The flower fairies live in a small clearing surrounded by velvety grass and a gently trickling stream. They chase and play in the meadow all day long, their light stature resting on the back of the caressing breeze to race with the colourful butterflies.
And when a wanderer with heavy boots passes by sometimes in the middle of the day, they quickly look for a broad leaf to lie down under. For flower fairies are very wary of strangers. They are afraid of rough hands on their magic wings.
But if you are very curious, and you sit down at the edge of the field, walking quietly, softly, silently, and then wait patiently and listen carefully, you can see them poking their heads out of the hiding places of the plants. The younger fairy maidens, indeed, soon tire of waiting.
Dance and fun beckon!
And sometimes they were on an important mission: to win the crown, which only the person who finds the most beautiful flower and brings it to the celebration on the first day of spring could wear. The magnificent headdress is then passed from head to head, and the winner of the previous year always chooses the next Fairy Queen. The selection and the crown presentation is followed by a big feast and fun with games. An exciting, happy event!
But one spring, the celebration was almost cancelled!
It was the year when Breeze, the blonde fairy, was queen. As the day of the ball approached, she looked at herself more and more in her small crystal mirror. Her crown looked so beautiful on her! She wanted so much to keep it!
- I wish I could have it forever! - she sighed.
Then the day came when he had to sit on the hat of a deer's foot mushroom, and the others put the flowers in front of him. Of the many beautiful flowers, two were particularly beautiful.
One of them, a yellow-petalled buttercup, was brought by Bogi, the little red-haired fairy girl. The other, a bluish purple starflower, was brought by Csilla.
The breeze looked at the buttercup, then at the starflower, then at the crown, then thought and made a strange judgement:
- These two flowers are the most beautiful, for sure! But I can't choose between them. I'd better keep the crown on for another year!
There was wonderment! For never since the world began has a queen kept a headdress for herself. So what about the presentation and the fun?
- "It's okay!" said Bogi in the stunned silence.
- I will gladly let Csilla have it! The starflower you brought is beautiful, and the crown suits her soft brown hair better! - she added with a smile.
- "No, no!" protested Csilla.
- Let it be yours, Bogi! You deserve it! I'd be happy if you wore it!
- No way! You can have it, Csilla!
Breeze listened for a while to the two fairies' amiable discussion, then grew more and more ashamed, until finally the candle broke. She interrupted with a whimper:
- I didn't want to give the crown to any of you! I didn't want to decide because I was jealous! And you're offering it to each other instead of fighting over it?
Csilla and Bogi looked at the sad blonde fairy in surprise. It never occurred to them that envy had kept them from choosing a new fairy queen.
- So let it stay yours! - they told him at once.
It was very nice for Breeze to be treated so nicely, even though she knew she hadn't been nice. She smiled and wiped away her tears, shaking her head. Still, she could not keep the crown. It would not be fair.
The other fairies, meanwhile, put their heads together, debated, deliberated, and then quickly came up with a solution:
- "So let it be for all three of you!" they suggested, and sang an old, old song in a ringing voice that only fairies know:
Who wants to be a fairy,
it is not good to be envious.
A little sun shines on the meadow,
to the sea of flowers.
The rain comes from a cloud,
it makes the whole field green.
Flowers are shared,
so they stay good friends!
So it was that three fairy queens wore the crown that year. One day it was on Breeze's head, the next day it was on Chilla, and the third day it was in Bogi's hair, who gave it to Breeze again, and so it went from bob to bob.
And in the small clearing, surrounded by velvet grass and a babbling brook, the fairy folk danced happily. They were proud that three queens could live in peace in their country.
If you want a flower fairy dinner service, check out the Story Plate page!
