by Mandy Olina
raspberry bush and was nowhere to be found, he had no idea where he was or where home might be. He heard a river nearby and followed the sound until he found it. As he laid down to rest on its bank, no sooner had his head touched the ground than he fell into a smooth, soothing sleep.
He was woken by a delicious tinkling. It sounded like the bell his mother rang when she called him in for cake. He rubbed his eyes, stretched his hands and yawned. Then he looked around and saw that someone was sitting right next to him. A forest fairy was skipping stones on the river bank.
‘Hello! I’m Daniel!’
She turned to him, smiling and fluttered her small wings.
‘Aren’t you going to tell me your name? Are you a fairy? You look like a fairy.’
‘I am Spring. A forest fairy.’
‘Can you take me home? It’s almost dark and I have to go home. I’m hungry.’
‘Yes, Daniel. I will take you home. Follow me!’ She sat on his shoulder and pointed the way.
‘Miss Spring, can we be friends? I’ve always wanted to meet a fairy.’
‘I wish we could, Danny. But I have to leave this forest.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘To fairy castle. My sisters need me there to help guard the spirit of the forest.’
‘Why aren’t you there now?’
‘Well, because one thing forest fairies do is help children who get lost in the forest find their way home. We take turns in doing it. This is my last day here. Starting tomorrow I have to return to fairy castle for the next seven years.’
‘And after seven years you will come back?’
‘To a forest, yes, but not here. There are many forests in the world. But a fairy will be here always. One of my sisters.’
‘Can I come and see you at the castle?’
‘I don’t know.’ she said surprised. ‘No one’s ever asked me that. I suppose you could. I don’t think my sisters would mind.’
‘So where is the castle?’
‘You know where the sun sets? Somewhere over there. You just keep walking until you see a magic castle on top of a hill.’
‘How will I recognize it?’
‘Well, there is only one fairy castle. You will recognize it. It’s covered in fairy dust.’
So all the way home, Spring told Danny about the castle and the other fairies and how the spirit of the forest was in every leaf and in every tree. Listening to her was so wonderful and her voice sounded so delicious that Danny fell in love. Simply and completely. He knew then that he would follow her wherever she went.
THE BOY WHO CHASED THE SUNSET
PPart II
Almost seven years had passed, but Danny never forgot the fairy. Sometimes he made plans for the journey, but it sounded so difficult that he waited to grow up just a little more before setting off. Then one day in the schoolyard, something happened.
‘Do you realize that in less than a month we’re leaving school for the summer?! I can’t wait! GoodBYE fifth grade!’ Rosie said and something lit up in Danny’s head. He’d met Spring two years before he started school, in the summer. It had been almost seven years. Seven years had passed like the wind, without bringing him any closer to her. In a couple of months she would have to leave the castle. His time was almost up.
‘We have to go, Rosie! We have to go now!’
‘Where?’
‘I have to go somewhere. I can’t tell you. I have to go now!’
‘Can I come?’
‘If you want to. But it’s going to take a while. I don’t know when we’ll be coming home.’
‘Ok, can I tell mom?’
‘No. You either come with me now or you don’t.’
‘Fine! Let’s get our backpacks.’
So off they went, out of the school yard, down the street with the chestnut trees that were getting ready to bloom, past the ranger’s cabin, to the old road that went out of the village heading west. Nobody used it anymore; the farms down that way had long closed down because of the drought. It was a beautiful road, guarded by linden trees and, strangely enough, acorn bushes grew from place to place. It seemed to just go on and on, up to the foothills of the mountains that could be seen in the horizon.
And here we are, close to where we began. The kids had been on the road the entire day. The sun was just beginning to set when they reached the corn patch.
‘Danny, please! My feet hurt! I’m hungry. Let’s just rest a while and gather some acorns outside the corn field. Then we can keep walking. We have to stop sometime!’
Danny turned around and paused for a moment, just enough to hear his stomach rumble.
‘Ok, we can stop to eat some acorns. But then we get going; we have to cross the corn field before it gets dark.’
They went back and started picking acorns out of the big bush between the corn field and the road’s end. They stuffed their pockets and then sat down in the grass, next to some stones just fit for cracking acorns.
‘Well, hello there, strangers!’
