THE PUDDLE PIXIES AGAIN - MOTHER EARTH

It was a Very Special Day for the Puddle Pixies. The Elder had received a message from his dear friend the Good Witch Queen Mother Earth, saying that she would be visiting him that very afternoon, and would be pleased to meet any of the Puddle Pixies who could come along, for she had a very special favour to ask.

Word of the visit soon got round all the puddles, and New Puddlington became a hive of activity, with all the Mums scrubbing their little pixies’ faces until they shone, and dressing them up in their brightest clothes in their favourite colours, while the Dads rubbed and scrubbed the puddaloes until they sparkled like the stars in the evening sky as they bobbed around on the sunlit water of the Puddles.

As the appointed time drew near, all the Puddle Pixies from all the Puddles gathered at the Fairpuddle where Mother Earth was due to arrive; there were crowds of them stretching back up the hill as far as the eye could see, their garments bright against the fresh green grass like meadows full of lovely flowers.

The pixies chattered excitedly as they awaited the arrival of Mother Earth, the most important being on the planet. Suddenly, the crowds fell silent as a wondrous flower-bedecked barge made its way up the channel and came to a halt near the boathouse on the Fairpuddle. The Elder stepped forward, his chain of office glinting in the afternoon sun. Behind him stood a guard of honour of Puddle Pixie Firefighters, led by their Chief, Fizzle the Dragon, proudly wearing his official helmet, which had been polished so much that Mother Earth could see her own reflection in it!

The Elder held out his hand to help this grandest of all grand ladies alight from her barge. The pixies gasped at her youth and beauty, for no-one could possibly have guessed she was as old as the Universe itself! She greeted her old friend warmly with a kiss on each cheek, and waved graciously to the waiting crowd of pixies.

The Elder said : ‘Would you do me the honour of coming to my home for a glass of Elderflower cordial?’

But Mother Earth replied : ‘Normally I would be pleased to, but today I have important business to get on with. I have come to ask you and all the Puddle Pixies for help in a very important matter’. The Elder nodded and the distinguished lady went on : ‘I am afraid the Earth is heading for self-destruction. Evil abounds, and the way Humankind is going, with so many wars and disagreements, the hot air from all the intolerance, anger and selfishness will soon make the poor old planet explode, and the Earth and all its people, including the Puddle Pixies, fairies, elves and even Father Christmas himself, will all be blown into the upper atmosphere, forever to float round and round the Universe’.

The Puddle Pixies glanced anxiously at each other; some looking scared, others looking cross, but all looking very worried as they waited for her to explain. The Elder held up his hand for silence, and said : ‘So what do you want of us? What can we do to help?’

Mother Earth continued her speech, her long dark curly hair blowing gently in the breeze, and her brown and gold gown rustling like Autumn leaves as she spoke. ‘I know that, of all the peoples in the Universe, the Puddle Pixies are the kindest of all folk. I want you to help me teach Humankind that they should love and care for each other and all living things on this planet, as well as showing care and consideration for the Earth itself.’

The Elder said : ‘Indeed, Mother Earth, I am sure all the Puddle Pixies will be very anxious to join you in this great endeavour; what exactly are you proposing?’

Mother Earth nodded and held both her arms out towards the crowd of Pixies, who were now chattering excitedly, wondering what would come next. She said:

‘My dear children - for you are ALL my children - my plan is for a choir of Puddle Pixies to sing the most beautiful songs ever heard; songs of love and joy, hope and peace and reconciliation, in fact. as I said before, songs which speak of love and care for each other and all things on earth and beyond’.

The Puddle Pixies turned to each other in amazement. Jack Puddle Pixie called out :
‘That sounds wonderful, Mother Earth, but where will we find such songs, and who amongst us will you choose to go with you, for I am sure ALL of us will want to help!’

Mother Earth smiled her beautiful serene smile, and said: ‘I shall take with me any of the younger pixies who want to come, for it is to the young that the future of Humankind and all manner of folk belongs, and they will decide Earth’s fate. As for the songs, there are many many such songs already to be learned, and I will teach them all to my choir before we leave. When my choir has all the special songs in the universe safe in their heads and minds, they will find that new songs will grow in their hearts, and they will be able to teach them to all their friends. As we travel along singing our magical songs, I hope the hearts of all humankind will be touched, and that we will drive away all bad things, and bring peace and love to all. And I promise all the parents of these Pixies that I will take good care of them, and we will be back almost before you know we have gone!’ Then she held her arms out wide, and cried : ‘Now, come to me all little pixies who want to be in this choir to help me save the world! Come to me, my little ones!’

