The Book of Bird and Fairy Stories

by Anne Spackman

and of Sir Gerald, his first master.

  And in his final hours, he bequeathed some of his fortune to the nuns at the nunnery. Sir John died five days later, his wife Elaine and son Gregory at his side.

  At the window, on the eve of his death, came a wild sparrow-hawk to the ledge outside, and there it looked in before it flew away.

  Heron Harbor and the Moon Fairy

  This story begins in a coastal village on America’s northwest shore where the herons come to fish in the harbors, where the fish are plenty. As the moon rises, fog and mist settle in over the sea, and the moon fairy forms from dewy vapors, skitters across the water and makes mischief among the land folk who inhabit the coastal towns…

  One morning Jane woke up, rubbed her eyes, and realized she was late for school. She hurried to dress, ran downstairs, and kissed her mother before running out to meet the bus at just two minutes to 8. As she came home from school that afternoon, she noticed the clouds darkening above, as though it was about to thunderstorm. She grew very afraid suddenly, as though the storm brewing meant trouble.

  Jane’s father was a businessman in the city. He returned home at 6 PM, after Jane had finished her homework. Over dinner, he had news to report.

  “I heard the Silverado was lost at sea yesterday. Five men drowned,” he said, shaking his head sadly. “Including John Worthington, my friend. I shall have to go to the funeral.”

  Jane’s mother cried. “That’s awful news, darling. Of course you must go.”

  “Funeral’s tomorrow. I’ll have to fly out late tonight. I’ve already booked a ticket.”

  Jane felt the color drain away from her face and felt a chill run down to her feet.

  “Father, are you sure it’s safe to travel in the rain?”

  “Yes, darling, quite sure. As safe as any time,” said her father.

  As Jane’s father went upstairs to pack a small case, thunder suddenly rolled out over the harbour where they lived. Jane shivered in fear, wondering all the while how her father always managed to stay so calm. They went outside to say good-bye to him as he packed the car with his small case to drive to the airport. Their fawn greyhound, Gracie, had followed and was clamoring for affection, but the three people were not in the present mood to satisfy her with a pat.

  The mists were rolling low over the water of the harbor, and Jane gazed at the thunder clouds darkened in the night that blotted out the view of the stars above. Suddenly, she noticed a tiny white light blinking in and out, that seemed to be moving.

  “There’s a satellite,” said Jane’s mother, pointing to it, as her father drove away. The two of them waved him good-bye. They turned to head back inside, but Jane watched as the blinking light came down to where she was standing!

  As the light approached, Jane saw a tiny fairy in a minty green dress wavering in the air before her. Jane was shocked! And she turned to see if her mother had seen it, but Jane’s mother had already headed back inside the house.

  “Why, who are you and how did you get here?” asked Jane.

  “I am the moon fairy,” said the fairy. “I came to see who you were.”

  “I’m Jane,” said Jane. “Jane Barret.”

  “Pleased to meet you. You wished for me, didn’t you?”

  “Me?” cried Jane. “I don’t think so. Are you really a fairy?”

  “Yes,” said the fairy. “I came to see you, because you were standing outside wishing for something special to happen, and so here I am. I like children. It’s been too long since I stretched my wings and had a wee adventure with humans. I can grant you three wishes, but you must limit them to something small. I don’t grant money, or let humans fly, those are my terms.”

  “Wow,” said Jane. “I’ll have to think about it.”

  “Very well,” said the fairy. “I shall be away now, but I will be listening for your wishes to be made.” And with that the fairy swept up into the sky once more.

  Jane was shocked, and amazed. As she stood staring into the sky, she realized what her first wish was. She wished for her father’s safe return.

  Suddenly, the car that carried her father appeared back in the driveway. Gracie jumped about in excitement.

  Jane’s mother came outside again to see her father’s sudden return.

  “The road out has been blocked by flood waters further up the way,” he explained, coming out of the family car. “I’ll just have to wait for an early morning flight out.” He said, as the three and Gracie went indoors.

