Photograph Used With Permission of Resa McConaghy
Like cicadas at summer’s end,
a fairy queen’s shell lingers, iridescent, glowing,
with traces of sleeping magic.
A wizard king can wake the dreamer
if he believes Continue reading
Sleeping Magic
Tag Archives: King
Thief of Dreams
Thief of dreams,
rambler in blizzard white,
shadow on virgin snow,
Old Man Winter,
tell a tale this cold night
before you go. Continue reading
Moonlight’s Revenge
Friendly Fairy Tales is delighted to offer fairy tales by and for kids!!
Here is the first, a terrific tale by K.H., Age 9
Moonlight’s Revenge
“Get out!” shouted King Dusk as he banned shape-shifters from his kingdom. Shapeshifters not only can shift into another form of any size or shape, but they can control the weather as well. King Dusk was frightened of the shapeshifters, and wanted them to be as far away from his new baby daughter as possible.
That day in the Land of the Lights, two children were born on the same second of the same minute of the same hour. The first was named Princess Sunlight, daughter of King Dusk. The other, Prince Moonlight, heir to the throne of the shapeshifters, was orphaned when his mother succumbed to a fever right after he was born.
The Stallion and the Fortune-Teller
Marcellino’s Grandfather Gerardo took him to meet his old school friend from his boarding school days. His friend had recently become King Bengal of Tropica Nadia, a small country off the coast of India. King Bengal lived in a splendid palace overlooking the sea.
Marcellino’s smile enchanted the king. The king invited him to a party for his young daughter, Sahara, in three days time. Marcellino was very happy, but his Grandfather Gerardo was worried. What should they bring little Sahara for a present? What do you buy for a ten year old princess?
The Prophecy and the Runaway Frog
Jasmyn often dreamed of flying. One night, she flew on the back of a bird to a new land. The bird grew tired even though Jasmyn was light as a feather. She landed in a ring of stones, and her bird friend tucked its head under its wing and slept.
Jasmyn could hear a stream, but she could not see it. She followed the musical sound, and found the stream through a bank of yellow irises. Jasmyn wandered for a time, smelling flowers and rolling down the hills, without getting any green stains on her dress, for this was an enchanted place.
She sat, braiding gerber daisies into a crown, when she chanced to see a frog hopping madly down over the top of the hill. It skirted the stone circle and plunged down toward the stream. So intent was the frog on rushing down the hill, he didn’t see Jasmyn until too late, and she scooped him right up.
Prince Columbine
Prince Columbine hung his head like the flower he was named for. His father, King Pine, wanted him to become a judge in the court, but Prince Columbine never had the right words. His sister, Princess Starflower, could talk rings around him.
“I would give anything to sit in the court like you do,” she said, failing to understand how he could be sad about it, her golden hair falling in petals around her glowing face. “If you had just told Farmer Wednesday that you would check the records and get back to her about the boundary marker, all would have gone well. Why did you have to tell her that a foot one way or the other doesn’t matter? Of course it matters to her.”
“Well, when you put it like that, I get it. She was so angry. It just didn’t seem that important.”
The princess huffed and gave up on him. “Ugh, if I see one more bleeding cut, I’m going to throw up!” she insisted.
“Why don’t we switch for a day?” Prince Columbine had always enjoyed assisting the healer when he had the chance. He knew his father would disapprove, but he did not think he would be angry. “Let’s tell the healers and ministers we have father’s approval, and then hope he’s busy all day. Then he won’t notice! He has plans to tour the castle walls with his architects.”
“I love the idea!” And so they switched.
Donal Outwits the King
Deep in the forest, someone was sleeping. Covered in leaves and moss, with a windbreak lashed snuggly in the bracken, he was dreaming of a king, a curse and a drumming in the dark.
In another part of the forest, a young boy was disguised as a fox. He heard the pounding of hooves behind him. He ducked under a tree root, but was soon surrounded by baying dogs. The horses approached, and their riders were holding bows and arrows. Their velvet cloaks were lined with fur, and one wore a silver crown. Donal stood up fast, and threw off his fox hood before an arrow could be nocked. His costume had a real fox tail dragging on the ground, and it must have drawn in the dogs.
“You’re no fox!” laughed the King with the silver crown. “Who are you to be on my land? Trespassers are made into slaves here.” The King’s face turned dark.
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