Copyright © 2008 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
Adapted by Kimberly Morris
ISBN: 978-1-4231-4871-5
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Queen Clarion stood on the balcony of her royal apartment, which commanded one of the best views of Pixie Hollow. Her eyes seemed to rest on the magical landscape before her, but she was thinking about a place very far away.
The queen was picturing the mainland, where the humans lived, and where spring had yet to appear.
A butterfly, attracted by Queen Clarion’s bright blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, settled on her shoulder. He folded his wings, as if he, too, was ready to enjoy the view.
“Have you ever wondered how nature gets its glow?” Queen Clarion said to the butterfly. “Who gives it light and color as the seasons come and go?”
She knew, of course, that the butterfly had not. Why would a butterfly living in an enchanted land ponder such things? In Pixie Hollow it was fall, winter, spring, and summer all year round—and all at the same time. Each season occupied a corner of the magical realm of the fairies. It was only on the mainland that one season followed another, each waiting—sometimes patiently and sometimes not—for its turn.
Right now it was winter on the mainland. Queen Clarion could picture the frosty magnificence of Kensington Gardens in London. She knew how the moonlight peeked through the clouds and glistened on the tiny snowflakes. The butterfly on her shoulder fluttered his wings once, and settled back down.
Queen Clarion’s lips curved into a surprised smile. For, you see, she had heard a sound that only she could hear.
Somewhere on the mainland, at that very moment, a baby lying in her crib laughed with delight. Queen Clarion listened as the laugh, invisible but filled with magic, soared out of the crib. It flew toward the nursery’s open window, where a lone, fluffy dandelion poked through the soil of a window box. The laugh dove through the dandelion and carried one of the soft, white seed wisps into the air.
A new fairy was on its way to Pixie Hollow. But it had a long road ahead.
The dandelion wisp flew upward. It was carried across the rooftops of London and through the smoke of a chimney. It blew past Big Ben, along the Thames River, and over Tower Bridge.
In Pixie Hollow, Queen Clarion nervously clasped her hands as she followed the journey of the laugh, still so very far away. So many obstacles. So many things to go wrong.
The laugh collided with the bell of a slow-moving ship. No one on board heard the almost inaudible ping. But Queen Clarion heard it, and she feared for the laugh’s safety.
But joy is fierce. Joy is strong. And joy is resilient.
The laugh spun woozily as the dandelion wisp swirled, but before long it regained its bearings and continued on. It touched down briefly on the sea, and a jingle echoed across the waves.
Finally, the tiny wisp was taken up by the wind once more, and the laugh was carried through the clouds and blown toward a shining beacon: the Second Star to the Right!
Queen Clarion let out a sigh. All would be well. The laugh was moving quickly now—as eager to reach its destination as the queen was for it to arrive.
The laugh approached the mythical island of Never Land with a jingle and a giggle. Faster and faster it flew, skimming the plains, cresting the mountains, and finally emerging over the home of the fairies: Pixie Hollow. The enchanted land shimmered with every color of the rainbow. Wintry woods glistened with snow, while nearby a summery glen was bursting with greenery and vines heavy with fruit. Chuckling happily, the laugh sped down toward the center of Pixie Hollow. There stood a majestic tree, radiating magic.
The soft tinkling sound of the laugh caught the attention of a garden fairy at work. She looked like a flower herself, dressed in a rose-petal tunic. “Look! Look!” she cried, pointing at the dandelion wisp.
Other garden fairies darted from the bushes and flower beds and began to follow the wisp.
The wisp floated over a waterfall, where water fairies played. They all shook the water from their wings and happily ran after the wisp.
The wisp passed under the branches of a pine tree, giggling at the tickle of the pine needles. Animal fairies peeked out from nests and knotholes. They, too, followed.
Light fairies in shimmering outfits dove through sunbeams to join the procession.
Soon all the fairies of Pixie Hollow arrived at the Pixie Dust Tree. They settled on the branches of the huge, magical tree like a flock of chattering birds. Their beautiful wings and clothes glowed in the light of the Pixie Dust Well, which surged in the center of the tree. They eagerly waited for the wisp-of-a-laugh to arrive.
High in the air, Vidia intercepted the wisp before it could overshoot the mark. Vidia—with her purple clothes, raven hair, and superior attitude—wasn’t the most popular fairy in Pixie Hollow. But she was the fastest.
She flew over, under, and around the laughing wisp, creating breezes to guide it safely to the Pixie Dust Tree. Finally, the dandelion wisp came to rest on an outcropping of mushrooms that formed a balcony above the well.
The jingle faded away, and every fairy fell silent and waited.
A dust-keeper fairy named Terence approached the wisp, holding a chalice brimming with pixie dust.
He carefully poured the dust over the wisp.
The wisp swayed with a tinkle. Its shining strands shimmered and waved, moved by the magical dust. When it settled into its final form, the wisp was not a wisp anymore—it was a tiny fairy dressed in a flowing white gown!
“Awwww,” sighed the fairies. The new arrival was hardly more than a baby’s laugh with a mop of blond hair on top.