‘Aaaaaaaaaa!’ Rosie yelled jumping to her feet. ‘Who’s there!’
‘Who said that?’ Danny grabbed a rock and jumped to his feet.
‘Don’t be scared. I can’t move until the wind blows. I’m just an acorn tree.’
‘What?’
‘Push that big branch aside. Yes, the one with the little stump at the middle, that’s the one. Hello again!’
‘Wow! A talking acorn bush!’ Rosie said.
‘Hello!’ Danny started. ‘Why are you talking to us?’
‘Well, because it’s not often that I see people here. Especially children. And don’t be confused, children are my favorite type of people.’
‘People don’t use this road anymore.’
‘Indeed they don’t. So why are you kids here?’
‘I don’t know. Why are we here, Danny? Please tell me!’
‘I can’t.’
‘Well, I could help you if you told me,’ the bush said. ‘I know many things around these parts. See, me and the wind are quite good friends. He tells me everything he sees.’
‘We’re going to find a castle.’
‘And which castle might that be, Danny?’
‘A… fairy castle.’
‘Oh! THE fairy castle, Danny, there is only one fairy castle.’
‘What?! We’re going to a fairy castle?’ Rosie said surprised.
‘Yes. Seven years ago I met a fairy and she’s in the fairy castle now and I have to go see her before the seven years are up or I’ll never see her again.’
‘Marvelous choice, Danny!’ the bush continued. ‘I have just what you need. First of all, take the silver acorn that’s hidden under my roots. I have been saving it for just such an occasion. I’ve always wanted to meet true adventurers and magical believers and help them on their path. It is my destiny, you see. Now, remember this. When you get to the bank of the silver river it will help you cross.’
‘Thank you! Do you know where this cornfield ends? We have to cross this too and by sundown.’
‘Oh, I think that’d better wait until morning, children. You look awfully tired. You can sleep under my branches and I’ll speak to the wind and ask him to be warm and kind this evening.’
‘I am mighty tired.’ Rosie said.
‘Me too. Ok, let’s stop here. Thank you again, Mister. But how do you know about the silver river? Where is this river?’
‘I don’t know exactly, but to the west. The wind told me this years and years ago, when he brought me the acorn. But I’m sure you’ll find it just like you found me. You just have to keep going.’
All being said, the children laid down in the grass. A warm wind started to blow and they immediately fell asleep.
THE BOY WHO CHASED THE SUNSET
PPart III
The next day, they woke up and rubbed their eyes about seventeen times, but the acorn bush was gone. Only a silver acorn remained. Danny pocketed it and off they went through the corn field.
They walked
for hours and got more and more thirsty with each step. The corn seemed to grow taller and taller and they couldn’t see ahead anymore. They’d almost lost hope when, suddenly, a large shadow passed over them.
‘What was that Danny?!’
‘I don’t know! I’m so thirsty! Maybe we’re seeing things!’
‘Look! Look! Aaaaaa!’ Rosie yelled and ducked. Then Danny saw it. A giant white hawk was flying right above them.
‘Danny! I am so scared! Oh my God, it’s coming this way!’
They started to run as fast as they could but the shadow just kept getting closer and darker. Just when they thought that was the end of them…
‘Stooooop!’
A powerful wind started to blow and the children tumbled round and round through the corn. When they stopped tumbling, they were sore, dizzy and dirty.
‘Are you hurt? I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry. My wings are just TOO big!’
‘Danny… is the hawk talking to us? Or am I dead and seeing things?’ Rosie whispered with her face covered in dirt.
‘Shhh! Mr. Hawk? Are you talking to us?’
‘Yes. Who else could it be?’
‘You won’t hurt us, will you?’
‘Of course I won’t. I came here to help you.’
‘Help us? Help us get to the castle?’
‘Yes. The wind told me you left with the silver acorn this morning but that you couldn’t possibly get to the end of this corn field in time.’
‘So how can you help us?’
‘I will fly you out of here. Get on my back!’
The children stumbled to their feet, dusted off their shirts and pants and slowly walked towards the hawk.
‘Don’t be afraid. Grab on to the feathers on the back of my neck. You, my dear girl, will just have to hold on to our gentleman here. I’ll go slow, don’t worry. I’ve flown kids before.’
‘Really? How?! I’ve only seen