It was a beautiful sunny day; little fluffy clouds were floating across the blue sky blown gently by the soft gentle summer breeze.  Bianca the white cat was stretched out in the shade of the big oak tree, she was dreaming of her dinner, a big bowl of freshly cooked chicken which surely would be ready soon.  Nearby, in the flower bed, Belinda the butterfly was resting on a pretty white daisy, she was thinking how warm the sun was and decided that she would stay there just a little bit longer. Buzzzzz buzz it was Bertie the bee, he was thinking how lazy everyone was, sitting about and sleeping, he had to fetch a lot more pollen before he could rest.

 

Very slowly Bianca opened her eye and saw Belinda calmly opening and closing her wings. “I will catch that butterfly” she thought, “I shall have such fun chasing her”.  She got up and slowly and silently made her way towards the spot where Belinda was basking in the sun. Neither of them had seen Fairy Sweetpea, a  very young fairy who was learning how to be  one of Fairy  Bluebell helpers, high up in the tree watching over the garden humming a little tune to herself. Suddenly she saw Bianca and knew what she was going to do, in a second she turned herself into a butterfly and flew down in front of Bianca’s nose. Of course Fairy Sweetpea was now a magic butterfly and could fly as fast as she wanted. “I will teach that cat a lesson” she said to herself and flew round and round the garden with Bianca jumping and leaping over plants. 

 

Bertie the bee was just about to take some more pollen out of a golden marigold flower when a butterfly flew past and a white cat leapt after her knocking the marigold and Bertie down to the ground, he was sure he heard the butterfly laughing. Belinda the butterfly quickly flew off to find Fairy Bluebell and Fairy Poppy to help the crushed flowers and Bertie who had a broken wing. In an instance they appeared and with a wave of a magic wand Sweetpea and Bianca had been turned into little garden statues. Whilst Fairy Bluebell carefully mended Bertie’s wing, Fairy Poppy mended the flowers until all of them were once more standing up straight and turning their faces happily to the sun. Another wave of the wand and Bianca was turned once more into a cat. “Now Bianca please don’t chase any more butterflies nor knock anymore flowers to the ground, poor Bertie was hurt, you know”. Bianca hung her head and said she was very sorry and quickly turned and ran inside her house to have her dinner, that delicious bowl of chicken.  One more wave of the wand and Fairy Sweetpea was back to being herself again. She had learnt that she must not use her magic to tease cats and she was there to help the insects and animals. She too was very sorry but Fairy Bluebell gave her a big hug and then all three fairies began to sing their song and the garden flowers swayed together to the soft, gentle music.

 

Very soon the sun had gone and the moon and stars were dancing over the sky. Bianca was sleeping happily in her bed dreaming of that lovely chicken dinner. The flowers had closed their petals and were asleep and Bertie bee was back in the bee hive with his mended wing telling everyone of his adventure. Little Fairy Sweetpea was sleeping soundly with the other young fairies and Poppy and Bluebell continued to keep watch over the garden. It was the end of a busy day for them and they sang together until all were asleep.  

 

Barbara Marshall