The Children's Fairy
by Various · from The Diamond Fairy Book
Adapted Version
Yvette is a little girl. She has no toys. She is often alone. Her mother calls her. "Come, Yvette, play outside!" Yvette goes out. The road is empty. No friends are there. The sun shines. Yvette feels lonely. She has no ball. She has no doll. Yvette feels very sad. What can she do now?
The Kind Fairy sees Yvette. Yvette is very sad. The Kind Fairy wants to help her. She has a magic wand. It is a golden wand. It sparkles brightly. She waves it. She waves it over some stones. The stones are now special stones. Yvette does not see the fairy.
Yvette sees a small stone. It looks like a baby. She picks it up. "My baby girl!" she says. She holds it close. She wraps it in her dress. The stone feels warm. "You are pretty," she says. She pretends to feed it. "Eat your food." She rocks her baby. "No, no, be good," she says softly. Yvette is very happy.
Yvette plays with her baby girl. She wants a new game. "You are a boy now," she says. "My boy baby!" The stone is a boy. He moves a lot. He does not sit still. He is a strong boy. "Be still, boy baby," Yvette says. "Boys are strong. Eat your food. Grow big and strong."
Yvette talks to her boy baby. "Be good," she says. "Or the wolf will come!" A big dog comes. He runs fast. He wags his tail. He looks very happy. He is The Playful Dog. Yvette sees him. "Oh, no! The wolf!" she cries. She is very scared. The dog comes closer. He barks softly.
Yvette is very scared. She drops her boy baby. The stone falls to the ground. She runs fast. She runs to her house. The Playful Dog barks. "Woof! Woof!" He wants to play. Yvette hides. She hides in a corner. She thinks the wolf is near. She is very afraid. Her heart beats fast. Her hands shake.
Yvette waits. She is quiet. She peeks out. The Playful Dog is gone. The road is empty again. She hears a new sound. Ding-dong! Ding-dong! It is bells. A big waggon comes. Horses pull the waggon. It comes down the road. Yvette watches it carefully.
The waggon comes closer. Yvette looks at the road. Oh, no! Her boy baby is there! It is a small stone. The waggon wheels are big. They are very heavy. They go over the stone. Crunch! The stone breaks into pieces. Her boy baby is gone. Yvette is very sad. She cries loudly.
Yvette cries. She is very sad. Her boy baby is broken. The waggon man drives away. He does not stop. Yvette looks at him. She is cross. "Bad man!" she says. Tears run down her face. She is very unhappy. Her heart hurts.
Yvette looks at the stones. She sees another one. It looks like a baby. It looks like a girl. It has a smooth shape. She picks it up. She kisses it gently. "My new baby girl!" she says. She is happy again. The waggon is far away. Yvette smiles. She has a new baby. She can play again. Her sadness is gone.
Original Story
The Children's Fairy.
IT was a dull, heavy afternoon, and the long, dusty road looked quite deserted, not a horse or even a foot-passenger in sight. The birds were taking their afternoon siesta, and the leaves were hanging down languidly from the poor trees, which were dying with thirst. There were three solitary-looking, tumble-down cottages on one side of the road, and presently the door of one of them opened, and a woman's voice called out:
"Come, Yvette, come, go out and play."
In answer to this summons a little girl of some three or four years old soon appeared, and with great difficulty on all fours began to descend the steep steps from the house to the footpath. It was quite a piece of work, that perilous descent, and it was accomplished slowly, carefully, and very awkwardly by what looked like nothing but a bundle of clothes.
The child had on a little bonnet made of two pieces of figured muslin sewn together, and from which a few tresses of fair hair which had escaped fell over her forehead and down the back of her neck. Her little frock had been lengthened many times, and, consequently, the waist was now up under the arms, like one sees in the Empire dresses. As to shoes and stockings—well, it was not very cold, and so they were put away for a future occasion.
When once she had reached the bottom of the steps, the child stood upright and looked round for a minute or two, evidently deep in thought, with her little finger pressed against her face. Play! Yes, it was all very well, but what should she play at?
At the very time when the poor little mite was turning this question over in her mind, hundreds of other children, accompanied by their mother or by their nurse, would be all out in the gardens or parks, and they would have with them all kinds of games and toys, from the favourite spade and bucket to a real little steam-boat, which would sail along on the ponds. They would have cannons, skipping-ropes, reins (all covered with little bells), hoops, battledores and shuttlecocks, bowls, marbles, balls, balloons, dolls of every description, pistols, guns, swords, and, in fact, everything that the heart of a child can desire.
Then, too, those other children nearly always had little playmates, so that it was easy enough to organise a game.
