The Cloud Castle

THE LEGEND OF THE SLEEP FAIRIES

"Good evening, my dear guests," said the fairy in a voice as musical as a lullaby.
   "Good evening to you, Sleep Fairy," Ariette replied.
   "OH, a WEAVER FAIRY in these woods. What a surprise!" the fairy marveled.
   "We are in the middle of a difficult situation, Sleep Fairy," Ariette said. "Our friend Paulina breathed in pollen from this blue flower and now she has fallen asleep."
   "Can you please help us wake her up?" Nicky asked.
   The fairy shook her head. "I am sorry, but I can't."
   "How long will she sleep for?" Colette asked.

"She will wake up by herself, after having dreamed and rested," the fairy replied.
   "But we are on an important mission. We can't wait," Will said. 
   "I am sorry," said fairy.
   "Your friend's sleep is VERY GOOD for her."
   "But there must be some way to wake her!" Collette said. 

The fairy smiled. "You can try."
   Colette shook Paulina's shoulder. "WAKE UP!" she said loudly. "It's me, Colette. We have to go!"

But Paulina continued to sleep deeply.
   Ariette looked up at the sky. "The STAR STORM is passing. The way is clear to Fairywing Village. I'm afraid we must leave her here."
   "We can't. I will stay with her," Colette said.

Maybe the fairy felt sorry for them, because then she said, "Actually, there may be one way to wake your friend."
   "What's that?" Will asked.
   "There is a LEGEND," the fairy began. "One night, a beautiful fairy asleep under a blue flower just like this one. She didn't wake up the next day, or the next. When one pf her sisters realized she was missing, she went out to search for her and found her here, in the SLEEP FLOWER WOODS.

"The sister tried o wake her, but without success," the fairy went on. "So she called on a young elf, a close friend of her sister's. She asked him to wake her sleeping sister, and though the elf didn't know what to do, he agreed to try.

So he knelt next to the fairy and kissed her hand-- and the fairy opened her eyes!"
   "What a ROMANTIC story!" Colette said.
    "It is a beautiful legend," said the Sleep Fairy, "an we believe that it may be based on truth, like all legends. Only a true and PURE AFFECTION can awaken those fallen into a deep sleep."

   "Yes, but how does that help us?" Ariette asked.
Collette  and Nicky looked at each other and smiled.
   "We might have an idea," Colette said.
   "Maybe Will could try to re-create the legend," said Nicky.
   Will blushed. "Me? I don't know if that will work."
   "You're the closest thing we've got to an elf," Colette said. "And you have a STRONG CONNECTION with Paulina."
   

Will nodded. "I'll try."
   He knelt next to Paulina, Picked up her paw, and gently kissed it. Nothing happened right away. But soon Paulina's eyelids began to flutter! Very slowly. she opened her eyes. Will quickly let go of her paw.
   "HOORAY!" Nicky cheered.
Paulina yawned, "What happened to me?"
   "You fell asleep," Colette added.
   "A DEEP, DEEP sleep," Collette added.
   "But now you're fine," Will concluded. "That's all that matters."
   Paulina nodded. "Yes, I only remember that I was having a good dream."
   Her friends smiled.
   "We must go," Will urged them. Then he  turned to the Sleep Fairy. "THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART."
   "It was nothing," the fairy said. "I only told you a story."
   Will, Paulina, Nicky, and Collette mounted the unicorns again. Then Ariette flew ahead, and they followed her to FAIRYWING VILLAGE.