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Table of Contents
All About Fairies
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IF YOU HEAD toward the second star on your right and fly straight on till morning, you’ll come to Never Land, a magical island where mermaids play and children never grow up.
When you arrive, you might hear something like the tinkling of little bells. Follow that sound and you’ll find Pixie Hollow, the secret heart of Never Land.
A great old maple tree grows in Pixie Hollow, and in it live hundreds of fairies and sparrow men. Some of them can do water magic, others can fly like the wind, and still others can speak to animals. You see, Pixie Hollow is the Never faires’ kingdom, and each fairy who lives there has a special, extraordinary talent.
Not far from the Home Tree, nestled in the branches of a hawthorn, is Mother Dove, the most magical creature of all. She sits on her egg, watching over the fairies, who in turn watch over her. For as long as Mother Dove’s egg stays well and whole, no one in Never Land will ever grow old.
Once, Mother Dove’s egg was broken. But we are not telling the story of the egg here. Now it is time for Rani’s tale.…
“OH, NO!”
Prilla held up her hand and let the water splash into her palm. “Rain! The day is ruined. Hurry, let’s get back to the Home Tree before my wings get wet.” She fanned her wings and began to lift off from the ground.
Rani took Prilla’s hand and tugged her back. “Don’t be silly,” she said with a laugh. “Rainy days are just as much fun as sunny days.”
Prilla frowned. “I don’t see how. If your wings get wet, you can’t fly. And if you can’t fly, then…” Prilla broke off. “Oh, Rani. I’d fly backward if I could. I forgot.”
“Don’t worry.” Rani smiled. She knew her friend Prilla would never hurt her feelings on purpose. All fairies loved to fly. Rani was the only fairy in Pixie Hollow who couldn’t. But Rani wasn’t unhappy. She was too full of life.
The rain began to fall faster. Prilla covered her face. She flinched as each heavy drop struck her.
But Rani was a water-talent fairy. To her, every raindrop felt like a kiss. Rani loved the water, and the water loved her.
“Watch this, Prilla!” Rani ran as fast as she could toward a puddle. She skidded into the puddle, and the water formed a geyser that lifted her up as if she were on a pedestal. It twirled her around. “Wheee!” Rani cried.
Prilla clapped her hands. “Rani! Can you make it do that for me?”
“Sure! Come on in,” she urged.
Prilla lowered her head and ran splashing into the puddle, just as she had seen Rani do. Rani stretched her arms out to the water. It moved toward her like iron to a magnet. She threw her arms up like a conductor signaling an orchestra.
Voilà! The water created a second geyser that lifted Prilla into the air until she was level with Rani.
Rani laughed. “Now let’s seesaw!” The twin water pedestals began to move. Up and down. Up and down. Prilla up. Rani down. Rani up. Prilla down.
Soon both the fairies were laughing so hard, they were in danger of falling off their water pedestals. “Water down,” Rani commanded, lowering her arms.
The twin geysers gently subsided. Rani looked down at a shallow puddle spreading out before her feet. She leaned over and grasped the edges of the puddle with her hands. Then she pulled up a sheet of water as if it were a bolt of silvery silk.
She wrapped it around herself like a shimmering cloak. The water gleamed and glittered. It reflected the trees, the sky, and the astonished sparkle in Prilla’s eyes.
“How beautiful!” Prilla gasped. “You look like a queen.”
Rani held out her hands and quickly caught a raindrop. She held her hands over Prilla’s head and let it drip through her fingers. Each droplet was like a tiny diamond. The drops stacked up on Prilla’s head and formed a glittering water tiara.
“Now you need a dress to go with that tiara. Water sequins, I think.” Rani pulled off her water cape and twirled it in the air. The silky sheet of water broke into a thousand silvery drops. They rained back down on Prilla, clinging to her arms, legs, and torso. Within seconds, Prilla was covered in a sparkling gown of water sequins, complete with a long train.
Prilla took a hesitant step. She expected the watery gown and crown to immediately drip away. But when she moved, they moved with her.
“Rani, you are amazing!” said Prilla. “No wonder you love the water. Believe it or not, I hope it rains again—”
“—tomorrow?” Rani said with a laugh. She had a habit of finishing her friends’ sentences for them. “I wish that every day. But rain is rare in Pixie Hollow.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could make it rain whenever—”
“—I wanted? Yes! I can’t imagine anything more fun.” Rani turned her face up and watched the clouds drift away. It would be wonderful to make it rain whenever she wanted. In fact, Rani had been thinking about that for a long time.
Just then, Rani saw a small rain cloud trailing behind the other clouds. Its fluffy edges gleamed silver against the late afternoon sun.
If Rani wanted her own personal rain cloud, that little cloud would be the perfect one. Rani pressed her lips together, thinking.
“I’m getting cold,” Prilla said. She shook off her watery finery. “I’m going inside to dry off. I’ll see you—”
“—later.” Rani waved as Prilla walked back to the Home Tree, where the fairies lived.
Prilla was the only mainland-visiting clapping-talent fairy in Pixie Hollow. In a blink, she could transport herself to the mainland where Clumsies—that is, humans—lived and urge them to clap to show they believed in fairies.
