Free Christmas Fairy by Titania Woods Page A

explained Mum sadly. ‘When the weather turns cold, humans start going into the woods and chopping down trees – young, healthy evergreens! And then they carry the trees away with them.’
    The three girls stared at her in horror. ‘They – they chop down trees ? ’ said Teena faintly.
    Twink’s little sister looked pale. Twink didn’t blame her – she felt pretty pale herself. It was a fairy’s duty to take care of nature. The thought of young trees being killed was awful!
    ‘But why , Mrs Flutterby?’ asked Bimi anxiously. ‘What do they do with them?’
    Mum shook her bright pink head. ‘No one knows,’ she said. ‘Maybe they resent nature and want to hurt it. They’re odd creatures, you know. Why, most of them don’t even set foot in the woods except to cut down a tree once a year!’
    Twink stared at the forest. Her heart was thudding so hard that it echoed in her ears. ‘But we have to stop him!’ she burst out. ‘We can’t just let him kill a tree for no reason!’
    ‘I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do,’ said Mum. ‘It’s too dangerous for us to try tackling a human on our own, even with our magic. You never know what they might do!’
    ‘But –’ Twink choked to a halt as hot tears pricked her eyes.
    Mum’s voice turned brisk. ‘I’m sorry, Twink. I don’t like it either, but we fairies can’t right every wrong, much as we might like to! Now, you girls go and play, and try to forget about this.’
    Taking their empty acorn shells with her, Mum flitted back inside, and they heard her bustling about in the kitchen. The three fairies stayed where they were, not moving. Teena’s violet eyes were huge.
    ‘Twink, we can’t just forget about it!’ she whispered urgently. ‘You and Bimi have got to do something!’
    Twink bit her lip as she and Bimi glanced at each other. Do something? But what?
    Suddenly a harsh noise rang through the air, like the distant cracking of a whip. The fairies froze. The sound came again – and again.
    ‘Oh!’ sobbed Teena. ‘He’s doing it! He’s chopping down a tree!’
    Twink’s wings were trembling with fear and fury. She couldn’t just stand here and let this happen!
    ‘Bimi, come on,’ she hissed, grabbing her friend’s hand. ‘Teena’s right – we have to stop him!’
    Bimi looked alarmed. ‘But – humans are so big! What can we do?’
    ‘I don’t know, but we have to try!’ insisted Twink. Without waiting for an answer, she flew off across the field, the cold wind whistling through her wings. For a moment she thought Bimi wouldn’t follow, but then her friend came skimming after her.
    Plunging into the woods, Twink darted through the trees, following the sound of chopping. Oh, they were going to be too late!
    ‘Hurry, Bimi!’ she shouted over her shoulder.
    The noise of the axe grew louder and louder. Bursting out into a clearing, Twink saw a man in a red jacket standing beside a young spruce tree. The tree sagged sadly to one side, its trunk splintered and bitten. The axe gleamed as the man started to bring it down again.
    ‘No!’ screamed Twink. With Bimi just behind her, she flew straight at the man’s face. ‘Stop! Leave the tree alone!’
    The man gave a surprised yelp and leapt back. ‘What on –’
    A sudden rush of courage seemed to fill Bimi. ‘Go away!’ she yelled, buzzing about his head in a blue and silver blur. ‘We don’t want you here!’
    The man backed away, staring at Twink and Bimi with bulging eyes. His mouth fell open, and he shut it again with a snap.
    ‘Can’t you hear us?’ cried Twink, bobbing in front of him. ‘Leave the tree alone! Go home!’ What was wrong with the man? She knew most humans didn’t know about fairies, but surely he’d believe what was right in front of him.
    The man shook his head briskly. ‘I’m imagining things,’ he muttered, pushing his cap back. ‘They’re just moths, that’s all. Strange, this time of year!’
    ‘ Moths? ’ echoed Bimi in disbelief.