The Money Fairies

Dear friends,

There is a tale: On certain lucid mornings, before even farmers awaken, the fairies emerge from the edge of the forest. On the sloping hills, with the first strokes of sun, these fairies dry the gold and paper money that they create at night in their underground dwellings.

One morning the fairies were surprised by two boys walking by, who must have woke up very early indeed, or else never slept. The boys gazed longingly at the newly minted treasure, and so the fairies, in a good-natured mood, told them to take what they like.

One of the boys filled his coat pockets with gold, and stuffed his socks and hat with paper. He then bowed to the fairies, and left. The other ran to town as fast as he could, to look for a horse and a cart.

But when the boy returned the fairies were no longer there, and had hidden their riches underground.

(Only a tale today. The words I had wanted to tell you are still lost in another part of the forest.)

~ ~ ~

The painting is by Peter Paul Rubens, 1635