And out they poured, hundreds and hundreds of young Puddle Pixies surging forward in their brightly coloured clothes, like a river of patchwork quilts; on and on they came, until there were so many of them that soon Mother Earth was almost hidden by the mass of excited pixies. As their parents and teachers watched, scared but proud, they saw Mother Earth spread out her beautiful skirts, gleaming gold and amber in the sunlight, and gather the children to her. Then they heard the first song floating sweet and loud across the Fairpuddle, as Mother Earth and the hundreds of choir members stepped into the waiting barge.

As it pulled slowly away from the boathouse, scattering billows of fragrant flower petals in its wake, Fizzle the Firefighting Dragon brought his men smartly to attention, saluting Mother Earth and her Choir. Soon the barge and its precious cargo were out of sight in the channel, but still the sweet sound of their singing hung on the warm air. The older pixies waited on the bank until the very last notes of the songs had died away, and began to go each to their own homes, to await the return of their little ones.

The barge sailed on and on, until the skies darkened and night fell. The pixies began to yawn, and yawn, until one by one their eyes grew heavy and soon the sound of gentle songs on the breeze was replaced by gentle snoring. Then it was morning, and the pixies awoke to a bright sunny day. In fact, it was VERY hot indeed, and Mother Earth handed out sun cream and hats to protect the pixies’ delicate skin, which was more used to water than sunshine!

As they continued on their journey through the hot hot land, they learned songs from all the people from the places they passed through; songs of love and hope, of joy and sadness; the song of the birds and of all nature. On and on they went, the barge full of the sweetest sounds in the universe, soothing and bringing joy to the hearts of all who heard them.

At length they arrived in a very dark place. There were mountains on all sides, and black smoke all around made it almost impossible for the pixies to see their surroundings. All that was visible was the reflection of the moon sparkling on the grey water.

‘We have arrived at our destination’, said Mother Earth. ‘Come, all my little pixies, off the barge now for we have work to do in this unhappy land.’

As each pixie stepped on to dry land, they brushed against the billowing skirts of Mother Earth’s gown, releasing a shower of magic dust which formed into a glowing cloud around them. By the time the last pixie had stepped ashore, there stood on the dry earth and brown grass, not a crowd of tiny pixies, but a brightly clad throng of little people who were now the size of human children.

Led by Mother Earth, the bright procession made their way along the mountain paths, singing their wondrous songs as they went. As they passed through ruined villages, the smell of destruction all around them, they began to notice that the derelict buildings were not in fact empty; people with wide frightened eyes began to stare through the blackened and broken windows, and doors began to open.

Out came the village children, some in rags and all thin and scared. They gradually began to take up the song of the Puddle Pixie choir, and their parents saw something they had not seen for a very long time: smiles on the childrens’ faces!

On and on they went, the choir swelling as more and more children joined them along the way. At first, some of the human children sang some of their own songs of war, and fear; of death and sadness; but they soon learned the magic Pixie songs, which Mother Earth, smiling happily, knew was the first step towards letting joy return to their hearts.

As the long line of pixie and human children moved further and further up into the dark hills, the sounds of loud explosions and shouting and wailing could be heard. As soon as they began too look scared, Mother Earth called out : ‘Sing louder, my children. All will be well!’

And so it was.

Soon they could see a battlefield up ahead of them. There were men in robes and soldiers in uniform, all with fearsome looking weapons of all kinds. Some had terrible injuries, and the sounds of warfare echoed through the smoky air.

But then something wonderful began to happen. As the sweet music of the magical choir began to reach the men of war, they stopped where they stood and listened to the songs, with strange expressions of awe and amazement on their battle-scarred faces.

As Puddle Pixie and Human children stood side by side singing together their songs of love, joy and peace, the men on both sides of the battle began to throw down their arms, tears running down their sooty cheeks.

Never had they seen such a sight as those young people and their leader, the most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen, all glowing with goodness and innocence, and never had they heard such beautiful sounds, which brightened the dark air and reached into their souls, healing all their wounds, both inside and out.

As they took off their helmets and wiped the dirt and tears from their eyes, Mother Earth led her choir, still singing their songs, back down the mountain path the way they had come.

The Human children went back to their homes with smiles on their faces, happy in the knowledge that the healing process of their damaged land had begun.

Mother Earth led the Puddle Pixies back to their barge, where they all fell asleep at once, and did not awaken until the vessel drew up alongside the bank of the Puddle where the magical journey had begun.

Mother Earth kissed each one as she handed them back to their proud but anxious parents, then stood watching awhile as they went to their homes. They turned to wave a final goodbye, but – the barge and Mother Earth were nowhere to be seen. The Puddle Pixie children all went off home happy in the belief that at least the seeds of reconciliation had been sown on that magical journey.