A Fairy Tale

A FAIRY TALE

"Once upon a time there was a fairy '"

"Have you seen fairies, father?"

"No, I haven't"

"Has anybody seen them?"

"No, nobody has seen them"

"Then how do we know about them?"

"May be some people had seen them in earlier times. They have told us about them"

"They have wings. Haven't they?"

"Yes"

"Why don't we have wings, father?"

"Because we are not fairies"

"But fairies are like human beings, aren't they?"

"Yes, but they are different kinds of human beings"

"How are they different from us?"

"They are blessed by the God"

"Why are they blessed?"

"Because of their good deeds in their human life. But wouldn't you allow me to tell the story?"

"O.K. tell me the story"

"The fairy looked beautiful. She was extremely fair and '"

"All the fairies look beautiful. Isn't it true father?"

"Yes, they all are beautiful"

"But why aren't we as beautiful as them?"

"Because we are not blessed by the God. Anyway, one night the fairy came down to the earth to sing and '"

"Why do fairies always come at night, father?"

"Because, they want to avoid us lest we see them in the daytime"

"What would happen if we see them?"

"Their fairy life would end. They have to be born as human beings once again"

"Don't they love to be born as human beings?"

"No"

"Why?"

"They feel it cursed to be born as human beings"

"Are we cursed then, father?"

"Not exactly. Human life is a precious gift of the God"

"But their life is a better one. Isn't it?"

"Yes"

"How are they better than us?"

"Because they don't have any sorrows, worries, ailments and'"

"And they don't have any study either"

"They do have studies. They study the universe"

"Where do they get their books from?"

"Stars are their books and nature is their teacher"

"Why do they want to know the universe?"

"Because they want to know the meaning of life, the music of the God"

"What is the music of the God, father?"

"It is a blissful tune which creates lives of the stars, planets, moons and all the animal kinds in different worlds. Anyway, she came down to a forest to sing and dance. It was a full moon night. A tiger was roaming around the forest for his prey because he was hungry. At first '"

"Tigers are always hungry. Aren't they?"

"Not always. But '"

"But they always kill other animals whenever they meet them"

"As they are a big animal, they need more food"

"Are they also the music of the God?"

"Certainly"

"Then why are they so cruel?"

"They are not cruel. They kill animals as they have to survive. God has created them in this fashion. Every animal has its own way of living. Now, listen to the story. At first, the tiger did not notice the fairy. Sometime after, he heard the song. He crept stealthily towards her."

"Will the tiger eat her?"

"Have patience. Let me finish the story. When the tiger was almost a jump away from her, the fairy noticed him. She was terribly afraid."

"Why was she afraid? She had wings. She could easily fly away."

"Yes, she could. But she became so nervous that she forgot to fly. Instead, she climbed upon the nearest tree. The tiger also tried desperately to climb up the tree. It roared like anything. The fairy was shivering with fear. Suddenly, a fire broke out in the forest."

"How could a fire break out in the forest?"

"Sometimes, in summer, the dry branches of trees get rubbed with one another and produce sparks of fire which is spread over the whole forest quickly. This is called a forest-fire. When the fire started, all the animals tried to come out of the jungle. There was a loud hue and cry. The tiger heard it. But it was too late for him. The fire was just around him and was about to touch the tree where the fairy perched herself. He had no chance to run away."

"What happened to the fairy, papa?" ' the boy yawned.

"Next morning, the villagers discovered that the whole forest was destroyed by the fire. All the trees were burnt. Interestingly enough, they found only one tree which was not touched by the fire. It stood alone afresh amidst the whole gutted forest. Its reddish yellow leaves were fluttering with the gentle breeze. From the top of the tree, a white flower was giving out a fragrance. The villagers had never seen such a flower before and the scent was also unknown to them. Even now if you go there, you would find '"

The little boy was fast asleep, calm and composed.