  All night in bed, Jane tossed and turned, wondering what her next two wishes would be, and how the fairy had so quickly responded to her first wish. She leaned over and snapped on the light. Her room was a little messy. There was a book about the compsognathus, a dinosaur, on her bedside table, and a big sea horse lamp night light on the wall that her mother had gotten at a Swedish market for her. Also, loads of stuffed animals that inevitably fell over sat on her floor. Most of them were pegasuses and unicorns that had a variety of names, though they all looked much the same. Jane had a dove music box that played the theme of a popular movie on her desk, and a collection of porcelain trinkets on her bookshelf, under which many books had been sandwiched together. On her floor was a big pink rug with ladybugs on it.

  She wondered what her next wish would be, and spent the night tossing and turning, and then dreaming about what she might ask for.

  The next morning, Jane got dressed quickly for school, and in her haste forgot all about the moon fairy, and the three wishes.

  At school, she sat next to Catherine O’Sullivan. Catherine started teasing her, and Jane said suddenly,

  “Oh, I wish you’d grow up!” Suddenly Catherine was gone.

  In walked a grown woman into the classroom.

  “I’m Catherine O’Sullivan. I’m here to pick up Jane Barret.”

  Jane gasped. Was this some kind of joke?

  “I wish I hadn’t said that to Catherine,” she said suddenly, and all of a sudden, there was Catherine again sitting next to her, blinking strangely.

  “What just happened?” she whispered to Jane.

  “I don’t think I want to know,” whispered Jane back at her.

  That night Jane was almost asleep, when the moon fairy appeared in her bedroom.

  “You wasted your three wishes!” cried the moon fairy, stamping her foot. “You shall just have to have another given to you.”

  “Well then,” said Jane, “I wish for a happy life with or without magic.”

  “That is a very nice wish indeed,” said the fairy, flying off, as Jane went off to sleep.

  The Tale of the Sweet Pea Fairy

  The public garden was in Toronto, Canada, and it was the loveliest garden of flowers that anyone in that area had ever seen. There lived a small fairy in the sweet pea vine, who was called Elyse. Elyse was one of the fairies who looked after flowers, and in the morning, she took up her magic wand and flew around the flowers, freshening them, and spreading dewdrops on their leaves. Elyse saw one morning a young girl named Janet walking by. And she decided to take a little adventure, hopping into Janet’s coat pocket. Janet was a dedicated shopper, and she took the little fairy to the local store, where she was going to try on some clothes.

  Then, she went off to the ice cream parlour for a peppermint and berry double scoop cone, and finally off to the local vegetable market to pick up some onions and cucumbers. All along the way, Elyse, the little sweet pea fairy wondered at the sights and smells, and then at the very end of the day, the fairy thought, “I think I’ll go home for a night and stay with Janet.” And so she did. That night as Janet lay sleeping, the little fairy came out of her pocket and started arranging the toys around. Up danced a rocking horse, free of its rails. There spun a tiny ballerina on a music box. And it seemed almost as though there was music playing in the night as the magically enchanted toys danced for the fairy Elyse, who was glad for the change of scenery.

  But, Elyse missed her flower
garden home, too. The next morning, Janet had a nice egg breakfast with toast and raspberry jam, and the sweet pea fairy enchanted everything with a wonderful taste, so that Janet was amazed at her mother’s cooking that morning. Janet’s life, though quite an ordinary one, was an extraordinary one, you see, to the sweet pea fairy, who lived in a sweet pea flower. That day and then the next passed while the sweet pea fairy Elyse enchanted Janet’s house with a beautiful bright luster and happiness, until on the third day Janet finally passed by the little public garden where the sweet pea fairy lived.

  Never knowing how her life had been magically blessed, Janet walked by the garden, and the sweet pea fairy popped out, returning on her fairy wings back to her home in the little sweet pea vine. And for the rest of her life, Janet never knew why it was she and her family were so magically blessed. For the sweet pea fairy was of a kind heart, and always looked after not only her flowers, but those whom she came to love.

  The Sandpiper

  Far away on the Western Coast of Scotland, there was once a fisherman’s cottage near the tiny coastal town of Lochinver. There, on the shores of the Loch, lived a couple and their small son, Colin. Colin was a fast little boy of 5, with dark red hair. His mother couldn’t catch him as the wee scamp ran around the tiny cottage and off to the craggy beach. There, he liked to collect purple mussels shells and to play with the luminescent white pools of jellyfish that puddled in between the sharp, black rocks.

