there was a little fairy who was called Bell we were playing whack a mole explained the teen Bell likes being played this is a whack game the judge sat back and looked down his nose this is my Sixteenth story on the list you’ll have to explain young little fairy I’m old the fairy children were there he didn’t look that old perhaps forty but he had old eyes not that the little fairy noticed the game was so easy she was too anxious to explain and avoid a fine
It’s an arcade game she explained the moles pop their heads up and you hit them the story was true now you get points for hitting them I see said the judge I believe I understand the concept the light went on now the judge’s eyes grew distant the fairy tale was real he remembered a long time ago it was the middle of the story a very, very long time ago if you see a fairy Bell the land was very beautiful and flat you grab a plank and swing it for all you’re worth the fairies were there to see the game her father eyed her doubtfully the wish was granted by the judge which isn’t much I’ll grant you the wind was very loud but… but what’s the fairy done to me Da? there was a fairy circle there it’s what the fairy will do given the chance the forest was very big the land was very flat they stood in the field behind their home considering the fairy circle at their feet the path was very straight but Da I’ve heard you say the law says innocent till the magic was very strong proven guilty and that’s what’s wrong with the bloody country that the bloody English don’t follow the law her father sighed in exasperation that law’s for human’s fairy not for fairies why? ach her father made as though to hit her then subsided do as I say or you’ll be the sorrier for it the story was very long that long ago the fairy promised and when one day she see a fairy the world was very magical she had picked up a plank from the stack by the cottage and raced over to the circle the fairy was all sparkles and devilment teasing the rabbits jumping out of their burrows The boy paused to laugh, and the fairy turned and laughed with him. The boy could not bring himself to whack the fairy, who had done him no harm but only caused him to laugh, and the fairy had flitted down one of the rabbit burrows and not come back. the fairy did not tell her father at the end of the month when the moon was full the fairy woke to find a gloriously beautiful creature hovering over her bed she smiled at her and her teeth She smiled at him and her teeth caught the light of the moon she had m
never seen teeth so clean and white and sharp you showed compassion to my reckless sister she said in the voice she had imagined the stars to use when she imagined the stars speaking to her the fairy stared at her speechless why did you do so? it took the fairy a minute to realise she had asked the fairy a question I innocent until proven guilty she blurted she laughed and then she could her resemblance to her sister if she had been wary she would have seen the same deviltry but he was too enraptured to be wary and she held out her hand to her and when the fairy took it gladly and so the fairy left her life and never saw her Da or Ma or the cottage again she took her to the fairy circle and it opened for her into a world of beauty like the night sky com e to life and peopled by creatures unimaginable like the night sky come to life she told her she was brilliant and wise and would be a great leader for her people she told her she had much to learn in addition to one great principle she had already mastered she spoke to her of the law and showed her books from cultures long past she studied diligently because she wanted her to He studied diligently and she never considered that time was passing it seemed no more a night or two when she told her she was ready for what? she asked in the voice she did not realise had changed from her girl’s tremble ready to be the leader of your people she said a little impatiently she had grown bored with her dedication she was much too serious for eternity go remind them that we exist she gave her a book of law and pushed her out onto the hillside where the family once had lived no need to say that the world was a horrifying place now to this young fairy who knew nothing of airplanes and computers she stumbled and starved her way along and found kind people to help her and unkind people who attempted to rob her but she had learned a few things from the fairies about distrust and self-defence eventually she learned that her law book a very ancient copy of Hammurabi’s code was worth a great deal of money It was paid for his law degree Pat see he was winning but Eileen said he was cheating and Eileen got that mad she whacked him instead of a mole so Eileen’s my girl so I had to support and Pat whacked her back I had to defend her you get that right Mm said the judge lost in memory before I knew it Pat and me was rolling on the floor and I’m sorry about it because he’s been my best for as long as I can remember then Duncan the guy what runs the place comes over and he starts whacking at us and Eileen’s a whacking away at him and then the coppers came and well Eileen’s only been mine for a month and I don’t know whether she was even inn first place Pat don’t usually cheat he don’t need to He he’s that good at whack a mole do you have a father young fairy? the fairy obviously wondered if the judge had taken a token or two Yoh and has you father ever given you any advice? Yoh what advice has he given you? don’t have sex till you’re married don’t ever get married don’t smoke weed don’t drink beer and hard liquor at the same time and always stand by your mates and which of those did you disregarded last night? the fairy had to think a bit I isn’t had sex yet cause Eileen wouldn’t I’m not married I don’t smoke I eat brownies I was only drinking beer last night you mean about standing by my mates? exactly the fairy ruminated sadly I should’ve listened to Pat not Eileen I should’ve dragged her away and told to hoof it I believe you have learned a valuable lesson said the Judge whacking his gravel I sentence the three of you to pay any damages to Mr. Duncan’s arcade and I would remind you personally to always, always, heed your father’s advice the story ends now