HILTON FAIRY RING

By Maureen Ross

Eilidh ran along the park towards Porst Cullach, her yellow hair bouncing up and down on her neck.. She was a pretty lass and her Granny thought her very special. Her Granny waved goodbye saying now be careful and don’t go too far your supper will soon be ready. "I wonder if I’ll see any rabbits today, or maybe a dolphin or a seal," she smiled. She loved all kinds of animals and they loved her too.

HOP! HOP! HOP! A rabbit ran across the path in front of Eilidh. "Och, a wee rabbit. Where are you heading?" She followed it as it scampered along the grass. "Come back here and let me pet you," she called, but the rabbit didn’t stop running.

Eilidh soon tired of chasing it and sat down on an old fish box which was lying on the bank. As she sat trying to get her breath back she heard a soft whimpering sound coming from behind the wall . "What’s that?" she wondered. She stood up and tiptoed quietly towards the sound. The noise got a bit louder. "It sounds like a wee baby crying," she said, confused. "What would a baby be doing over here, so near to the shore?" She looked over the wall and gasped, staring in surprise. "Och, what’s this?"

The ground was covered with mushrooms in the shape of a large ring and inside the ring was a cluster of cradle shells. The shells weren’t like ordinary shells, they were huge, bigger than Eilidh was and each shell, lay a sleeping baby. "What’s all this? A shell patch full of babys?" She crept up and took a closer look. "Och, it’s a wee laddie. He’s adorable," she smiled. The baby lay cradled in the shell, lying on feathers and sleeping soundly. She looked in another shell and there was another baby. "It’s a wee lass. Look at her tiny toes," Eilidh giggled. Every shell, held a wee baby.

Eilidh didn’t know what to do. "Where did all these babys come from?"

Just then she saw something even more amazing. A small fairy, dressed in pale green, came floating down. "You’ve found the babies," she said, looking inside one of the shells

"Who are you?" Eilidh asked.

"My name’s Dubhan. I’m a fairy and it’s my job to take care of these babies until it’s time for them to go to a new home. They’re bonny, aren’t they?" the fairy said.

"Och, they’re lovely. What are their names?" Eilidh asked.

The fairy took her from shell to shell. This wee lad’s name is Buttercup. This is Water, Feather, Yarrow, Juniper, Rainbow, Icefly, Gossamer, and the twins are Willow and Bracken."

"What beautiful names. I wish I had a name like that," Eilidh said.

"What is your name?" the fairy asked.

"Eilidh."

"Your fairy name is Bramble," Duban told her.

"That’s pretty. I like it," Eilidh smiled. "How do you feed the babies?" she asked.

"Butterflies and dragonflies come at night with milk from the cows in the nearby farms and feed the babys. You’re very curious, Bramble," the fairy said.

"I know. My mum always tells me that. How are the shells so big?" she asked.

"It’s all to do with the Fairy Ring. Everything’s different here. See the mushrooms over there," Dubhan pointed. "They are magic. If you eat one, you’ll be able to fly."

"Och, can I try one?" Eilidh begged.

"Just take a little nibble. Don’t eat the whole mushroom," the fairy warned.

Eilidh picked a mushroom. It was white on top and brown underneath. She took a little bite. "Can I fly now?" she asked.

"Try it," Dubhan said.

Eilidh jumped into the air and flew around the sleeping babys. "I can fly," she said, excitedly. She swooped past the shells, along the shore and up over the bank. She stopped at Dubhan’s feet. "That was fun."

"You can only do it once a day though," she cautioned. One of the babies began to stir. "You must leave now. The babies can’t be disturbed."

Eilidh didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay in this magical place. "Can I come back?" she asked the fairy.

"Tomorrow, if you can find us," Dubhan said. "Goodbye, Bramble."

Eilidh waved goodbye. She ran home as fast as she could and told her Granny. Her Granny smiled and said, "How wonderful."

Her Granny spun her around and gave her a huge cuddle. "Time for supper and then bed she said with a strange grin on her face as if she knew something secret.

Eilidh went upstairs and climbed into bed after a delicious supper. She dreamed about the babys sleeping in the shells and about Dubhan, the fairy. The next morning, after breakfast, Eilidh ran back along the park and searched for the shells, but never again did she find the Fairy Ring of mushrooms, Dubhan, or the babys. But each time she saw a dragonfly or a butterfly, she remembered that day in the park, where she was allowed to share in a bit of magic with the fairies.

Granny was also very happy because Eilidh had seen the same fairy as she had when she was a little girl and she could still remember that day too, where she was allowed to share in a bit of magic with the fairies.

I think it is only children with big imaginations who get the chance to see a real fairy!

Go to P6/7's page to hear their song about the Hilton Pot Of Gold.