A FAIRY CAN MAKE YOUR WISH COME TRUE

ENID BLYTON is one of the most popular children’s authors of all time — her books have been translated into 90 languages. although she’s best known for series such as noddy, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, she wrote hundreds of short stories, with magic at their hearts, for younger children. Here, a Christmas fairy rewards those who believe in her . . .

ONCE upon a time, old Dame trit-trot went to market and bought a big spray of holly berries to make her house pretty. and when she got home, what did she find fast asleep in the middle of the prickly spray, but a small fairy, wrapped in a cobweb blanket!

Now Dame trit-trot did not believe in fairies at all, so, of course, she did not think this was a fairy.

‘it’s a doll!’ she said. ‘how strange! Well, i never saw such a dainty doll before! it will do for my granddaughter Jane.’

so she wrapped the fairy in white tissue-paper and put her in a cardboard box. she took it to Jane the next day, and Jane opened the box and unwrapped the tissue-paper.

Jane’s mother peeped into the box and saw the sleeping fairy there. ‘ Oh!’ she cried, ‘ what a beautiful little doll! it has wings like a fairy.’

‘it is a fairy,’ said Jane, who believed in fairies, and knew one when she saw one.

‘Don’t be silly, darling,’ said her mother. ‘ there are no such things as fairies!’

‘But mother, this is a real, live one!’ cried Jane. ‘it is, it is! Look at her wings! Look at her tiny little nails!’

‘What funny things children say!’ said Granny trit-trot. so Jane said no more. But she knew quite well that the doll was a real live fairy, fast asleep.

she carried the box away to her nursery and took out the sleeping fairy very carefully. she put her into her doll’s bed and covered her up well.

how lovely the fairy looked, lying in her tiny bed, her golden hair fluffed out on the little pillow, and one of her small hands outside the sheet. Jane was so happy and excited. When would the fairy wake up?

‘Jane! Jane! here’s John come to see you!’ mother called up the stairs — and Jane heard John running up. she ran to meet him, her face red with excitement.

‘John! Come here! i’ve got a real live fairy asleep in my doll’s bed! Look!’

she took John to the bed and he looked down at the sleeping fairy. then he laughed. ‘that’s only a doll!’ he said. ‘i don’t believe in fairies, Jane. that’s a doll — you can’t make me believe it’s a fairy!’

Jane said no more. she knew that angela, her friend, believed in fairies, so that afternoon she made angela come in from her walk and see the doll.

‘Jane! it’s a real live fairy! said angela, in delight. ‘Oh Jane, how lucky you are! how lucky!’

‘ isn’t it funny, angela, people who don’t believe in fairies think she’s just a doll,’ said Jane.

‘so they only see a doll lying there — but you and i, who do believe in fairies, can see quite well that she really is a sleeping fairy! Oh i do wonder when she will wake up!’

Every day Jane went to the doll’s bed to see if the fairy had awakened — but not until the end of the day of the Christmas party came did the little fairy open her eyes! she had had such a long sleep! how surprised she was to find herself tucked up cosily on a soft little bed! ‘Oh!’ cried Jane, when she saw the fairy sit up and rub her eyes. ‘i knew you were a fairy and not a doll!’ the two talked together, and Jane told the fairy that her mother had said it would be nice to put the fairy at the top of the Christmas tree that evening. ‘You see, mother thinks you are only a fairy doll,’ said Jane. ‘she doesn’t believe in fairies. Will you mind standing at the top of the tree, fairy?’

‘Not a bit,’ said the fairy. ‘and i’ll give each child who believes in me a wish to wish — one that will come true!

‘so you must tell all those who don’t believe in fairies to go out of the room, Jane — and i will fly down and hear every child’s wish.

‘and then, dear Jane, i must fly away. this is a dear soft little bed, but i have my own home, you know. i will often come and see you again.’

‘ssh!’ said Jane. ‘here comes mother.’

Jane’s mother carried the fairy doll to the Christmas tree and

put her at the top. How pretty she looked there!

‘It’s the loveliest fairy doll I’ve ever seen!’ said Mother.

In the middle of the party, when the Christmas tree was shining with candles, Jane clapped her hands and made everyone quiet.

‘Please, will you do something for me? she said.

‘Will everyone who doesn’t believe in fairies go out of the room — and all those who do believe in them stay here with me? I have a secret to show to them!’

All the grown-ups except Aunt Susan went out. Two little girls and three boys went out, too. Alan, Mollie, Angela, Trixie, Jack and Jane were left.

‘I know your secret!’ cried Jack. ‘It’s the doll up there! She’s a Christmas tree fairy — a real live one! I saw her smiling at us just now!’

‘Yes — that’s my secret!’ said Jane. ‘She is going to fly down to each of you and give you a wish. Keep still and think what you would like most!’

Each child stood still — and the little fairy flew down on her silvery wings. She listened to every child’s wish and nodded her golden head. ‘It will come true!’ she said.

And then she flew out of the window and disappeared into the dark night. ‘She has gone back to her home.’ said Jane.

When the other children and grown-ups came back, they were surprised to see no doll at the top of the Christmas tree. ‘Where is she?’ they cried.

‘She has flown out of the window!’ said Jane.

But, do you know, they didn’t believe her.

Do tell me — would you have been outside the door — or inside — if you had been at Jane’s Christmas party?

THe christmas Tree Fairy is taken from christmas Tales by enid Blyton, published by Hodden children’s at £6.99. To order a copy for £5.59 (20 per cent discount, visit mailshop. co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. P&P is free on orders over £15. spend £30 on books and get Free premium delivery. offer valid until December 17, 2018.