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Petya Georgieva, 46 years old, is participating in the 6th International Literary Creation Competition, from Sofia, Bulgaria. We are grateful for the participation and wish her success.

The Adventures of the Fairy Lantern. Christmas Lantern

Hi, kids! I’m Lantern, the brightest fairy in the world. Today I’m going to tell you the story of the day I was born.
Have you ever heard of Twinklebugsland? 
No?
Well then, let’s read about it together, how about that?

In a faraway land there once lived tiny twinkling people. Their houses were small and green, just like them, and were always surrounded by many flowers. On Sparkle Street, in the greenest house of all, lived Mama Candescent and Papa Candle. 

In the times before I was born, the Twinklebugsland was ruled by dark and gloomy forces, and fewer and fewer children were born. I mean, who would want to live in complete darkness? 

But then King Twinklebug II brought back the sun, and the world became green again, and the flowers started blooming in orange and yellow, green and purple, blue and pink.

One day dawn came and everything was blanketed in white. The twinklebugs came out of their houses to see what was going on and... Oh, dear! What could this be? 
The flowers and grass had disappeared, all covered up with something white and cold. Very, very cold.

The residents of Twinklebugsland had never felt cold before. They didn't know what to do about it.

They went back into their homes and began to talk it over. Each gave ideas as to what that white thing could be, but in truth, nobody knew. They chose Papa Candle, who was the cleverest of all, and sent him before the king.

“Your Majesty,” he began, “what is the white blanket that has covered everything around us?”

“That, Mr. Candle, that is snow. The Weather Wizard, who just recently started working for us, invented it. He says  it can’t always be warm. Sometimes it has to be cold so that the grass and flowers can get a bit of sleep and the sun’s rays can rest. From now on, around Christmas each year, the white blanket will appear. It will stay with us for a certain time, then it will travel on to other lands. Tell the people not to be afraid. Soon there will be flowers again, even more beautiful than before. The Weather Wizard also promised strawberries and cherries – although I don’t know what they are, he claims they are sweet and tasty.”

“Thank you, your Majesty!” Papa Candle bowed. “I will tell them. And what shall we do while we wait for the flowers and warmth to come back?”

“Stay at home and I will send you warmth. The Weather Wizard has invented something else. Look over here.”

Papa Candle turned and saw a huge red-orange blaze flickering forth from a box made of stone. 

“Get closer,” said the king.

Papa Candle approached the flame and felt its heat. He stretched his fingers toward it but the thing burned him and he jumped back, frightened.

“Do not be afraid,” smiled the king. “It’s exactly the same as the light that shines inside you, Father Candle, but it’s bigger and it’s called fire. It will heat us while the white blanket is here. I will send one such stone box to each house in the kingdom. 

Papa Candle returned to Sparkle Street and told his neighbors of the new wonders. They were relieved by the news, and he went home to tell his wife.

Over the next two years  the twinklebugs got used to the changes in the weather. They learned how to knit warm hats and thick mittens. More and more children were born and they grew up playing in the snow and making big snow-people.

One day Mama Candescent was knitting new mittens for Papa Candle. He was always losing his.

He noticed her eyes welling up with tears. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m sad. Look how many kids there are on our street. It makes me so happy to be surrounded by them during the daytime, but at night they go home to their parents and I feel so alone.”

“But I’m here with you,” said Papa Candle.

“Of course you are! I am happy when we are together, but I want to have a child.”

“Please, don’t cry. Tomorrow I will go before the king and I will ask the Weather Wizard to give us a magical seed that will bring a small light into our lives.”

The king had taken a liking to Papa Candle and immediately granted his wish. The Weather Wizard had amassed a great stockpile of magical seeds, which fed on sunshine and wind, fruits and flowers, and each year became more and more numerous. This was the secret to why more children were being born in the Twinklebugsland.

Mama Candescent was overjoyed. Her belly grew bigger every month. Inside her was growing a little light, as Papa Candle would say. She sewed little clothes and knitted little hats. Soon the birthday was imminent. 

Two weeks before Christmas, Papa Candle was on his way home from a long trip. As he was walking along, he could smell snow in the air. Soon the earth would once again be covered with the white blanket. He was just reaching Sparkle Street and gazing into the big green house radiating its bright light from within, when...

