BEAR & FAIRY (A fairytale)

Once upon a time there was a young & free little fairy who lived in a magical forrest. She loved to fly around in the woods and explore the world. She wanted to discover all the secrets of life! She also used to help all animals and flowers she came across, blessing them and helping them out with a little spell here and there. However, she was the only fairy in this area and sometimes felt like she didn’t belong. She was so different to all the animals and wished for nothing more than to find someone like her..

Then one day, she came near a big cave.. curious as she was, she flew near to explore. You have to know, our little fairy was still young and only believed in the good in everyone and everything! She hadn’t seen evil and trusted the world. She knew she would always be alright. In this cave she met a big old bear. He was kind at heart but had lived alone for a long time. He was very delighted by the visit of this young and friendly fairy, because she wasn’t afraid of him like everyone else. He had never seen such a pure being with a heart as big, full of light and without judgment. He told her how lucky he was for her visit, what a special & graceful being she was and how happy she made him. He promised he would always protect her, should she ever need help. And the little fairy had never encountered such a big and strong creature, who seemed so kind.. and no one had ever told her that she was special. She was blushing a bit and said that she was also very happy! 

She continued her journey through the woods but couldn’t stop thinking about that old bear. She was special, he said. And he would always protect her! No one had ever looked at her with such delight and said such nice things to her. So she decided to visit him again the next day. The bear also wouldn’t stop thinking about her.. in his dreams he saw them together in his cave and as he woke up, he wished she would come back to make his dream come true. He suddenly felt very lonely without her, he’d enjoyed the light and joy she brought to him! Maybe he should go out of his cave more often, he thought.

The following weeks the two spent more and more time together! They enjoyed each others company. The bear felt alive again, running through the woods with his tiny friend. And the fairy felt so special and save because of him. Wherever they turned up, everybody giggled about this strange duo. But the bear and the fairy couldn’t care less what others thought, because they had each other. Also, our little fairy saw how much she helped her new friend! She showed him all the magical places she knew and it was a good feeling to lift someone up, because helping others was what she loved the most. And the old bear couldn’t believe that such a lovely fairy would even want to spend time with him. The word ‘delighted’ doesn’t even come close to what he felt. 

After some time had passed and they had been to all the places and have had all kinds of adventures, the old bear got tired. He wanted to stay in his cave more and just enjoy the fairy’s company. So she stayed with him and they talked a lot, he gave her honey and a warm place to sleep upon this soft fur in the big cave, where no one could ever hurt - or find - them. He did everything to make her stay and for the first time a place felt like home to the fairy. It was cozy and save and although she loved to explore and fly, she was happy to help the bear and keep him company.

The bear was happy and content, he had his quiet life with his daily routines, just as he liked it. He only went out for honey and remained undisturbed in the cave. And he didn’t feel lonely, old and grumpy anymore because the fairy was there and cheered him up with her sparkling light! However, as the months and years went by, now the fairy got more and more tired. Because she didn’t get to be outside as much and fly around in the wild nature anymore, her light grew weaker and weaker. Also, she had to shine for two now as the bear himself didn’t carry light like fairies do. You must know, fairies are meant to be free and wild so they could help and bless everyone they came across. But now our little fairy had become trapped in the cave. In her naivety she believed she was doing good by helping the bear.. but that she was meant to help all animals and plants, that she forgot. And the bear? Well he knew where she belonged, but he wouldn’t let her know because he wanted the little fairy to himself.

So after a long long time (fairies have another measurements of time) the fairy started to slowly realize that something was wrong. She was loosing all her sparkles and the light in her had become so weak, it couldn’t even brighten the cave anymore. So whenever the bear went out for honey, she flew out as well and started exploring again! Oh how she loved it! Being amongst the trees and bees and feeling wild and free again! She did that everyday and sometimes, forgot time and came back late. The bear didn’t like that and said she shouldn’t be out so late, because it was dangerous. That he just missed her light by his side, that he kept for himself.

It kept happening that the fairy, in her joy, forgot about time and the bear. She remembered the old days when she would be like this all the time! So the bear said that she belonged to him and it wasn’t right for her to leave him alone - they only were happy together! That he was afraid he might loose her, that he kept for himself.

The fairy was confused because she was so happy when she was flying alone, but she felt guilty for leaving the bear alone. And he was right, they belonged together now! The cave had become her home, after all. That she was born free and only belonged to nature, that she forgot.

The bear had made her believe she was tiny and weak and not able to live by herself. And she trusted him blindly. But still, the call of nature was strong, so from now on she just was very careful to not let the bear know she was still going for her ventures each day.

So time went by and the fairy grew back in strength again, her light got stronger and her spirits returned! The bear, on the other hand, got more and more suspicious. He didn’t trust anyone anymore - well he never had, really, except for the fairy - and got more and more careful to always watch out for her very move. By now he thought that he possessed her, like everything else in his cave. After all, HE was the great big bear! That he was just afraid to be lonely, that he kept for himself.

Instead he started to control everything around him, especially the fairy. As long as she didn’t know about her true purpose, and felt guilty for leaving him, she would stay, he thought.