“Hello,” the new fairy said in a shy voice. When she waved, her fingertips jingled like tiny bells and sent puffs of pixie dust into the air. She stared at the others in wonder, but soon she was distracted by the arrival of the Minister of Spring, the Minister of Summer, the Minister of Autumn, and the Minister of Winter. These elegant leaders of the seasons took their places on perches above the Pixie Dust Well, smiling down on the new fairy with welcoming faces. Then they turned to look at a space between the branches where the air was beginning to shine.
The new fairy watched in wide-eyed amazement as a misty cloud of golden dust wove its way through the limbs of the Pixie Dust Tree. Then the mist cleared to reveal a radiant and regal fairy with magnificent wings. It was none other than Queen Clarion.
The queen regarded the new arrival with a warm smile. “Born of laughter, clothed in cheer, happiness has brought you here,” she said. Then she winked at the new fairy. “Welcome to Pixie Hollow. I trust you found your way all right?”
“I … I … guess so,” the new fairy stammered.
Queen Clarion flew behind the new fairy. “Let’s see about those wings.” With gentle hands, she unfurled two gossamer wings from the li
ttle fairy’s back.
The gathering of fairies sighed again. “Oooooh!”
The new fairy seemed dazed and uncertain, until Queen Clarion took her hand and led her into the air.
Tentatively, she flapped her wings, rising slowly. She hovered for a moment; then she began to fly with increasing confidence.
The others fairies applauded and laughed when she raced in a giddy circle and turned a somersault.
They liked this new arrival. And each fairy looking on hoped that the new fairy would turn out to be a member of his or her talent guild.
Queen Clarion waved her hand and several dozen toadstools magically sprouted around the edge of the Pixie Dust Well, forming a row of pedestals.
The fairies fell silent. Arriving and flying were all fine and dandy, but watching a new fairy figure out her talent was the most exciting part.
One by one, fairies of every sort flew toward the pedestals, clutching small objects that represented their talents. Rosetta the garden fairy gently carried a beautiful flower. The water fairy Silvermist stepped forward holding a drop of water as if it were a ball and placed it on top of a pedestal.
Iridessa brought a glowing flower lamp—the symbol of the light fairies.
Fawn, an animal fairy with a long braid, left a tiny egg on a pedestal, but only after giving it a reassuring pat.
Vidia swept past the new fairy with her nose in the air. She didn’t give a hoot what the new arrival turned out to be, but she always enjoyed a chance to show off her abilities. She opened her hand to reveal a tiny spinning whirlwind.
More and more fairies brought symbols of their talents. The new fairy watched these ceremonial proceedings in confusion. She looked up at the queen. “What are these things?” she asked.
Queen Clarion led her around the display. “They will help you find your talent, little one,” she explained.
“But how will I know which one?”
The queen gave the new fairy a gentle push toward the toadstool pedestals. “You’ll know,” she said in a soothing voice.
When the new fairy approached the flower, Rosetta and her friends huddled close together in delighted anticipation. Several of them gave the new arrival an encouraging nod. The little fairy reached for the flower, but the moment her finger touched the delicate bloom, its glow faded.
“Ohhhh.” The garden fairies let out a collective sigh of disappointment. But the water fairies were glistening with hope as the new fairy approached the next pedestal. She tried to lift the shimmering droplet of water, but the glimmer around it faded as well. The water fairies sighed.
The new fairy’s attention was next drawn to the whirlwind. As soon as she lifted a tentative hand to touch it, the whirlwind faded into thin air. Vidia smirked. She hated competition.
The new fairy was getting discouraged. Now she was afraid to touch anything. She flew up and down the line of pedestals. She passed a seed, a lamp, an acorn, a shoe, an axe, a paintbrush, a large kitchen spoon, and finally, a hammer made from a rock and a piece of wood. As the new fairy soared by, the hammer began to glow.
The fairies murmured and whispered among themselves.
The hammer shone brighter and brighter. It practically vibrated with energy. Finally, it rose into the air. Turning end over end, the hammer flew toward the little fairy. Instinctively, she reached out and caught it. Bursts of light shot out in every direction as soon as her fingers closed around the handle.
The fairies gasped; then they began to laugh and applaud. The new fairy had found her talent! Or maybe it had found her.
Silvermist was impressed. “Whoa,” she said to her friends Fawn, Iridessa, and Rosetta. “I’ve never seen one glow that much before—even for Vidia!”
Vidia, who was hovering within earshot, huffed and looked away, pretending that she didn’t hear and didn’t care. But she did hear, and she did care. Vidia was used to being one of a kind, and she didn’t appreciate being upstaged by a little wisp with a hammer.
Rosetta’s rosy complexion glowed even pinker. “You know,” she said, “I do believe you’re right. Li’l daisy-top might be a very rare talent indeed!”
Vidia tossed her dark hair off her shoulder and turned away.
The little blond fairy was still confused. What did it all mean?
Queen Clarion put a hand on the fairy’s shoulder. “Come forward, tinker fairies, and welcome the newest member of your talent guild—Tinker Bell!”
Tinker Bell scanned the crowd of gorgeous, elegant fairies, waiting for one of them to step forward and claim her. But no one did. Instead, they moved aside to make room for a group of gawky, unkempt, tool-belt-wearing tinkers. Among them were a tall and gangly one and a huge and lumpy one.