Everyone in Pixie Hollow had been amazed and surprised to discover that Prilla had such an unusual talent. But after a very short time, they stopped being amazed and surprised and took it very much for granted. After all, why wouldn’t a fairy have an unusual talent?
Never Land was an amazing and surprising place with more kinds of magic than anyone could ever understand or imagine. But it was their talents that made the fairies so special. A talent was a kind of magic. And Rani’s water talent seemed to be getting stronger and stronger every day. Her relationship to water, and all things made from it, was becoming more personal.
Maybe it was because she couldn’t fly. Maybe Rani took all the passion that the other fairies devoted to their flying and devoted it instead to her talent.
Rani watched the clouds disappear into the distance. The smallest one with the gleaming edges trailed behind. There was something Rani had wanted to try for a long time. Something that would test the power of her talent.
Now, Rani decided boldly. Now is the time!
RANI RACED UP the spiral stairs inside the trunk of the Home Tree. She ran down the hallway. Her room was located at the very end of one of the longest branches.
Once she was in her room, Rani hurried to the window. She parted the seaweed curtains and peered out.<
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Rani’s room was always damp, which was exactly how she liked it. A permanent leak in the ceiling dripped into a tub made from a human-sized thimble. A Never minnow swam happily in the tub.
Rani listened hard as the water splashed into the thimble. Water spoke a magic language full of dots, plops, plinks, and gurgles. Rani felt as if the water were speaking directly to her. She could hear it encouraging her. It was telling her exactly how to coax the little gray rain cloud back to Pixie Hollow.
Rani fixed her gaze on the cloud and leaned out the window as far as she dared. She stretched out her arms and began to imitate the sounds of the dots, plops, plinks, and gurgles. She called out to the cloud, speaking the language of water.
The little cloud with the shining silver silhouette seemed to pause. Then, drawn by the sound of Rani’s voice, it began to move toward her. While the rest of the clouds moved on, little by little the small cloud came drifting back toward the Home Tree.
Rani put every drop of her strength into her water spell. Finally, the cloud hovered right over the branch of the Home Tree where Rani’s room was perched.
Exhausted, Rani sank back onto her bed. She listened to the rain patter on the ground outside. She felt the gray watery mist of the cloud come in through the window. It surrounded her like a soft, moist blanket. Her eyelids fluttered, and she fell asleep.
Rani awoke with a start. The sun shone on her face. She found herself looking out the window at a clear blue sky.
“Why! I fell asleep in my clothes,” she said.
She pulled the seaweed curtain aside and looked out at the sunny day. There wasn’t a rain cloud in sight.
Rani realized that she had been dreaming. She couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Having her own little rain cloud would have been wonderful.
She hurried downstairs. As she stepped outside to look for Brother Dove, she heard someone call to her.
“Yoo-hoo! Rani!”
Rani looked up. She saw Prilla waving from the window of her own room in the Home Tree.
Prilla flew out the window and landed lightly on the ground beside Rani. “I had such a good time playing in the rain yesterday. I was almost disappointed when I woke up and saw—”
“—the sun?” Rani finished for her. “Me, too. In fact, you’ll laugh when I tell you what I dreamed.”
Rani told Prilla all about her dream. Prilla giggled at the idea of Rani having a cloud of her own. “What a shame it turned out to be a dream,” she said. “But don’t be too disappointed. Sunny days might not be as much fun as rainy days, but they’re good for getting things done. What shall we do today?”
As they stood chatting in the soft, yellow morning sunlight, a shadow slowly moved overhead. It blocked out the sun. Moments later, a raindrop splashed down next to them.
Rani looked up and drew in her breath. Hovering overhead was a small gray cloud.
“Prilla! It’s the cloud from my dream!” Rani exclaimed.
“It can’t be,” Prilla said.
“It is!” Rani argued. “I know it. I feel it. It’s my very own cloud. Oh, Prilla! It wasn’t a dream. I am so lucky!”
Suddenly, Rani heard an odd sound. It sounded like laughter. But it also sounded like water moving through a pipe. “Did you hear that noise?” she asked Prilla.
“I heard a gurgling sound,” Prilla replied.
Rani looked down and saw water collecting in a hole next to a root. The water bounced around in the hollow, bubbling and frothing. “I guess that’s what we heard.” She turned her face up and spread her arms, welcoming the rain. “Just think,” she said to Prilla. “Now I can take a walk in the rain every single day, and nobody else has to get wet.”
Prilla flew a few feet to the side so she was out of the cloud’s shadow. The drizzle fell only on Rani. Prilla laughed. “How perfect. Come on, let’s walk to Havendish Stream and see if it follows.”
The two fairies began walking toward the stream. All the while, the little rain cloud hovered over Rani and showered her. Some drops plopped on her head, as if the cloud were teasing her and trying to get her to join in a game. Rani broke into a run, trying to escape the drops. The little cloud chased her. It pounded the top of her head with water. Finally, she gave up and slowed down.
