Chapter Six
The Fairy Glen
Sky awoke the next morning at the crack of dawn.
Nobody had surfaced yet, so she quietly got dressed,
had a wash and ate breakfast. She wore her jeans again
for the climbing of the tree, but remembering the looks
from the nutleys the day before, she took a change of
clothing for when she got there. The old fairy outfit that
she used to dress her Barbie dolls would fit her
perfectly. She put her belongings into a shoulder bag,
cleared away her breakfast and headed for the garden.
It didn’t take her long as she ran most of the way. She
got to the creek and headed across the rocks until she
came to the entrance. Slipping through the vines, she
headed around the tree trunk till she came to the
clearing. Up she went, faster than last time,
remembering all the lumps and bumps of the tree to get
her up there. It took her about twenty minutes to get to
Malley’s bough. She knelt down just on the outskirts of
the garden, puffing from the quick climb. There was
movement inside, so she knocked quietly.
Curley opened the door yawning, but smiled happily
and swung himself around the place when he saw Sky
there.
“Mum! Pop! It’s Sky! She’s come back!” He ran out to
greet her, hopping excitedly all around her. Malley and
Florrel came to the edge of the garden to greet her also.
Florrel was the first one to speak. Dressed in feathers
and silk in a flowing dress and her hair tied up with a
beautiful scarf, she looked lovely.
“Greetings Sky, it is lovely to meet you, Curley
couldn’t stop talking about you last night.”
“Hello Florrel, it’s lovely to meet you too.” said Sky, as
she shook her hand very gently. “You have a beautiful
house, you’re very talented.”
“Oh, well thank you Sky,” replied the nutley lady
blushing. “Perhaps I can show you how to make some of
the things I have done?”
“Oh would you? That could be fun!”
Malley had popped back in quickly to get some
‘Changeabilitea’ for Sky to drink.
“There you go,” he said happily, “get that down you
and then, please, come in.” They left her there to change
her clothing.
Sky thanked them and said she wouldn’t be a
minute. She was careful to take out the fairy outfit from
her bag and place it on the floor as she didn’t want
these things to shrink smaller than what they were…
It didn’t take her long. She hid behind a few giant gum
leaves and with a quick change of size and clothing the
fairy outfit slipped on perfectly! It did fit her well. Once
inside, the family praised her fairy dress, telling her
they couldn’t tell the difference! They laughed their way
through a delicious berry pancake breakfast and had
plenty of gum juice, which was mixed with all sorts of
things.
“We’ll have to pop into the tea garden before we really
look around and go visiting.” said Malley. Coral will be
run off her feet this morning.”
Curley was swinging off everything there was to
swing from, happy as a monkey, with his new friend in
tow. They called in a Nird for their lift to Coral’s place
and off they flew dodging in and out of branches and
foliage and out around the humungous tree. They went
the long way to show Sky the views of the river and the
land around the area. They could see for miles and
miles. Sky was sure she saw her own house out in the
distance.
They passed more Nirds and the odd fairy. Heaps of
birds of all different kinds flew in and out of the tree.
Sky couldn’t see the top of the tree as it was in the
clouds. “Can’t humans see this tree?” she asked, as
they flew. Florrel was in front of her so she answered.
“They can only see what is real to them. Most
humans don’t see the magic, only the logic. Therefore
they can only see what they think they can see, which in
this case, is an average sized tree. Those who manage to
go beyond the logic can see and experience all sorts of
magical wonders. Just like you are Sky! Look where
your intuition has brought you! Enjoy it my dear!” she
said knowingly as they flew back swiftly into the tree.
They went through some hanging vines, across a
mossy edged creek, over a roadway of sorts. Many
different kinds of folk were using lots of different types
of transport. It was obviously a gathering place for
meeting up with family friends and acquaintances.
They landed near the main entrance to the tree
trunk. There was a large, round-topped gateway that
had a huge sign above it saying ‘Welcome to Nutlidge!’
