Once upon a time, there was a caravan outside a small village by the river. Every night, people would gather around the fire to listen to the tales of the past. The campfire's sparks danced their way to the stars, and the wind carried the words far and wide so that one day these magical tales could reach you.
Long time ago, in a faraway kingdom, past the curly-tailed piglet, at the foot of the Glass Mountain, there lived a young Gypsy girl named Vespera. She was known far and wide for her warm heart and kind nature. Her long black hair flowed like silk over her shoulders, and her eyes were the deep chestnut brown kissed by the sunlight of the golden autumn.
One hot afternoon, when the sun blazed high in the sky, Vespera decided to take a barefoot stroll down to the lake. As she walked along the path, she thought it was time to dip her feet into the lake’s cool water, when something shiny caught her eye. Peeking out of the muddy bank was a golden fish, stranded too close to shore and unable to swim back to safety.
“Don’t be afraid, little fish,” Vespera whispered. “I’ll help you.”
Then she gently picked up the shimmering creature and placed it back in the water. The fish twirled, glinted once like a bow of gratitude, and disappeared into the deep.
Unbeknown to Vespera, hidden among the reeds were fairies who had been watching her help the golden fish. Hoping she might be kind to them too, they fluttered to her on tiny wings and began to plead:
“Our fairy princess has been taken by a wicked goblin. He has done so much mischief that sleep no longer comes to him. He needed dream-dust, and this afternoon, while we fluttered through the meadows, he snatched the princess and dragged her away to his cave. We’ve been searching for someone brave and warm-hearted enough to rescue her. We saw you return the golden fish to the water—surely, you have a good soul. Please, help us.”
Without hesitation, Vespera nodded. The fairies flew back to Fairyland to tell the Fairy King, and Vespera set off on her journey to rescue the fairy princess.
The road was long, but Vespera felt no fear. Her desire to help made her feel brave. Before long, she reached the edge of a forest, where she heard the sorrowful sound of weeping. Beneath the shade of a great oak tree, she found a vixen, crying bitterly.
“What’s wrong?” Vespera asked.
“I went out hunting,” said the vixen, “and when I returned, my four cubs had run off. I can’t find them anywhere.”
“Let’s search for them together,” Vespera said reassuringly.
They looked high and low, among the trees and under the bushes. At last, all four mischievous cubs were found, safe and sound, not a whisker harmed. The vixen’s eyes filled with gratitude, and with emotion, she bowed her head to Vespera.
“Thank you for helping me find my playful little ones. In return, if you’re ever in trouble on your journey, whistle three times. Wherever you are, I’ll come to your aid.”
Vespera thanked the vixen, gave each cub a little pat on the head, and continued her journey. As she walked, she came upon a bird with a broken wing.
“Don’t cry,” Vespera said. “I’ll bandage your wing. You’ll heal soon and fly again.”
And so she did. She took the ribbon from her hair and gently wrapped the bird’s wing. The bird chirped joyfully:
“Thank you, kind-hearted girl, for stopping to help a broken-winged bird. In return, if you ever find yourself in trouble, clap your hands three times. Wherever you are, I’ll come and help you.”
Vespera thanked the bird for its kindness and continued her journey toward the goblin’s cave. She walked on and on, until she came to a dense thicket. There, caught in the middle of a thorny bush, was a magnificent steed, tangled in the branches and unable to break free.
“I’ll help you,” said Vespera, and with careful yet firm movements, she pushed the branches aside until the horse was free.
“Thank you for helping me,” said the horse in a deep, calm voice. “In return, if you’re ever in danger, stomp your right foot three times. No matter where you are, I’ll come to your side.”
Vespera continued on, and by sunset, she reached the goblin’s cave. Before stepping into the darkness, she whistled three times—the vixen came to her aid. Then she clapped three times—the bird flew to her shoulder. Finally, she stomped her right foot three times—and the noble steed galloped to her side.
The four brave friends entered the cave together to free the fairy princess. Their shadow was so fearsome that when the goblin saw them—vixen, bird, horse, and human together—he shrieked in terror. He had never seen anything like it. He ran and ran, so far and so fast, that if he hasn’t gotten tired, he might still be running to this very day.
Vespera hurried to the fairy princess, who embraced her with relief, finally freed from the goblin’s clutches.
A grand celebration was held in Fairyland to welcome the princess home. The fairies sang and danced with joy, and they placed a crown of flowers on Vespera’s head.
The Fairy King and Queen embraced their daughter, and Vespera received a special honor. For her bravery and kind heart, the fairies welcomed her as one of their own—and so Vespera became the very first Gypsy Dream Fairy.
And so it came to be, dear reader, that every night, Vespera the Dream Fairy sets out with her satchel filled with dream-dust. She travels the world, seeking out Gypsy children, and sprinkles dust upon their eyes so they may fall into sweet slumber—and dream the world anew.
The End.
Written by: BB
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