Soon Rani and Prilla were laughing so hard they could hardly move. Once again, Rani heard the sound of strange laughter. This time it sounded like water rushing out of a faucet into a copper pot.
Rani began to get an odd feeling. Someone—or something—was watching them. But who? What?
Then suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Rani saw a figure zip from one flower to another.
Rani pretended not to see. And she didn’t say anything to Prilla. She was already planning a way to catch the spy.
“Come on, Prilla,” she said in a loud voice. “I’ll race you to Havendish Stream.” Rani broke into a run. Prilla chased behind her, flying a few inches overhead. Then, without warning, Rani came to a sudden stop and whirled around.
Prilla shot past her. “Hey!” she cried out in surprise.
Rani kept her eyes focused on one spot. Whoever it was, or whatever it was, froze. It stood perfectly still, hoping to blend into the background. But Rani’s eyes were keen. “I see you,” she said.
Rani heard a mischievous giggle. It sounded like a bucket splashing down into a well. “If you can see me, I guess there’s no point in hiding,” the strange creature said. It stepped forward.
Prilla flew over and landed on the ground next to Rani. “What is it?” Prilla whispered.
It looked like a fairy, but it wasn’t. For one thing, it had no wings. In fact, it had no body either. It was a transparent, shimmering figure made of clear water. When it stood still, it was almost invisible. But when it moved, its watery form reflected the sky, the trees, and the flowers.
Rani stared at the remarkable creature. “Who are you? And why are you following us?”
The watery figure laughed. The noise sounded like water splashing in a fountain.
“My name is Dab,” the creature said. “I’m a water sprite. And that’s my cloud.”
“YOUR CLOUD!” Rani cried.
Dab nodded. “Yes. My cloud.”
Rani was horrified. “Oh, dear. I didn’t know it belonged to anyone. You can have it back. I would never have called it to me if I had known.”
Dab laughed. It sounded like water swirling around a rock in a stream. “I’ve been following you,” she said. “I wanted to see what kind of a cloud keeper you would be. You really have a way with rain clouds.” Dab wicked this way and that, reflecting colors like a prism. “Clouds are sensitive creatures. You must be a very special water creature yourself.”
Rani blushed with pleasure. “Well, I am a water-talent fairy. That’s why I was able to call the cloud. I guess it’s also why I could see you when you were standing still.” She sighed. “I’ll miss having my own cloud. It is such a treasure. I can’t help feeling envious.”
Dab shimmered. “Surely you fairies have treasures of your own?”
Rani laughed. “Oh, yes. Of course. But nothing as wonderful as a rain cloud.”
“Maybe you would like to look after the cloud for me?” Dab suggested.
“You mean the cloud could stay?” Prilla asked, her eyes wide. She turned to Rani. “Wouldn’t that be fantastic?”
Dab chuckled. It sounded like water pouring from a watering can. “Would you promise to be a good cloud keeper?” she asked Rani.
“Of course,” Rani replied.
“Promise on your talent,” Dab challenged.
“I promise on my talent,” Rani said promptly.
Dab smiled and shimmered. “Good! I now pronounce you the official cloud keeper. But there are a couple of things you should know. Clouds need a lot of attention. Someone must lead them and watch over them. Otherwise, they get nervous and fidgety. If they get riled up, they make a tremendous ruckus. Thunder. Lightning. Wind. Sleet. Hail. Even the little ones like that”—
she pointed her transparent thumb toward the sky—“will make trouble if they get upset.”
In the distance, Rani saw something in the sky. Lots of great, big, fat, fluffy, gray rain clouds moving in her direction.
“Ummm…” Rani pointed to the sky. “What are those?”
“The rest of my clouds,” said Dab.
“Why are they coming this way?” Rani asked.
“Because you’re the official cloud keeper now,” Dab replied. “From now on, wherever you go, they go.”
“I can’t keep them all!” Rani cried.
Dab chuckled. “You have to. You promised. You promised on your talent.”
“But…but…I thought I was promising to keep one. One small one.”
“Where one goes, the others follow,” Dab explained.
“You didn’t tell me that,” Rani protested angrily.
“You didn’t ask.”
“You tricked me,” Rani accused.
Dab laughed. It sounded like water hammering on a tin roof. “Yes, I did. I’ve been keeping watch over those clouds for the longest time. I’ll be glad to have a holiday.”
“A holiday? What kind of a holiday?”
“I’d like to see Never Land in the sunshine. When you travel with rain clouds, you never really get a good sense of the scenery. So I thought I would do a little sightseeing.”
By now the entire sky was filled with dark gray clouds. A heavy rain began to fall. Rani had to shout to be heard over it. “But when will you be back?”
Dab laughed. “That depends on you.”
“Me?”
Dab nodded. “You told me you have no treasure as wonderful as a rain cloud. But actually, the fairies of Pixie Hollow have three wonderful treasures—treasures that everyone would envy and want to possess. When you guess what those three treasures are, you must name them out loud and then say, ‘I wish you back! I wish you back! I wish you back!’ Until then…you’re in charge.”
And with that, Dab disappeared into the air.
Disney Fairies: Rani and the Three Treasures Page 1