The massive bough was like a huge park, lush and
colourful. Nutleys, fairies, gnomes and many others
who resided in the tree were flying in on birds, floating
in on fluffy seeds, walking or riding in. Some sat with
drinks at picnics, some played with friends, and some
talked to the birds and animals that helped them to get
around the tree. Florrel explained to her that inside the
trunk was the museum, the art gallery, and the peoples’
gathering chambers. Further up the trunk was the
home of Lord Nutwood and his beloved Lady Acacia
Nutley, the descendants of the founders of the tree,
which was some twenty thousand years ago.
Malley Gum picked up a large cocoon full of some
kind of yellow powder and hopped back on the bird.
They got to their tea garden just in time as Coral was
getting frightfully behind. Florrel and Malley chipped in
and Sky cleared the tables of used nut cups. Goblins
and witches, fairies and gnomes, frogs, grasshoppers,
birds, lizards and mice came to the store to get either a
cup of tea, or some tea to take home and brew. They
also had light snacks such as bottlebrush seeds,
crushed almonds and sesame seeds to munch on. A few
mixtures needed to be made up, so Malley Gum was
busy chopping while Coral and Florrel served the busy
crowd.
“A bag of Masculinitea, thank you.” said a doormouse
lady, to Florrel. Coral was bagging up some Popularitea
for a small feeble looking elf. An old frog, wearing a
brimmed hat with a feather sticking out came up with a
walking stick and asked for a cup of Flexabilitea. A
young nutley fellow bought Possibilitea, Invisibilitea,
Spontineitea and Posteritea, while another elf asked for
Availabilitea and Qualitea. They often left something on
the counter for Coral, whether it be flowers, fruit, or
gems. People bartered with whatever they had. One
fairy organised with Coral to do some work in the herb
garden in lieu of her goods.
Raw herbs were also greatly sought after. Things like
wild oat for strengthening intuition and trust, mamalis
for erasing fear, chicory for self-love, wild rose for inner
freedom and hornbeam for when one is feeling insecure.
Lavender was used for just about anything.
Sky was fascinated with all of this and remembered
as much as she could while she collected the cups and
wiped the tables. It was flat out for about an hour in
Sky’s estimation and then it quietened down. Florrel
insisted she take Sky around the tree to do some
shopping.
Now that was fun!
Florrel took Sky to where the best fairy clothing
shops were. “I just know you’ll love this Sky. I have a
friend just around the corner I’d like you to meet. Her
name is Yellow Flower, but I just wanted to show this to
you first.”
They walked down a lengthy path covered in moss.
Flowers were everywhere, as were little ponds with fish
and tadpoles. There were shrubs and grasses and
bonsai trees lining the way amongst the mushrooms
and butterfly flowers. They came to a large area full of
rock pools and mossy sitting areas. An array of food was
laid out on leaves, a grasshopper and a lizard played
music and there was a huge punch bowl amongst a
smorgasbord of delicious fruits, nuts and berries.
Fairies danced and flew about. Some sat and talked to
their fairy and pixie friends and played on swings
covered in vine. Birds were patted and butterflies came
in to chat and to drink from the ponds of crystal clear
water.
There were fairies of all shapes and sizes, dressed in
all types of flower, petal and feather dresses. Some
looked as though their skirts were almost luminous, as
they floated around them when they flew or just
fluttered around the place. The area was decorated with
huge blue bells hanging down over their ponds. It was
so beautiful!
“This is wonderful! I’m so glad I am dressed for this!”
she said, and patted her fairy skirt down and touched
her hair to make sure it wasn’t too messy.
They walked around taking in the festivities of all the
fairy folk, elves and pixies. It was so entertaining and
enchanting. Florrel said hello to a few people there,
introducing Sky to them. They mingled for a while
meeting more fairies and a pixie friend called Chinebie.
He was a tall lanky fellow with a floppy hat and a long
bowed pointy nose. He had a cheeky grin and Sky liked
him very much.
Another group of fairies and pixies were introduced to
Sky, and she didn’t know what to say at first. It was a
bit like a party but more casual. There was a lot of
chatter going on between them all, fairies talking about
things like herbs and fabrics, fairy babies and home
talk. This was a gathering place and they all had their
own little huts in the trees foliage. Florrel looked up and
high up above were what looked like hanging nests.
They were made from laced leaves, bark, and other
such things and they were decorated with spider web
nets and pretty things that they collected, that hung
down like droplets of jewels.
Sky was in awe of this. Fairy houses! Not in amongst
roots, but in their own little cocoon type clusters.
Fairies and pixies flew to and from their fairy glen to
check their fairy babies and other such things.
“I’ll arrange for you to visit one some time Sky.” said
Florrel, watching her friend’s delightful expression.
Florrel made her way through the garden and showed
her where the fairy’s clothing could be acquired. She
helped her to pick out two beautiful fairy dresses. One
was made from pink rose petals and the other from a
jacaranda flowers. They were both lavished with trails
of hand painted silk and magical fibres. Jewelled
bodices and touches of sparkly beads decorated the
already gorgeous outfits. Sky decided to wear the rose
dress. Florrel helped her with her hair and put some
flowers in it to match. She looked beautiful, and Sky
wished her mother could see her now! The next thing
they got was a pair of fairy slippers for her. They were
also beautiful, beaded with jewels and feathers.
The both of them walked around for a while looking
closely at all the wares that the fairies had on offer. The
jewelry was wide and varied, but all colourful and
unique. She chose herself a ring made from a curly vine.
The picture it created was a beautiful decorated heart,
and she chose another one for her mother. This one
looked like a flower with curly touches. She couldn’t
wait to give that to her mum when she saw her next.
Baize loved chokers, so Sky chose a stunning carved
Staurolite, which Florrel informed her was often called
the Fairy Stone, strengthening ones faith in the unseen,
it healed emotions and was worn to shield oneself from
fear. She had that wrapped in a piece of red paper bark
and tied with a curly length of vine.
Then they came across some coloured silk that was
also exquisitely hand painted. She thought of her
grandmother and the crystal ball she loved so much. It
would make the perfect bag for it. She chose a purple
one with bright orange curly, exquisitely patterned
vines with curly ends. A gumnut blossom was splashed
in the corner.
Her thoughts drifted off to her mother and Baize, and
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wondered how they were. Tommo went through her
mind also and she wondered how he was going. Was he
still alive? Sky went and chose a beautiful bunch of
mixed flowers for Florrel, who thought they were just
divine, and a new crystal pestle and mortar for Malley.
She had noticed earlier on at the café that his favourite
one had been broken, and she had them gift wrapped in
jacaranda flowers.
She watched quietly at the different age groups
chatting, from the elderly to the very young. They were
beautifully dressed no matter what age they were. Sky
found herself looking at some of the fairy males that
looked about her age.
There was one young fairy boy that had long blonde
hair and was dressed in a tight fitting purple outfit with
a pointy hat, and pointy laced boots that curled slightly
at the end. The fairy boy noticed that she was staring at
him and went bright red. His ears turned an even
brighter red and he looked like he didn’t know where to
put himself for a moment.
Florrel made a comment and took Sky’s attention
away, about a couple of fairies that looked sad.
“It’s very unusual for fairies to look sad you know. I
must tell Yellow Flower this when we get there, she
might know something about it. Come,” she said gently,
“we shall go and see Yellow Flower.”
Sky left the fairy glen with Florrel, and looked behind
her at the gathering of fairies and pixies once more. She
couldn’t help noticing the blonde fairy boy again, and as
they left a taller fairy male walked up to him and said
something. They both looked at Sky as she walked out
of the garden.
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