One day in autumn, Puff the Pixie went nut picking in the Home Woods and when his basket was full the decided to take a short cut back to the Fairy Dell. Before he had gone very far, the little Pixie realised that it was a foolish thing to do because he had never been in this part of the woods before. “No” he said to himself “I had better go back and take the path that leads straight back home, even if it is longer”, so he turned back.
After he had been walking for quite a long time, Puff thought, “that’s funny, I should be back on the old path by now, I must have taken the wrong turning somewhere. I seem to be lost. Well I am sure to meet someone soon and then I ask the way”. Sure enough, a little further he met a hedgehog who was rather grumpy and when Puff asked the way, all that the hedgehog said was, “You should stay in your own part of the woods”, and shuffled away muttering to himself “Silly Pixie”.
“What a rude hedgehog” said Puff indignantly, “but there comes a rabbit, maybe she will be kinder”. The rabbit listened to Puff’s problem then said, “Now you follow this path until you come to the fallen tree then ask again”. Puff thanked her and set off again. When he reached the fallen tree however, there was no one about to ask so he sat on the tree trunk to wait until someone came along.
While he was sitting there he saw a little bag lying in the path a little distance from the tree and the inquisitive Pixie said to himself, “Now I wonder what is in that bag. Maybe the one who dropped it will come back soon to look for it then I can ask the way again”. Puff waited and waited and he started to feel restless. “Well, I am not going to wait all day” he said, “I shall just follow this path and see what happens”.
As he passed the spot where the little bag was laying, he decided to open it and see what was inside. The bag was quite small, not heavy and altogether mysterious. “What can it be?” wondered Puff and sat down to untie the string which held the bag closed. ”Powder” he exclaimed, “Just a lot of yellow powder,” and he sniffed it. “No smell” he said, “I wonder if one can eat it”, and he dipped his finger in and tasted it. “No taste either, this is a strange thing, I wonder who lost it”.
There was still no one in sight so Puff put the bag in his pocket. He would take it to the Fairy Queen; she would know what to do about it. Anyone who lost anything always went to the palace to see if it had been found.
The Pixie started walking again and after a while he saw another rabbit and when he was close by Puff said, Excuse me, can you tell me the …?” but before he could finish his sentence, the rabbit had turned tail and was running away as fast as he could. “Well” said Puff, “he might at least have listed to me”. A little further along the path he saw a squirrel and Puff walked up to where the squirrel sat daintily nibbling a nut.
“Ahem, excuse me Squirrel, please could you tell me …?” but the squirrel acted very strangely too. She looked this way, that way, up and down the scurried into the nearest tree as fast as she could go! “Whatever is the matter with everyone in this part of the woods?” grumbled the pixie crossly “They are all rude and not a bit helpful, ah well”; he shrugged his shoulders and carried n down the path.
At last, after walking and flying a long way he came to a place he recognised. “Hooray” he shouted, “now I know where I am. Just a little further and I will be on the path to the Fairy Dell” and see, there was Fern Rabbit with her family of little ones sitting outside their home. Puff skipped up to them and called out, “Hello Fern, hello little ones, have you a drink for me? I have walked …?” What on earth was the matter with everyone today? Fern rabbit screamed, the baby rabbits squeaked and whisking their white tails they all disappeared into their hole.
Poor Puff, he just could not understand it. Oh, he would be so glad to be home. Sad and tired he continued his walk and then, there at the side of the path, sitting on a toadstool, was his best friend Topaz. “Hey Topaz” Puff called happily “I am glad to see you, I …?” Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Topaz jumped up, looked all around and in a very frightened voice he asked “Who are you, where are you?”
“Oh come on Topaz, it is me, Puff, I really am getting tired of people running away from me. I have never had such a miserable afternoon”. “P, P, Puff?” asked Topaz shakily, where are you? Come where I can see you”, and Puff reached out and tapped his friend on the shoulder saying “Oh Topaz, I am sitting right in front of you”. Topaz sprang in the air “Who is playing jokes on me?” he asked. “No one, you old silly it is me, Puff”. “But I can’t see you wailed” Topaz “oh Puff, you are invisible”. “Ooooh” said Puff “The powder, now I understand”.
Sit down Topaz and I will tell you all about it, hey! Watch out, don’t sit on me!” Then Puff told Topaz about his strange afternoon, about the little bag of powder and how strangely everyone had behaved. “I don’t blame them for behaving like that, Puff, I was frightened too at first, but come on we will go to the palace. The Fairy Queen will know what to do”.
The Queen was sitting in the garden and when she had heard the Pixies story she said, “I am very glad that you found that bag of powder Puff, one of the Elves lost it and when he went back to look for it, it was gone. You see, sometimes I send Fairies into the village to help the humans and I make them invisible to keep them out of danger. Now come with me”.
They went into the palace and the Queen took her magic wand and waved it over the little Pixie. One – two – three, and there stood Puff. Topaz ran to him and put his arms around his friend’s shoulders “oh Puff, I am so glad to see you”. Puff laughed happily “and I am very glad that you can see me”. They thanked the Fairy Queen and Topaz took his friend home to tea so that the awful afternoon ended happily after all.
Puff the Pixie stories were written by D.L. Hardy-Jesshope and may not be copied or reproduced in any way as they are under copywrite.