  On the beach the sandpipers would scuttle across the sand, making soft cries into the air, while the gulls and terns soared overhead, hunting for fish. Wee Colin pulled down his breeks and jumped into the water to play, as his mother came running up behind him to stop him.

  “You’ll catch yer deith!” Mairi, Colin’s mother, cried. “Come back, Colin!”

  With regret, Colin returned to his mother. He seemed born to spend his life by the sea, for he loved it so much, loved the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves.

  Years passed, and Colin grew to manhood helping his father, the local fisherman, catch the haddock and crab that was sold in the local market to Lochinver town. He loved spending days in the small fishing boat with the net at the ready. The call of the sea was his life.

  One day, Colin went to Lochinver town to the local pub for a wee pint. There, he saw a young lady with long blonde hair and lovely green eyes, like a living mermaid, or selkie, turned into mortal form. She laughed and talked to the other young ladies with a life and a zest that no other had. His eyes could not leave her all evening, and finally, Colin came up to the young lady.

  “My name is Colin MacIntyre,” he said to her. “May I ask, who you are, for you have the loveliest smile I’ve ever seen, and the grace of an angel.”

  At this the lady blushed pink. “My name is Helen Lingley, and I’m from Boston.” She said. “I came to Scotland for a visit, and I wanted to tour the North a little.”

  At this, Colin was sad, though Miss Lingley’s voice was lovely and musical. She was an American, and would likely be leaving soon for America, her home, once more.

  “You’re quite handsome, and I thank you for the compliment.” Said Helen. “Could you show me the village tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Well, I do have the day’s catch to make, but I may could be free in the afternoon.”

  “That sounds fine,” said Miss Lingley.

  “How about I’ll meet you at 3 by the church and we can walk around town a wee while?”

  “That would be my pleasure. I love the way your voice sounds.” She said with a bonny smile, and took his hand to shake it. “Agreed.”

  The next day Colin explained to his father that he had an engagement for the afternoon, and left early to meet up with Miss Lingley.

  “Colin, over here!” she called, as she appeared from around the church where she had been standing waiting for him. They strolled about the town of Lochinver, and Colin showed her what he knew, telling her the stories of the locals and of a fisherman’s life, of which there was precious little to relate, mostly only in words of his love of the sea, of which he also spoke poetically. And as they talked and dined that evening, he felt very much that he loved Miss Lingley.

  “When will you be leaving?” he asked her late that night, as he was sensing it was time to take his leave of her.

  “Tomorrow,” she said, and her voice was sad.

  “Can I give you a kiss?” asked Colin. Miss Lingley blushed, and leaned forward a little as he leaned forward to kiss her.

  They pulled apart, sad, and quiet. The fisherman talked in the pub all around them, about the sea life, about family, about everything. The sound of the sea birds was in the air, even if only as a distant echo.

  “Did I ever tell you the story of the Sandpiper?” asked Colin.

  “No, you didn’t,” said Helen. “One of your friends? A Ship?”

  “No,” laughed Colin, “but a bonny wee bird that plays on the beach. He’s a quick wee one, always find him about the nets when we’re up in the morning. He likes to make his nest out of old twine and driftwood.”

  “Sounds charming,” said Helen. “When I was a child in Boston, I used to play with the sea gulls and feed them all the time.”

  “Oh the gull, he’s always looking for some meat,” said Colin. “Noisy bird, too. That little sandpiper though is my friend.”

  “You never got lonely, living all the way out here?” asked Helen.

  “Not until now,” replied Colin. “I feel it now. You’ll stay in touch, will you?” asked Colin.

  “Here’s my address in America,” said Helen, passing him a white note that she took out of her purse. “My telephone number’s there, too. Maybe you could come and visit me,” she suggested.

  Colin laughed, surprised, and scratched the back of his head. “I wouldn’t know how to begin to go all that way,” he said. But in his heart, he yearned for Helen to stay instead.

  “You could stay here, if you ever thought to,” said Colin suddenly. Helen looked hard at him, with a yearning but resolute gaze.

  “I’m afraid I can’t. The sea is your life, but I’m not a part of the life here. Taking you to America would be the end of you, and I couldn’t live here, alone, so far from my family.”

