Fairies ByCharlesPerrault

Formyninthbirthday,mysister,Linda,gavemeabookcalledTheFairyTaleBook1.ItisalargebookwithdelicateillustrationswheremyimaginationandIspentmanyhappyhourstogether.Thelaststoryiscalled,“Fairies”.

Oncetherewasawidowwhohadtwogirls.Theoldestdaughterwasjustlikehermother,whowasspitefulandmean.Theyoungergirlwasgenerousandgentle,asherfatherhadbeen,andshewasperfectlybeautifulaswell.Likelikesliketheysay,andthemotherlovedtheoldergirldearly.Shehatedtheyoungergirlwhodidthehouseworkandcookingforthethreeofthem. Twiceadaytheyoungergirlwenttothewellforwater.Shewalkedamileeachway,carryingaheavyjugfuleachtime.Onedayatthewellapooroldwomanaskedherforadrink.“Withpleasure,ma’am,”shesaid,andsmiledprettily.Sherinsedoutherpitcher,andfilleditwithclearwater.Thensheheldtheheavypitcherastheoldwomandrank.Thewomanthankedher.Shesaid,“Becauseyou’rehelpfulandgentle,Iwillgiveyouagift.Everytimeyouspeak,apreciousjewelorabeautifulflowerwillspringfromyourlips.”Thenshevanished.Shewasafairywhohadcometotestthegirl’sgoodheart. Withherpitcherfull,thegirlwenthome.Hermotherscoldedherforbeingsolongatthefountain.“I’msorry,Mother,”saidthegirl.Asshespoke,tworoses,twopearls,andtwodiamondsfellfromherlips. “What’sthat?”screechedthemother.“Wheredotheycomefrom?”Thegirlwasbothobedientandtruthful.Sheexplainedwhathadhappened.Inthetelling,shespreadacarpetofdiamondsandflowersabouther. “Thatstupidfairymadeamistake,”saidhermother.“Fairygiftsaretoogoodforaloonlikeyou.Theyshouldhavebeengiventoyourcleverbigsister.Nexttime,shewillgoafterthewater.”Thatafternoonthemothersaidtohereldergirl,“You’llfetchthewatertoday.” “Iwillnot,”shoutedthemeangirl. “Youwilltoo,”shoutedhermeanmother.Shefinallywent.Butsheleftthebigpitcherathome.Insteadshecarriedatinysilvercreamer.Atthewellwasaladyinbeautifulclothes.Theladyaskedforadrink.“I’mnoservant,”saidtherudegirl.“Thisismypitcher,notyours.Getyourowndrinkifyou’rethirsty.” “Verywell,”saidthelady,whowasthefairyinanewdisguise.“I’llgiveyouagifttosuityourmanners.Everytimeyouspeak,atoadorasnakewillslitherfromyourmouth.”Hermotherwaswaitingforthegirltoreturn.Whenshesawher,shecried,“Well,daughter?” “Well,mother?”shoutedtherudegirl.Twotoadsandasnakesquirmedfromhermouth. “What’sthat?”criedhermother.Whensheheardwhathadhappened,sheflewintoafury. “It’syourfault,”shescreamedattheyoungergirl.Thenshechasedheroutwithabroom.Thepoorgirlranintotheforesttohide.Theking’ssonwascominghomefromhunting.Hesawthebeautifulgirlleaningagainstatreetrunkandweeping.Hestopped,andsaid,“What’swrong,mydear?Whydoyouweep?” “Mymotherputmeout,”shesaid.Ateachword,pearlsanddiamondsfellfromherlipsandblazedinthegrassatherfeet.“Whatamarvelousthing,”exclaimedtheking’sson.“Dotellmewhythishappens.”Shetoldhimaboutthefairyatthewell.Ashelistened,hefellinlovewithherbeautyandhergoodheart.Heledherhometohispalace.Theyweremarriedandreignedhappilyforyearsandyearsandyears. Asforheroldersister,shegrewnastiereveryday.Evenhermothercouldn’tabideher,especiallysinceshefilledthehousewithslippery,sloppy,slitheringthingswhenevershespoke.Atlastshelefthermother’shouse,andwanderedupanddowntheworld,alone.Noonewouldhaveanythingtodowithher,ever.Besidesusingthisstorytoguidemychoiceofwordsinmyeverydaylife,Iusedittohelpmyownchildrenspeakkindlytoeachother.Althoughwehadourshareoftoadsandsnakestotossoutthebackdooronanygivenday,IdohavequiteacollectionofjewelsandflowersthatItreasure.Ofcourse,it’saguideonhowwespeakwheninteractingwithothers,especiallywhenteaching,sohurtfulwordsdonotpassourlips.Furthermorewecanguideourstudentsandparentstospeakwithkindness,humorandencouragement.

1TheFairyTaleBook(GoldenPress,Inc.),©1958,p.155CharlesPerrault(1628-1703),aFrenchauthorwhowroteLittleRedRidingHood,Cinderella,PussinBoots,andTheSleepingBeautybasedonpre-existingfolktales.