead then? Maybe you are just a Christmas Angel."
Fairy
Rosamunda, whose life had almost come to rack and ruin because of Mortals
like these, tried her best to look formidable. She drew herself up
to her full height, and lifted herself a few inches off the ground.
She
pointed in the direction toward the exit from the Forest. In her
most resonant, sepulchral voice, she intoned, "Mortals, go."
Jessica
ran up to her. "Angel, my Mommy is dead, isn't she?"
Rosamunda,
always childishly curious, could keep it in no longer. "Dead?
What is dead? And what is Christmas?"
Treeheart
stepped forward. Startled, the group turned toward her.
Treeheart
had seemed to appear from nowhere. Her green velvet dress flowed
about her, and her nut-brown hair cascaded over her shoulders.
She
smiled. She bent down, and picked up the pine cone that had been
dropped. She walked a few feet, and placed the cone on the ground
near another pine tree, patting it gently.
All who were gathered there watched her silently and breathlessly.
She held up her hand, and Filigree jumped onto it, and then onto her back.
She
looked up, and held open her arms. A small Fairy child flew into
her warm embrace.
Treeheart
hugged Gloriana, carefully avoiding her wings. She put the Fairy
child down and grinned at the old man. He flashed his toothless grimace
at her, and chortled, his eyes twinkling. Treeheart raised her eyes at
him in question. The old man nodded enthusiastically.
"Let
us take a walk through the Forest, my friends, and speak of Love."
All
of those gathered there on that momentous day found their legs and followed
the sylvan creature, almost against their wills. Treeheart spoke
of many things as they walked about.
She spoke of Mortality, and Immortality. She spoke of the sorrow
of Death, and the joy of Death. But most of all, she spoke of One
who, Immortal, became Mortal and entered this world. And that One
became Love.
Gloriana
listened to her heart's content. But she had more questions.
She whispered into Auntie Treeheart's ear.
Treeheart's
silvery laugh resounded through the Forest, and the pines shook their needles
in response.
"And
now dear children, would you favor us with by describing the delights of
this "Christmas" you have been talking about?"
Tyraelin
the Elf stepped forward a little as the word, "Christmas" was mentioned.
Treeheart,
slightly startled, for she had not known Tyraelin was in the area, walked
over and wordlessly clasped the hand of the Elven maiden.
Jessica
looked from the two Fairies and the Dryad to the Elf. If they weren't
angels, what WERE they? Some kind of Fairies?
Christopher
burst out, "Christmas is presents, and songs! Bells and angels!
Snowball throwing!"
At
this, Christopher's father frowned at him.
"Er,
and Christmas is really good food, like pumpkin pie, and...and..."
"Candy
canes!" chimed in his sister.
Christopher
continued, "Right! Christmas has lots of good food like sugar cookies,
and marshmallow yams! And there's Christmas stockings and new sets
of Legoes, and..."
"Angel
Barbies!" the little girl breathed.
"Yeah,
right. And there's new sleds and cheese balls!." Christopher
licked his lips, thinking about the rarely enjoyed cheese balls.
"There's all kinds of ornaments, and Christmas trees to hang them on, and..."
His voice stopped in mid sentence, and a look of guilt crossed his face.
He glanced at his father.
At
the mention of the words, Christmas tree, the father looked down at the
axe he had dropped on the Forest floor, for in their walk they had come
full circle to where they had started. Treeheart walked over
to the tree he had been chopping. She placed her ear on the tree,
and murmured a few words. Filigree the Squirrel hopped onto one of
the branches. Treeheart placed her hand on the bark of the tree, and it's
wound disappeared!
"Sorry
about the tree," the father mumbled, "Guess I should have asked."
"But
I have asked for you," Treeheart told him, "And Tree has agreed to go!
She has a serving spirit. You may leave and bring back materials to replant
her."
The
father's face brightened, and took his two children by the hand.
"Merry Christmas to this place, then, though I can't believe my eyes!"
Fairy
Rosamunda floated over to him and silently placed a golden coin in his
hand. Gloriana, holding her nose, flew to both of the children and
gave them a little peck on the cheek, which left a slowly disappearring
heart on their cheeks.
The
old man fished around in his pockets and chortled. He put something
in the hand of each child. As he did this, Christopher and Jessica
looked up into the deepest, bluest eyes they had ever seen.
"I'm
sorry." Christopher whispered to the Peaceful Hermit. The Hermit
nodded and patted his head.
Peace
enveloped the children, and they felt that they were floating on clouds
of joy. Yet
tears flowed copiously from their eyes for no reason they could tell of.
Tyraelin
the Elf, dressed modestly and honestly in her silver robes of the Forest,
watched silently and ethereally through her lowered lids. A
single crystal tear made it's way slowly down her silken cheek. The Elf
had hung back during this time, and finally she brightened, and drew something
from her pack.
It
was a crimson leaf, all enlustered with frost. She gingerly
placed in in the hand of the Mortal man. Shrinking delicately from
contact with his skin, she nevertheless spoke in a quiet voice, "For the
mother."
She
quickly was gone. Treeheart, The Peaceful Hermit, and Gloriana left
the presence of the Mortals also.
When
the Fairy Rosamunda left, the sun again shone brightly down upon the Lake
and all it's surroundings.
The
children began to breathe more normally, and to her surprise, Jessica
discovered that she and Christopher were holding very familiar looking
rocks in their hands!
The
three Mortals found the way out of the Forest, changed forever, yet none
would know why, for they knew this was a sacred happening, not to be shared
with the world. Only Filigree chased after them, chattering
to all the little squirrels and rabbits and mice that the strangers were
on their way out of the Forest.
At
the Wishing Well, Gloriana climbed onto her tuffet, and with shining eyes
spoke to her mother, who she found fishing coins from her Well.
"Mother,
I wish Christmas could come to The Magic Forest."
The
Fairy pondered these words, for much to her disappointment, her little
Fairy daughter seldom asked her for anything. Therefore Rosamunda gave
much weight to Gloriana's request.
"That
is a very unusual wish, my child, more than you know. For except
for Saint Nick, and his helpers, and except for the Celestial Messengers,
and except for those of other planets, we people of fey seldom get involved
in the celebrations of the Mortal world."
"Please,
Mother, Please? Could we have Christmas? With candy canes?
And...Angel Barbie?"
Rosamunda
wrinkled her nose at the thought of all those Mortal trappings. She
sighed. "Well, I shall bring it up with Treeheart, and Hermit."
"Oh
thank you, Mother! I shall never ask for anything else!"
And
so the Unbelievable happened. A beautiful Tree in the middle of Story
Island was selected, and decorated with food for all the little animals.
Red and green colors were festooned all over the Forest.
A
Christmas Gnome, smelling the festivities from far away, investigated,
and decided the make his home in the Forest, for he had discovered the
amazing truth. Christmas had come!
