November 2012
The top of the Christmas tree reached within inches of the ceiling. At the top of the tree the fairy stood proud and serene as she had for the past five years; her bright tinsel tiara upon her head and her slightly bent magic wand in her hand. But five years of being stuffed casually into a black bin bag on twelfth night with the rest of the decorations was taking its physical toll on the fairy and she knew that she could not expect to occupy the top spot for very much longer.
The fairy gave a huge sigh and wished someone would straighten her wand and tidy up the tinsel of her tiara. She then glanced down and saw a rip in her yellowed with age white skirt. 'Oh dear,' she thought, 'I look tatty compared to the red and silver balls which are hanging on every other branch, but what can I do?'
One of the gold balls which were interspersed with green ones on the other branches looked up at the fairy and said, 'You've got to go, doll, you are letting us down.'
'Don't be mean just because I'm on my own,' and she pulled herself up to her full height and wished she hadn't as her head scraped the ceiling and the tiara slipped down over her eyes.
Just then the family came in. 'Oh, look mummy, the fairy is broken.' said Abigail.
'I think it's time to get a new fairy,' said mummy. 'We're going shopping now so we can look for another one.' And off they went. The fairy was so upset she started to cry. Her tears fell onto the branches below and like magic they turned into stars, some big some small sparkling in the glow of the coloured lights which wound around the tree.
When the family returned from their shopping trip looking very pleased with their purchases, Abigail immediately took out the replacement for the fairy. It wasn't another fairy it was a star, a shiny sparkling silver star. 'Oh mummy, look it matches the other stars on the tree.'
'But we didn't have any stars as decorations,' said mummy.
'That's a mystery,' said Abigail and as she glanced up to the top of the tree, she noticed two more stars fall and rest on the branches. 'Oh mummy look the stars are coming out of the fairy's eyes; she is crying.'
Mummy stood on a chair and lifted down the fairy. 'She is in a bad way, perhaps we can mend her and make her look better.'
So mummy, with help from Abigail, straightened the fairy's wand, replaced the tinsel tiara and made her a new skirt and she looked as good as new. The fairy dried her tears and managed to smile as she was put back on the top of the tree. The new star was placed just below her. 'Well doll,' said the gold ball, 'you look lovely, I hope they take more care of you so we can all be together again next year.'