Tinker Bell’s heart sank, and the glow faded from the hammer. It fell from her hand and hit the ground with a dull thunk!
She stared at the two fairies in dismay.
The tall, gangly one gave her a polite bow. He wore dewdrop goggles that made his eyes look huge.
His big companion lumbered forward. “Haydee hi, haydee ho, Miss Bell!” he boomed. “I’m Clank!” Something wet hit her in the eye when he spoke, and his voice was so loud it practically knocked her over backward.
The gangly tinker grabbed Clank by the tunic and pulled him back. “Oh, splinters, Clank!” he exclaimed. “Say it, don’t spray it!” When he spoke, his words tripped along in a charming accent.
Then he grabbed Tinker Bell’s hand and shook it enthusiastically. “Phineas T. Kettletree, Esquire, at your service,” he said.
“Oh, foo!” Clank said. “He’s Bobble, I’m Clank.”
Bobble rolled his eyes at Clank and then turned back to face Tinker Bell. “We’re pleased as a pile of perfectly polished pots you’re here!”
Tinker Bell couldn’t help smiling at their cheery greeting. “Uh, me too!”
“Come on, Miss Bell.” Bobble took her hand and they soared into the air. “There’s so much to show you.” He gestured broadly to the enchanted land below them.
“You have arrived at a most wondrous and glooooorious time,” Clank told her happily.
“It’s almost time for the changing of the seasons!” Bobble added. “You see, here in Pixie Hollow there are different realms for every time of year. There’s one up ahead… .”
They flew over a group of pine trees white with snow. A blast of cold air made Tink shiver. “These are the Winter Woods. It’s always cold here!” Clank said.
Bobble pointed toward a group of fairies dressed in silver descending from the sky. “Look there! Snowflake and the frost fairies, returning home for—”
“—some well-deserved rest!” Clank chimed in.
“They’ve just finished bringing winter to the world,” Bobble explained.
Next, they flew over a forest filled with red and orange leaves. A fairy hovered in the air, carefully painting the edges of a golden leaf. Clearly this was the Autumn Realm.
“It’s the off-season for the autumn fairies, too,” Bobble explained.
“But they’re always working on that perfect shade of amber,” Clank added.
Finally, they approached a lush green meadow, bursting with sunshine, where giggling fairies were chasing a dragonfly. A fragrant mixture of honeysuckle and happiness floated upward, and the three tinkers took a deep breath.
Bobble gestured at the frolicking fairies below. “The fairies of the summer glade still have plenty of time to get ready. Because right now, fairies of every talent are preparing for my favorite season—springtime!”
They turned again, and Bobble pointed to a grassy valley where some fairies were spinning rainbows out of thin air. Others were carefully painting the spots onto patient ladybugs. One fairy was herding a little group of flower bulbs, which trotted along like small children.
“Ohhhh!” Tink blinked, amazed and delighted with everything she saw.
Bobble beckoned to her to follow. “Come on, Miss Bell. You’ve got to see where we live.”
“Wel
come to Tinkers’ Nook!” Bobble said when they arrived.
“Oh, wow!” Tink exclaimed. This grand, beautiful place was going to be her new home!
But then Clank gently tilted Tink’s head down.
She had been mistaken. Tinkers’ Nook wasn’t in the graceful hills up ahead. It was down in a little dirt-floored valley formed by a tangle of twisting tree roots. It wasn’t bright and flowery like the rest of Pixie Hollow. Tinker Bell felt a little disappointed.
“Oh” was all she could say.
Bobble smiled proudly. “Kind of leaves you speechless, eh?” he said, mistaking her dismay for astonishment. Tink didn’t correct him. Clank and Bobble flew down into the strange little nook, and Tink tentatively followed them.
But when they landed, she realized Tinkers’ Nook had a charm of its own.
Unlike the simple flower homes she had seen elsewhere in Pixie Hollow, the tinker fairies’ houses were cleverly constructed of twigs and leaves. And each had its own unique shape and design.
Tinkers’ Nook was a busy place, too. Wagons pulled by adorable field mice carried buckets and bushels between the various buildings. Everywhere Tink looked, she saw something new and fascinating. There were tinkers running around in all directions, and the air was filled with the sound of hammering and sawing, happy greetings, and shouts of encouragement.
For the first time since meeting the tinkers, Tink began to feel as if maybe things were going to be okay.
She walked behind Clank and Bobble, marveling at all the different kinds of work the tinkers did.
One group was constructing a carriage using a flower for a canopy and a gourd for the wagon. Another was loading baskets made of iris blooms onto a leaf conveyor belt. “Just taking some supplies down to the workshop,” Bobble explained.
“They’re taking some supplies down to the workshop!” Clank repeated, just as eager as Bobble to make sure Tink saw everything there was to see.
Overhead, fairies were filling woven-grass baskets with acorns. Bobble adjusted his dewdrop goggles. “Watch out for falling—”
“—maple seeds!” Clank cried before Bobble could get the words out of his mouth.
Tinker Bell Junior Novel Page 1