Fairy

I wandered among the meadows in search butterflies. I wanted them to return, wasn’t spring just round the corner?

I couldn’t wait for the spring to inundate the air with the fragrance of blossoms. I couldn’t wait to hear the birdsong emanating from the flower trees. I sighed and looked around seeking signs that  my favourite time of the year was arriving. The trees around were sprouting leaves, the snow over the peaks in the horizon was melting.

A little down the valley, I found a patch of green grass, which were merrily peeking out from the barren ground. Something stirred among them and a host of dragonflies flew away from the patch when I bent down to caress the grass. I smiled.

Then I saw her.

A tiny fairy was running from grass to grass hugging the blades and kissing them. She hadn’t noticed my presence.

‘What are you doing?” I blurted out without realizing that my voice might scare her away.

 She froze upon hearing me and then slowly turned to face me. She fluttered her transparent wings like a butterfly and flew up towards me with her arms akimbo. With her eyes narrowed down into slits and lips slightly pouting, she was a sight to behold.

“Can’t you just allow us to work? If you want spring to arrive when it should, leave us alone,” she shouted at me. Man, she was clearly furious.

“What did I do now?” I asked, puzzled by her anger. I opened up my palm and she landed on it but continued to glare at me.

“You scared away all my other friends. We have to give care and warmth to a million grass blades today itself. Grasses are very vain. Without fairy kisses, they sulk and go back to sleep beneath the earth. I know that you are a harmless kid. But others think you are like the rest of humans —cruel and selfish,” she said, pouting and sulking a little more.

“I am so sorry. I wasn’t sure you people existed. I beg your pardon. None of my friends believes in fairies. They say it is all just myth,” I said trying to make her understand. Instead, she gasped and almost fainted.

Recovering she shouted again, “When a child says that she doesn’t believe in fairies, there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead. Tell your mule headed friends,” said she, fluttered towards the grasses, and continued hugging the grasses. A while later her friends returned and joined her.

They ignored me completely. I smiled and continued to watch them get busy preparing the earth to welcome spring.

The scene vanished when I felt a kiss on my cheeks and I opened my eyes to see my mother smiling fondly at me.

“Do you know what happens when my baby smiles in her sleep?” she asked.

“A new fairy is born somewhere on fairy hill,” I said and smiled again, remembering my lovely dream.

Linking this to APRIL A-Z Challenge.