  “I love you.” Said Colin.

  Helen gasped. She blushed again. “I’ll always remember you,” she said.

  Two years later, Colin was working on the boat coming into the Lochinver harbour when he saw Helen Lingley standing at the dock.

  “I thought you might need a hand.” She offered shyly. He smiled at her.

  “Not married?” he asked.

  “No,” she said.

  “Care to step aboard then, Miss Lingley?” Colin asked with a laugh.

  The Lorelei

  Long ago, by the River Rhone in Germany, a great rock loomed high in the eastern bend of the river. There, a young maiden of magical origin called the Lorelei would sit and comb her long silver-gold tresses, then sing as the sailing ships of Germany sailed up and down the river. The sailors, hearing her siren’s song, would fling themselves into the river and drown. The Lorelei was a creature much to be feared by navigators, and they tried hard not to sail near the siren’s rock called the Loreleiberg…

  But how did the Lorelei get there?

  Darling, do you think we should get married?” asked the young maiden Elaina. Her true love sat by the water next to her, playing with her long hair. She was so very happy lying next to him in the summer sun. It was 1264, and she was a young girl of the local town, in love with a young sailor named Hans. He was now in port, and she was so very happy that he was home at last.

  “I have to tell you, I must leave tomorrow for the East,” he said. “Our ship sails at dawn.”

  At this, Elaina wept. “I shall miss you,” she said, and sat up to look at him with tearful eyes as blue as cornflowers. She leaned forward and kissed him on his brow. Soon, they left the rock and went hom
e to the town.

  Elaina decided that evening to visit her loving Hans. She came to the Swan Inn House where he stayed only to find him singing and drinking with his ship mates, with one of the local village girls sitting on his lap. His arm caressed her, and his hand was on her shoulder as Elaina walked in.

  Horrified, Elaina fled, tears coursing down her pale white cheeks. She went to the edge of the rock where they had been sitting that very morning, and stared out at the river. Without a word, she flung herself from the rock and vanished down in the water.

  It was precisely 100 years later that the Lorelei appeared on the rock that rose high from the banks of the Rhine River. In the mists of foggy days, a ghostly but beautiful young maiden would appear on the rock, caressing a sea gull, and there she would wait until a sailing ship came by. At once, she would sing, and her lovely, enchanting, but fearful siren’s song would begin to float across the wind to the young sailors on the ships. Hearing her siren’s song, they would fling themselves into the water, and drown.

  To this day, the rock where Elaina drowned bears the name of the Loreleiberg, and it is her that they call the Lorelei.

  Other stories say that the woman Elaina was engaged to a young Knight named Kiel. But Kiel rejected her one day, for he was going off to war, and the heartbroken Elaina had many other suitors, whom she, still in love with the knight, in her turn rejected. True to her knight, she went once more to see his castle, but the boat that carried her was dashed to pieces on the rocks, and she jumped in the water and drowned. Afterwards, her ghost became a water sprite that used to sit on the Loreleiberg and comb her hair. There, she would sing, as magical white horses appeared on the foamy crests of the waves. There, the Lorelei lured sailors to their deaths, for, hearing the siren’s call, they would jump into the water and drown trying to reach her.

  The Wood Fairy and the Elf Owl

  Once upon a time, in a small, dense wood by the edge of a stream, lived a tiny owl, known as an elf owl, in a hollow of a tall oak tree.

  “Hoo-hoo,” called the owl, one evening, as a young lad of no more than thirteen named Nathaniel was walking under the trees. The young man looked up and saw the elf owl perched on the tree branch.

  “Well, hullo, my wee fellow,” said Nathaniel, peering up while the sun glinted in his eyes.

  The tiny elf owl made no movement, but it watched the boy with wide, watchful eyes.

  “I am going to the stream for a drink and a rest. I am on my way to the village Colmsworth nearby. Nice to see, you, Mr. Owl.”

  And with this introduction, Nathaniel pressed on to the stream by the small wood. There, he scooped some water into his hands and drank. He then splashed his face with more water. Looking up again, he discovered a small green bug on the end of his nose. Peering at it more closely, he recognized that it was a small, human female form, dressed in a green shirt and skirt, standing on his nose.

  “Well, I’ll never be!” exclaimed