But, Yvette—on that deserted road, what could she do? Her father, a poor road-mender, earned only just enough to make a bare living for his wife and child, and certainly not a halfpenny could be spared for toys.
"DEEP IN THOUGHT" (p. 116).
Yvette sat down just near a great heap of stones, which her father had to break into small pieces in order to fill in the ruts. When she was comfortably installed, she began to fumble in her pocket, and there she certainly found all kinds of wonderful things: two cherry-stones, a piece of string, a small carrot, a shoe-button, a small penny knife, a little bit of blue braid and some crumbs of bread. Now, these were all very nice in their way, and were indeed very valuable articles, but somehow they did not appeal to Yvette at all just then. She put them all very carefully back one by one in her pocket.
Then there was a profound silence. Yvette was not happy. The little face puckered itself up into a significant grimace—the little nose was all screwed up, and the mouth was just opening—tears were surely on the way! Just at that moment, fortunately, the Children's Fairy was passing by.
Now you, perhaps, do not know about this Fairy, for no one ever sees her, but it is the very one which makes children smile in their dreams, and gives them all kinds of pretty thoughts. There is no limit to the power of this Fairy, for, with a stroke of her magic wand, she can transform things just as she wishes. She is very good and kind-hearted, and the proof is that she bestows her favours more generally on the poor and unfortunate than on others.
Well, this good Fairy saw that Yvette was just going to cry. She stretched her golden wand out over the heap of stones and then flew away again, laughing, for she was just as light and as gay as a ray of sunshine.
Now, directly the Fairy had gone, it seemed to the road-mender's little daughter that one of the big stones near her had a face, and that it was dressed just like a little baby. Oh, it was really just like a little baby! Yvette stretched out her hand, took the stone up, and immediately began to feel for it all the love which a mother feels for her child.
"SHE STRETCHED HER GOLDEN WAND OVER THE HEAP OF STONES" (p. 118).
"Ah!" she said to it, cuddling it up in her arms; "do you want to be my little girl? You don't speak—oh! but that is because you are too young—but I see you would like to. Very well, then; I will be your mother, and I shall love you and never whip you. You must be good, though, and then I shall never scold you. Oh! but if you are not good—you know, I've got a birch rod. Now, come, I'm going to dress you better: you look dreadful in that frock." Hereupon Yvette rolled her child up in her pinafore, so that there was nothing to be seen of the stone but what was supposed to be the baby's head.
"Oh! how pretty she is, dear little thing. There, now, she shall have something to eat. Ah! you are crying—but you must not cry, my pretty one—there, there." And the hard stone was rocked gently in the soft little arms of its fond mother.
"Bye-bye, baby—bye-bye-bye." Yvette sang with all her might, tapping her little daughter's back energetically, but evidently all to no purpose, for the stone refused to go to sleep. "Ah! naughty girl; you won't go to sleep? Oh no, I won't tell you any more stories. I have told you Tom Thumb, and that's quite enough for to-night. Go to sleep—quick—quick, I say. Oh, dear, dear, naughty child—I've got a knife—what! you are crying again! If you only knew how ugly you are when you cry! There! now I'm going to slap you—take that, and that, and that, to make you quiet. Oh dear, how dreadful it is to have such a child. I believe I'll change you, and have a boy. Now, just say you are sorry for being so naughty——What! you won't? I'll give you another chance. Now—one—two—three. Oh, very well. I know what I shall do. I shall just go and take you back. I shall say: 'If you please, I've got a dreadful little girl, and I want to change her for a nice little boy, named Eugene.' And then they'll say: 'Yes, ma'am; will you have him with light hair or dark?' 'Oh,' I shall say, 'I don't mind, as long as he is good.' 'He'll be very dear, though, ma'am,' they'll say; 'good little boys are very rare, and they cost a great deal.' 'How much?' I shall ask. 'Why, one penny, ma'am.' And then I shall think about it——Now, then, are you going to be good, and say you are sorry? No? Oh! very well—it's too late now—I've changed you. I have no little girl now, but a very pretty little boy, named Zizi."
"OH! HOW PRETTY SHE IS" (p. 120).
The stone immediately underwent a complete transformation. Just now, when it was a little girl, it had been very quiet and gentle, and had kept quite still on Yvette's lap. Now that it was a boy there was no more peace: it would jump about, and it would try to get away, for boys are always so restless.
"Zizi, will you be still, and will you stay on my lap instead of tumbling about in the road? There, let me lift you up! Oh, dear! how heavy boys are. There, now, don't you stir, but just eat your bread and milk. It will make you grow, and then when you are big you'll have beautiful grey whiskers, like father. You shall have a sword, too, and perhaps you shall be a policeman. It's very nice to be a policeman, you know, because they are never put in prison—they take other people there if the people make a noise in the street. Oh, Zizi, do keep still. If you don't, I'll call the wolf—you know, the big wolf that runs off with little children and takes them into the woods to eat them up. Wolf, wolf, where are you?"
