Pip was bobbing up and down. He had waited for this day since the moment he had learnt to count till ten. And here it was - his big day. He was being allowed to join the others as they journeyed to the Fern Festival. Pip had dreamt of this day for so long he could hardly believe that he was not dreaming right now.
"Pip! Pip! hurry up! or we'll miss the fireworks!" Pip snapped out of his thoughts, skipping after his best friend into the depths of the forest. Firework nights were extra special before the Fern Festival. It was most likely because the Ferntress was involved in making them. The lights were better, brighter, more real and more magical than the common place fireworks of other nights. As they approached the Fountain tree, more fairies joined them bubbling with excitement and speculating endlessly on the possibilities of what the festival would bring.
"Pip! Hurry up or well miss getting a good view," Pip had to hurry, taking off after Bennie and creating a hullabaloo as he bumped into the crowds, apologising quietly when he remembered to. Pip came to a majestic stop where a huge sand dune strategically sprouted providing a fantastic view of the Fountain Tree.
What a gorgeous tree it was. It was Ferntress's Castle too. The tree trunk was so wide that it took over 100 fairies to encircle it, and it was said that the roots went underground for miles and miles. There was even the story of naughty Silas who decided to dig into the ground and follow a root and never made his way back. The bark was brown - as brown as mud that has been soaked in fresh rain - and along its height were beautiful paintings of fairies, wands, birds, animals, and all things natural. Each painting was etched out in silver, gold and bronze. If you didn't pay close attention you could miss out on them as the lines glimmered in and out of the trunk as if they were alive, weaving in and around the bark telling a tale. Sometimes it would take days and days to see all the paintings and the younger ones had to wait till they could fly high before they could reach the top parts of the trunk.
The Fountain tree was said to be taller than Fensha the king of giants. But Pip and Bennie could now see its tip if they flew up into the sky. The most beautiful thing about the Fountain tree was its branches. Bunched in hundreds they formed a dense centre and flew out in magnificent angles, curves, and spheres. And then they dropped down like glistening rain, stopping in mid air with leaves that glimmered like emeralds but looked soft and light. Each branch had twigs of silver or bronze. Flowers big and small graced the branches - some white as the shining star, others yellow like the sun , and some pink like the Ferntress's cheeks. Pip thought red flowers were the prettiest. They were the ones hardest to reach. They were roses only more rose like than any other rose Pip had ever seen.
What a gorgeous tree it was. It was Ferntress's Castle too. The tree trunk was so wide that it took over 100 fairies to encircle it, and it was said that the roots went underground for miles and miles. There was even the story of naughty Silas who decided to dig into the ground and follow a root and never made his way back. The bark was brown - as brown as mud that has been soaked in fresh rain - and along its height were beautiful paintings of fairies, wands, birds, animals, and all things natural. Each painting was etched out in silver, gold and bronze. If you didn't pay close attention you could miss out on them as the lines glimmered in and out of the trunk as if they were alive, weaving in and around the bark telling a tale. Sometimes it would take days and days to see all the paintings and the younger ones had to wait till they could fly high before they could reach the top parts of the trunk.
The Fountain tree was said to be taller than Fensha the king of giants. But Pip and Bennie could now see its tip if they flew up into the sky. The most beautiful thing about the Fountain tree was its branches. Bunched in hundreds they formed a dense centre and flew out in magnificent angles, curves, and spheres. And then they dropped down like glistening rain, stopping in mid air with leaves that glimmered like emeralds but looked soft and light. Each branch had twigs of silver or bronze. Flowers big and small graced the branches - some white as the shining star, others yellow like the sun , and some pink like the Ferntress's cheeks. Pip thought red flowers were the prettiest. They were the ones hardest to reach. They were roses only more rose like than any other rose Pip had ever seen.
Bennie was more interested in the fruits. All the fruits on the fountain tree were golden. All golden and in any shape size and taste you wanted. You only had to say the name of the fruit you wanted and ask the tree for it. The fruit would gently fly into your hand and drop the most delicious fruit in your palms. Bennie had many a time asked the Ferntress how the tree never ran out of fruits, but Ferntress had merely smiled at him.
The first star had appeared in the darkening sky and the crowd hushed as they saw a little fairy dressed in a glimmering green gown, surrounded by splendour even grander than the tree, emerge from the trunk above the highest branch of the fountain tree. Ferntress seemed larger than the tree and yet how tiny she was!
"Arise dear nymphs, your fairy brethren call to you. Dance the dance of ferns. that they may awaken and be filled with our magic. " Her lilting voice sounded into the night enthralling people far, far away with the call of the night. And all the fairy kindred took up the melody and sang the chorus like they did every year.
"The love of fairies, the love of nymphs
to bring ferns alive: Ferns awake, ferns protect"
And as they sung, the firework displays started. Pip and Bennie pointed in delight as a train of firefly designed lights enveloped the fountain tree in myriad of colours and spiralled into the night sky before reaching a crescendo and bursting down into the crowd as coloured candy for everyone. Then, there was the carriage firework that looked like a King's carriage, round and round it went and burst into a flames shaped as the Princess Riana with her Faithful Prince Saul next to her. The crowd cheered as they were entertained by more lights.
Pip and Bennie glided to the base of the fountain tree where a number of young fairy- gentlemen had gathered. Old man Brown was at the centre of the crowd dishing out instructions in his low quiet voice. "On the journey we expect complete obedience, no showing off with fancy tricks and no mischief." He looked pointedly at Bennie and said " No running off to steal fruits from orchards". He continued, "you will all listen to me and obey my instructions. Now go off and say your goodbyes. We will meet here in one hours time."
Pip and Bennie glided to the base of the fountain tree where a number of young fairy- gentlemen had gathered. Old man Brown was at the centre of the crowd dishing out instructions in his low quiet voice. "On the journey we expect complete obedience, no showing off with fancy tricks and no mischief." He looked pointedly at Bennie and said " No running off to steal fruits from orchards". He continued, "you will all listen to me and obey my instructions. Now go off and say your goodbyes. We will meet here in one hours time."
Old man Brown frowned as he turned to Ferntress. This journey would be unlike any other he had been to. Old man Brown had been on so many journeys he couldn't remember the count. This was the first time the wind smelled dangerous though, and Old man Brown had considered cancelling the journey. He had consulted Ferntress over the possibility, and they had pondered over the matter for days before deciding that the journey must be made. Old man Brown sighed, he had hoped that he had fought his last battle but if what Ferntress said was true there was more work to be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment