The Girl who

Believed in Fairies.

By:  Linda Corby

DEDICATION
These Fairy Stories are published in living memory of my beloved daughter Natasha Daphne May Corby, who requested such of me before passing on, on the 27.7.90 at the age of twelve. Natasha described them as lovely children’s fairy stories with a proper and moral twist, suitable for children between the ages of five to twelve. I enjoyed telling these and other stories of mine to Natasha and her older sister Clarissa when they were this age, as I will to their little sister April who is now two.





ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Natasha requested that I gave a percentage of my royalties from these fairy stories to the Children’s Hospice “Oakwell”, which is being done.

With thanks to the below listed on behalf of my family and myself.

(Paediatrician) Dr. Clifford Spratt and his team.
Sister Sheila Moran and her staff on Robin Ward, Jersey General Hospital
Doctors and Nurses from Ward 4/2 U.C.L.H. and Great Ormand Street Hospital
Our G.P. Dr. Watts
Mrs. Shirley Harwood and all the staff on the Jersey Maternity Ward, Jersey General Hospital
Mrs. Margaret McGovern, Jersey Hospice Care
Mrs. Anne Lingley Head of Home Oakwell Respite Centre and her Staff
Mr. John Lingley
Mrs. Eileen Smith
Miss. Yvonne Howie
Mrs. Mary Gueno
Mrs. Wendy Michelle
Mrs. Dorothy Sauvage
Mrs. Karen Mundy
Mrs. Louise Meyer
Mrs. Joanne Capern
Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan
Natasha’s Teachers at Les Quennevais School
Her home Tutor, Mrs. Marysia Philpot
Health Visitors Karen Huchet and Hazel Fairbanks
Marni Baudains Special Needs Social Worker
The Malcolm Sargent Fund Mrs. Diane Ibbotson
Channel Television Telethon Group for arranging Natasha’s holiday in Florida
and also The Paul Newman Hole in the Wall Gang Group

Copyright © 1993 L.G. Corby
Second Edition published by L.G. Corby






THE GIRL WHO BELIEVED IN FAIRIES

Susan’s Mother put the telephone down on the hall table and called out “Susan dear, run and tell Daddy that he is wanted on the telephone”.
Susan skipped gaily out to the garden where she found her Father gazing curiously at a strange plant with shiny leaves. He was a botanist and grew all sorts of peculiar flowers and plants. She gave him the message and he ambled off into the house puffing thoughtfully on his pipe.
Susan bent down to look at the plant. It was different from any plant she had ever seen before. The leaves were large and had orange spots all over them. As Susan looked closer she found that the plant had tiny flowers like silver bells. She was fascinated by the flowers and put her hand out to touch them. As her fingers touched the tiny bells they gave out a strange tinkling sound.
“I said what do you want?” said a cross little voice.
Susan stepped back from the plant, frightened. She saw a little man poke his head round on of the orange spotted leaves.
“I said what do you want?” said the little man.
As he came out from behind the plant, Susan saw that he was dressed from head to toe in a green suit with orange spots, exactly like the leaves of the strange plant.
“Oh!” said Susan in a startled voice “Wh….who are you?”
“I’m an elf, who d’you think I am?” said the little man, crosser than ever.
“Oh,” said Susan, “I’m a little girl, my name is Susan.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” said the little man, holding out a hand as small and delicate as a cake crumb, “I’m Spike.”
Susan shook his hand very gently between her thumb and forefinger.
“Sit down,” said the little man, “But be very careful of the plants.”
Susan sat down on a nearby patch of lawn. The elf came and sat down beside her and started to talk. She found that he was a gay, chatty elf. It turned out that when she had rung the tiny bell it had woken him from his sleep and that was why he had been so cross.
Susan and the little man had quite a long chat together and she found that she was growing more and more enchanted by him. She told him about her life at home with her parents and her toys. He told her how he lived in the plant with his brothers and sisters and of all the exciting parties that they had with their fairy friends. Susan was thrilled by the elf’s stories and wished that she could meet his friends and join in their parties.
She felt sad when it was time for her to go into the house and had to leave Spike, but before she went she arranged with him that they should meet the following evening.
When Susan was getting ready for bed she told her Mummy about the little elf and all the wonderful things he had said, but her mother told her she was too old to believe in fairies. “Drink up your hot milk dear,” she said, “Its time you were in bed.”
Susan tried to tell her father about the little man, but he did not listen. He said “Yes dear” and carried on reading his paper and puffing at his pipe. She went to bed feeling lonely and unhappy.
The following day Susan met Spike again. Again they had a long chat and again they arranged to meet again the following evening. After this they met every evening. Susan would play solitary games with her toys all day long, waiting for the evening to come when she would be able to see Spike. Each beautiful summer evening they would sit together on the lawn and Spike would tell her wonderful stories of the games that he and his friends played all night long when she was in bed. Susan longed to go with him to his fairyland home in the plants. He promised her one day that she would