Fairies of the Maple Tree - Pindi Story 1

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Our north side garden is a magical place. I go there when I am sad or troubled, and I find peace. Marc and I eat dinner there on warm evenings. Fairies live in the Green Japanese Maple Tree planted near the fence. This is their story.
“Look, there they are again – the giants!” Pindi exclaimed. “I’m going to fly over for a closer look.” She spread her sparkling wings and flew away from the chartreuse leaves of the Green Japanese Maple Tree the fairies called home. Pindi and her twin sister Mindi had just turned 10.
“Don’t go!” Mindi, cried. “They kill fairies.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. They’re just so BIG. They don’t even have wings. I’m much faster than they are.”
“I’ll tell Father. He won’t like it” Mindi threatened. Pindi and Mindi’s father Bran was the King of the Green Japanese Maple Tree fairies.
“Go ahead – I don’t care. Tattle Tale.”
“You’re such a trouble maker!” Mindi unfurled her long tongue and stuck it out at Pindi as she flew by.
 
“Pindi, what have you done now?” The King paced the grand hall in the Green Japanese Maple Tree. “You’re my daughter. You must set a good example, not go recklessly tearing off to explore beyond our tree.”
“But Father, the giants recognized me and smiled. They won’t hurt us. They were charmed by seeing a fairy.”
“Pindi” the King said warningly. “You are forbidden from showing yourself to humans. That’s what those giants are. Humans. They’re dangerous. They think we’re wasps and they kill us.”
“These two won’t hurts us. I know they won’t!” Pindi stomped out of the room to sulk.
 
King Bran convened his war council. “I’m worried. The spiders are massing along the fence at our border. They send scouts into our tree. There are more of them every day.”
“We should attack now” cried Angus, the King’s War Chief, “before more of them arrive.”
“Too late,” panted a page as he ran through the door, out of breath. “They’ve taken Mindi. You know what they do to us! They’ll suck her dry!”
“We must march. Assemble the troops” ordered King Bran. And to the page,” Tell the women and children to stay in the grand hall. Bar the doors and guard the towers.”
 
“Why have they been gone so long? “Pindi pouted as she craned to see out. “I can’t see anything. They’ve got my sister. I can’t just stay here locked in the grand hall. I have to do something!”
“You’re just a child” chided Pindi’s mother, Queen Caelia.  “Your father will save us. Stay inside with the rest of us. Don’t do anything rash.”
“Rash! It isn’t rash to help the warriors! It isn’t rash to save my sister!” Pindi ranted. “I know how to use a spear, and a bow and arrow. I can fight. I will fight!” Pindi rushed from the grand hall.
Outside, Pindi saw and heard the fighting. Spears and arrows were being hurled overhead. The clash of swords against shields. Spiders were marching along the branches, taking prisoners as they went. Fairy warriors fought them fiercely, but they were outnumbered and were being pushed back, closer to the grand hall.
Pindi had an idea. Racing to the other side of the garden, she looked for her giants. She found one of them and flew to her ear, shouting. “We need help! The spiders are attacking our people and our home in the Green Japanese Maple Tree. We can’t fight them alone. Please help us!”
The giant grabbed a broom and raced to the north side garden with Pindi in the lead. Once there, she brushed spider webs off the fence and the tree branches, sweeping spiders along with their webs. The fairy warriors cheered as they renewed their fighting. Spiders scurried along the ground to get away from the spears and the broom. The battle was over.
Pindi rushed to Mindi and unwrapped her from the spider silk prison.
“Pindi saved the day. Hurray for Pindi. Hurray for the giant. Hurray!” cheered the fairy warriors.
“You were right, Pindi, these giants won’t hurt us. Pindi’s father, King Bran bowed before the giant wielding the broom. “We owe you our greatest thanks for saving our kingdom. As a fairy king, I can grant you whatever you wish.”
“I wish for you and your kingdom to live safely in the Green Japanese Maple Tree,” said the giant. “I like the idea of fairies living in our yard. Live in peace.”
And they did.