Just at that moment a dog appeared—a large, well-fed, happy-looking dog, impudent too, and full of fun. He belonged to a carrier who was always moving about from place to place, and the dog, accustomed as he was to these constant journeys, had got rather familiar, like certain commercial travellers, who, no matter where they are, always make themselves quite at home.
Now, the dog had got tired of following his master's cart, and when he saw something in the distance which was moving about, he bounded off to discover what it was. This something was Yvette and her little boy.
"Look, look!" exclaimed the small mother, and there was a tremor in her voice. "You see, he is coming—the big wolf!"
He was coming, there was no doubt about that, for he was tearing along, and his tongue was hanging out and his ears were pricked up.
The little stone boy was not at all frightened, but Yvette began to regret having called the dreadful animal. Oh! if she could only get away now; but, alas! she did not dare to move or even to speak.
"THE IMPERTINENT DOG CAME STRAIGHT TO THEM" (p. 123).
The impertinent dog came straight to them. Poor Yvette, half frightened to death, threw away the precious stone baby she had been fondling, and, picking herself up, began to run, calling out: "Mother! Mother!"
The dog was quite near her, jumping up at her, and then suddenly he turned to go and sniff at the little stone boy. He probably thought it was a bone or a piece of bread, but he was soon undeceived, and then he rushed to the hedge to bark and wake up all the birds.
As to Yvette, she was hurrying along as fast as her little legs could carry her, for she was in despair, as she thought the wolf was just behind her, and she imagined that she still felt his hot breath on her little hand. She stopped when she got to the steps of her home, for she was out of breath and all trembling with terror, and she felt sure that if she tried to scramble up the steps the wolf would bite her legs. Suddenly the inspiration, which the ostrich once had, came to her, and she rushed into the corner which was formed by the front of the house and the stone steps, and holding her face close to the wall, so that she could not see the dreadful animal, she was convinced that she too was out of his sight.
She stayed there some minutes in perfect anguish, thinking: "Oh! if I move, he'll eat me up!" She was quite surprised even that he did not find her, and that his great teeth did not bite her, for she always thought wolves were so quick to eat up little girls. Whatever could he be doing? And then, not hearing any sound of him, she thought she would risk one peep round. Very slowly she turned her head, and then, as nothing dreadful happened, she grew bolder and bolder.
The wolf was not in sight, and instead of the barking which had terrified her, she now heard a lot of little bells tinkling, and in the distance she saw a waggon with four horses coming along.
The sound of the bells was so fascinating that Yvette forgot her duty as a mother, and stood there watching the waggon as it approached.
The horses were all grey, and they were coming so fast. Suddenly the child uttered an awe-struck cry.
Her child, her little son, was under the heavy wheels! Crunch! crunch! and it had gone by, the horrible waggon. Yvette went on to the horse-road, and her little heart was very full; for there, where poor Zizi had been lying, there was only some yellowish crunched stone. Zizi had been ground into powder by the huge wheels. The poor child was in despair, and, with tears in her eyes, she shook her little fists at the carrier, who was whipping up his horses.
"HER CHILD, HER LITTLE SON, WAS UNDER THE HEAVY WHEELS!"
"Cruel, wicked man!" she cried, and then her eyes happening to fall on the heap of stones which had supplied her with a family, she saw another stone smiling at her now. She ran quickly to it, picked it up and kissed it affectionately, and then, happy in her new treasure, she cried out defiantly to the carrier, whom she could still see in the distance: "Ah! I don't care! I've got another—there, then! and it's a girl this time. I won't have any more dreadful boys to be afraid of wolves, and to go and get themselves killed just to make their poor mother unhappy."
Oh! kind, good Fairy, you who watch over the children, and who give them their happiness and console them in sorrow when they are playing at life—oh, good Fairy, do not forget your big children.
Older men tell me that I am young, but the younger ones do not think so; and I, myself, saw, only this morning, a silver thread in my hairs. Oh, kind Fairy, Fairy of the children, help me, too, to believe that the moon is made of green cheese; for, after all, our happiness here below consists in our faith and in our illusions.
Story DNA
Plot Summary
Yvette, a poor little girl with no toys, is sent out to play on a deserted road. The benevolent Children's Fairy, seeing her sadness, magically transforms a heap of stones into imaginary babies for Yvette. Yvette joyfully plays mother, scolding and nurturing her stone-children, even 'changing' their gender. When a real dog frightens her, she abandons her 'son' Zizi, who is then tragically crushed by a passing waggon. Despite her grief, Yvette quickly finds another 'smiling' stone and adopts a new 'daughter,' demonstrating the enduring power of her imagination to create happiness amidst hardship.