So it came that on one particular sunny day, the fairy sat under a tree by the river and in a blink of a second, saw something sparkling in front of her. There, over the water, flew by another fairy, just like her! She couldn’t believe her eyes! She rubbed her eyes and pinched her little fairy hand, but there was no doubt, she had seen another fairy! She screamed after her in joy but it was too late, she was already gone. Quickly she flew and tried to find her, but even after looking all day, she wasn’t able to. She was excited like never before in her life, for seeing another fairy! There was someone out there just like her! She had always wished for that when she was younger. She never felt like she truly belonged anywhere.

After the fairy sighting she realized something.. she had stopped dreaming and exploring the world! She had forgotten about herself and who she was! So she decided to leave early the next morning to go and find the fairy, even if it took forever. When she came back to the cave late at night, in her naivety and excitement she told the bear everything about it. But he got very angry and attached a string to her body and bound the other end tightly to his paw, so she could never fly away! The fairy was in shock and afraid and couldn’t say anything. She thought he was her friend! Before the bear fell asleep he said “Sorry, but you asked for it. I don’t like to do this either, but it’s only for your own best. Turst me.” 

The fairy was so upset and confused and afraid, she didn’t sleep all night and cried a lot, silently. All the while hearing the bear’s loud snores besides her. How did it come so far? “How did I end up like this? I thought I’d always done everything right.. where did I go wrong?” The fairy was thinking and thinking, and shortly before the sun was rising, it dawned on her: She had forgotten about her light and her purpose as a fairy! She had forgotten who she was! Because she felt so special she was blind to the bear’s true thoughts. And she also felt good because she thought she helped him so much! Now she realized she stopped helping anyone else and had lost all her light. She was trapped in a cave and all the flowers and small animals were now without her sparkles. She had believed the bear and thought she was only here for him, too weak and small to live on her own.

When the first rays of light came into the cave and the bear woke up, he first went to the lake as usual to drink some water. The fairy, attached to him by the string, had to follow. But she had found new hope! Now that she had faced her fears and faults, she remembered who she really was and the power she held. She wasn’t the small naive little fairy child anymore, she had grown older and stronger. She realized the gift she had and that the bear must have known it all along and wouldn’t let her know. She was ready now to leave him for good. So she kept very quiet. She played along. And whenever possible, whispered to the flowers and bees about her misery. She told the birds and sang to the waters. She hoped someone would come and help her. 

And so it came! The birds told the trees and the trees told the mountains and they knew the fairies. As soon as they heard of the story, they gathered force and came to the rescue. They brought sharp stones and at nighttime, when the bear was snoring, they came and cut the string. Shortly before they had finished, the bear woke up and saw what was happening! He tried to hold on to his fairy in despair, but it was too late. She was already free! He saw that he would hurt her delicate wings if he grasped her and in that moment, it struck him: He couldn’t own her. How had it come so far? Why did he almost trapp and kill the thing he loved the most? Was that love? Now he was in shock. The fairies flew off and he was left in great despair. He had never felt so bad. Full of guilt and loneliness. For a moment, he saw the monster he had become. 

But then quickly a voice came and said: “Now look at you, such despair! How could the fairies have done that to you? All at night, without even giving you a chance to change or explain. They just took her! How dare they? They had no right! They didn’t know about you and the bond the two of you shared.” So he started to feel very sorry for himself and spoke a curse on all the fairies, especially our little friend. 

The fairies had made it almost to the mountains, when our friend felt a big sting in her heart. It was the curse - she immediately knew! She told the others and they quickly gathered to see what was to be done about it. They joined all their sparkles together and surrounded the fairy with it. They gave their joined light and like this, the curse was without might. It came right back to the bear who then was struck by a big sadness. He realized how wrong it was to trap & steal her light, to not let her know about her true nature and to keep her attached to him.

He cried for 3 days and nights, but when the 4th sunrise came he finally was feeling better. He went down to the lake and sat there in contemplation. He remembered the day he met the fairy and the joy he felt.. he thought about the times he first left the cave with her and went for adventures. He could have just enjoyed her light without wanting to possess it! Then maybe, they would still enjoy their times together..

It dawned on him that he must not have loved himself and therefore thought, no one else could. That was why he started to get cold and grumpy and scared everyone away. And when he met the light-hearted fairy who wasn’t afraid of anyone, it felt so good! He felt this warm feeling called love for the first time in a long long time. He thought the only way to keep her, was to trap her with guilt and control. Those thoughts hurt.

But then he remembered the time when he himself was a young little bear.. it must have been so long ago! He had been such a good kindred spirit as well, just like the fairy. He too, had forgotten who he was. These memories healed his heart and he decided to live a good life again and help others, just like the fairy did. He promised that would he ever see her again, he would apologize and beg for her forgiveness. Then he went back to his cave.

The lake had heard everything he said and one day, told the fish about it. One of the fish new a mighty swan and passed the story on. That swan thought a lot about the story and decided to tell the fox. This fox was the king of the forest in this area and he came around a lot on his walks. He even came to the edge of the mountains where the fairies lived. So he brought message to the fairy, who by now was a happy and healthy fairy again, living amongst her own. She was relieved to hear the bear had healed his heart as well.

Maybe she will visit him one day, she thought.

The time passed and to the everyone’s surprise, the bear started talking again. He continued his quiet life, but decided to not be grumpy anymore. He did daily walks into the woods on which he blessed the trees and helped other animals - in the faerie’s name. He protected those who couldn’t protect themselves and everyone started to not be afraid of him anymore. He was happy and content. 

And when by chance, one day, bear and fairy met in the forest, they just smiled at each other and both knew, everything was good.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End