Plop! Something landed next to him. He turned and saw a large sack. He took it and looked around. He didn’t see anyone. He opened the sack and peeked inside. It was empty. Just as he had decided to tie it with the thick rope from around his waist and leave it with the other trash at the end of the street, something moved inside it. He looked again, and out jumped the sorcerer Fear. He spun and whirled and huffed and puffed and raised so much dust that Papa Candle could no longer see anything. 

“What are you doing?” cried Papa Candle.

“I have come to take over your kingdom.”

“What is it to you? Here it is bright and warm, with many flowers and fruits. You live in darkness and grayness and bring them with you wherever you go.”

“I’m sick of gray. I want colors. That is why I shall conquer your kingdom and live most wonderfully,” the sorcerer Fear ranted.

“No! You have no place here,” said Papa Candle. “You’ll just turn our land into yet another gray desert. Nothing colorful can withstand your presence. The flowers will wither and die. The children will lose their inner light. Every tree, bush and blade of grass will rot. We do not wish to live in a gray wasteland where nothing can thrive. Be gone!”

At this the sorcerer simply chuckled.  And then his many children began to spring out of the sack. They bounded up and down the street, shrieking with laughter, jumping and climbing on the houses, yanking, shoving and shouting. They left a wake of rubble of green stones. It was a good thing that the flowers and fruits were already asleep for the winter. At least they were saved from the invasion of the Fears.

It only took one day for Fear and his progeny to lay waste to all of Glowland and it indeed turned dark and gray. The people hardly dared to go outside, and if they couldn't avoid it, they would make sure to get back home as quickly as possible.  Whoever saw Night Terror on the street would dream terrible dreams the whole night. Seeing Wail, on the other hand, would cause the victim to shed bitter tears for two days. But the most feared of all was Dread, who was the firstborn son of Fear. After his visits children would tremble and weep for days on end. Their only solace was Mama Candescent, who succeeded in calming them with her songs and warm hugs.

King Twinklebug II had managed to escape to a distant land. From there he sent secret messages to Papa Candle:

"Tell the people not to fear. The Weather Wizard and I are hatching a plan of action. Soon everything will be like it was before. We are coming to free you on Christmas day - be ready!"

Papa Candle notified all of his neighbors and the word began to spread. But on the night before Christmas two of Fear's sons, Night Terror and Dread, came to arrest Papa Candle. He was accused of treason.

Mama Candescent let out a cry and fell to the ground. Papa Candle managed to free himself from the Fears' grip and ran to her. 

"Let me stay with her! Tomorrow I will turn myself in. Please, I beg you, let me stay and help her for one day. She'll give birth any moment now."

"No!" shouted Dread.

"I beg you. Stay outside the door if you wish. Just let me help her."

Dread and Night Terror stepped outside for several minutes to discuss the matter. There was a great deal of shrieking and yelling from both of them, but in the end they agreed to stay and guard the door.

The birth took all night. Papa Candle lit a fire, brought water and called over the woman who had helped with the births of many other children on Sparkle Street. Very early in the morning, just when the sun was about to dawn over Twinklebugsland, Papa Candle and Mama Candescent's child was born.

At the exact moment when that little girl appeared, bright light shone in many wings about her, and thousands of twinklebugs appeared to celebrate her birth. They carried away all the gray that had accumulated on Sparkle Street. The Fears took off running back to their own lands and hid away in their deep caves. The further they ran, the more the wings of light multiplied.

A few hours later none other than King Twinklebug II came walking down the street and directly into the house of Papa Candle. He leaned over the cradle where their little daughter was sleeping.

"Well done, Mr. Candle! Well done, Mrs. Candescent! You are heroes."

"Thank you, your Highness," they both said.  Their daughter opened her eyes and once again the thousands of twinklebugs beamed around her. The entire room shimmered, and outside the first snowflakes began to fall.

"What a miracle! What shall you call your daughter?" asked the Weather Wizard.

"Lantern," said Mama Candescent.

"Christmas Lantern!" said the king.

That's the story of how I was born.  As for how I became a fairy, we'll save that story for next time. See you soon, and good night!