Themes
Emotional Arc
loneliness to imaginative joy to fear to renewed joy
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects the harsh realities of poverty for children in pre-industrial times, where imagination was often their only toy.
Plot Beats (10)
- Yvette, a poor child with no toys, is sent out to play on a deserted road and struggles to find something to do.
- The unseen Children's Fairy, noticing Yvette's sadness, uses her magic wand to transform a heap of stones.
- Yvette picks up a stone, perceives it as a baby girl, and begins to play mother, dressing, feeding, and scolding it.
- Frustrated with her 'naughty' girl-baby, Yvette 'changes' it into a boy-baby named Zizi, who is more active.
- Yvette playfully warns Zizi about a wolf, and a large, playful dog approaches, which Yvette mistakes for a wolf.
- Terrified, Yvette abandons Zizi and runs home, hiding in a corner, convinced the wolf is still pursuing her.
- After a period of fear, Yvette cautiously peeks out and sees the dog is gone, replaced by the sound of bells from an approaching waggon.
- Yvette watches the waggon, then realizes her stone-baby, Zizi, is in its path and is crushed by the wheels.
- Distraught, Yvette cries and shakes her fist at the carrier.
- Yvette then spots another smiling stone in the heap, picks it up, and immediately adopts it as a new 'girl' baby, regaining her happiness and defying the carrier.
Characters
Yvette
A very small girl, around three or four years old, with a slight build. Her movements are awkward and careful, especially when navigating steps, suggesting a lack of grace or perhaps a cautious nature due to her young age. She is described as 'a bundle of clothes' due to her oversized and mended attire.
Attire: A small bonnet made of two pieces of figured muslin sewn together. Her little frock has been lengthened many times, resulting in a high 'Empire' waistline, sitting up under her arms. She wears no shoes or stockings, indicating her family's poverty and the warm weather. Later, she uses her pinafore to wrap her 'baby'.
Wants: To play and find companionship, to nurture and care for her 'children', and to escape loneliness and boredom.
Flaw: Her extreme youth makes her vulnerable to fear and unable to distinguish fantasy from reality, leading to genuine terror. Her poverty also limits her opportunities for play.
Yvette starts as a lonely child on the verge of tears due to boredom. Through the Fairy's intervention, she finds joy and purpose in imaginative play, experiencing the full spectrum of maternal emotions—love, frustration, fear, and grief. She learns resilience and the ability to find happiness despite loss, quickly replacing her 'lost' child with a new one.
Imaginative, resourceful (despite lacking toys), maternal, easily frightened, expressive, and resilient. She quickly adapts to new 'children' and expresses strong emotions.
Children's Fairy
Invisible to human eyes, but described as light and gay as a ray of sunshine, implying an ethereal and radiant presence.
Attire: Not visible, but her presence is associated with light and joy.
Wants: To bring happiness, imagination, and consolation to children, especially those in need, by sparking their creativity and making them smile in their dreams.
Flaw: None explicitly stated; her power seems limitless within her domain.
Remains a consistent, benevolent force throughout the story, acting as a catalyst for Yvette's imaginative play. She does not change.
Good, kind-hearted, benevolent, playful, and powerful. She specifically favors the poor and unfortunate.
Dog
A large, well-fed, and happy-looking dog. He is described as 'impertinent' and 'full of fun', with his tongue hanging out and ears pricked up when running.
Attire: None, as he is a dog.
Wants: Curiosity and playfulness; he is drawn to movement and new scents.
Flaw: None explicitly stated, but his curiosity leads him to investigate the stone, which is harmless.
He serves as a catalyst for Yvette's fear and the abandonment of her 'child'. He does not undergo any personal change.
Curious, playful, energetic, and somewhat mischievous ('impertinent'). He is accustomed to travel and makes himself at home anywhere.
Locations
Long, Dusty Road with Cottages
A dull, heavy afternoon scene on a long, dusty road, completely deserted. Three solitary, tumble-down cottages line one side. The poor trees along the road have languid, thirst-stricken leaves. The ground is dry and dusty, with ruts that need filling.
Mood: Desolate, quiet, poor, lonely, oppressive heat
Yvette is sent out to play, finds the stone that becomes her 'baby', and later experiences the 'death' of her stone child.
Corner by House Steps
A tight corner formed by the front wall of Yvette's cottage and the stone steps leading up to its door. It's a small, enclosed space, offering a perceived hiding spot.
Mood: Terrified, confined, anxious, desperate for safety
Yvette hides here, convinced the 'wolf' (dog) is still pursuing her, pressing her face against the wall in terror.