Just then, through the magnifying glass, Jennifer saw that the fairy was speaking, and so she strained her ears to find out what the fairy was saying. With a voice like a high pitched tinkling bell, the fairy introduced herself to Jennifer as Silver, one of the fairies who lived inside the bottle. At first, Jennifer was too surprised to speak, but she remembered her manners, and, whispering very quietly, lest she should frighten Silver, she said that her name was Jennifer. Silva replied that she already knew her name, which puzzled Jennifer, but she was even more curious about the inside of the bottle. Still whispering, she asked Silver what it was like to live inside the bottle, saying surely it must be very cramped. Not when you are as small as me, Silver replied, but would you like to see for yourself. How can I, asked Jennifer, I'm much too big to go inside your bottle? Silver thought for a few moments, and said that as she couldn't make the bottle larger, she would have to make Jennifer smaller. She told Jennifer to stand very still, with her eyes closed, and wish very hard to be small. Jennifer did as she was told, and after a few seconds, she suddenly felt very giddy. When she opened her eyes, the giddiness left her, but she was amazed to see an enormous wooden beam standing upright in front of her. Whatever can that be, thought Jennifer, but in a flash, she realized that it was the leg of the table - she had become as tiny as Silver. She looked up, and there, fluttering towards her, came Silver, her wings beating gently to support her as she glided down. She landed beside Jennifer and said that everything was now simple; all Jennifer had to do was enter the bottle. How can I, asked Jennifer, I'm far too small now, I can't possibly climb up onto the table to reach the bottle. How silly you are, said Silver, look behind you!
Jennifer turned her head and looked at her back, where, growing from her shoulders, were two wings, as beautiful as Silver's, and with the same blue white glow. How wonderful, said Jennifer, but will I be able to fly? It's easy, said Silver, just think where you want to go, and the wings will take you. Jennifer concentrated, and thought I want to go to the top of the table, and the next thing she knew, she was floating through the air, as easy as the birds in the forest. What a wonderful feeling it is, thought Jennifer, so free, like butterflies fluttering over the flowers in the meadow. Jennifer and Silver made safe landings on the tabletop, near the bottle, and Jennifer caught sight of her reflection in its shiny surface. She turned and twisted, delighted with the prettiness of her new wings, and Silver had to ask her twice before she replied that she was ready to enter the bottle. Jennifer was so excited she could hardly think straight, but she tried to concentrate on how Silver had told her to fold her wings, to pass through the narrow neck of the bottle. At last she got the idea, and with her heart thumping madly. Jennifer followed Silver, as, stooped like the old woman, they crept through the neck of the bottle. When they emerged from the neck, on the inside of the bottle, Jennifer was taken aback at the brilliance of the scene before her. Dozens of fairies were flying backwards and forwards, whirling and gliding, as if in some complicated aerial waltz. The colours of their clothes were all different, every shade of the rainbow being represented, and, combined with the blue white radiance of the wings, the whole display dazzled Jennifer and almost made her eyes ache.
One by one, Silver introduced Jennifer to the fairies, and Jennifer discovered that, like Silver, each fairy took her name from the colour of her costume. There were crimson, gold, primrose, purple, damask, aquamarine, dove, emerald and numerous others - each name being as pretty as the clothes that the fairy wore. When the introductions were complete, Jennifer noticed that Silver introduced each fairy to her, and not the other way round. Also, she remembered how Silver had originally said that she knew Jennifer's name. Jennifer asked Silver about this, and Silver replied that they all knew Jennifer's name, and those of her grandparents, for they came out of the bottle at night and explored the cottage. We only emerge at night, Silver explained, when everyone is asleep, for most people - especially adults - do not believe in fairies, and are confused when they see us. Our friends, the woodland fairies and nymphs, can fly freely at any time, for they live deep in the forest where few people go, but we, like the stars, only come out at night. Jennifer was very interested in what Silver was telling her, but after thinking for a few moments, she asked Silver how they could see at night when it was dark. Our wings provide us with light, replied Silver, but you can see for yourself tonight if you wish. Oh can I?, asked Jennifer excitedly, Please let me, I'd love to come with you. Well, said Silver, you had better return to your normal size first, and go to bed as usual, or your grandparents will worry about you. But will I be able to grow my wings again, asked Jennifer, for she liked them so much she didn't want to take any chances of losing them forever. Of course you will, replied Silver, now follow me through the neck of the bottle, and down onto the floor, for if you grow to your normal size here, you will break the bottle, and end up standing on the table with your head bumping the ceiling.
Jennifer did as she was asked, and followed Silver out of the bottle. When they came to the edge of the table, she looked over, and her heart missed a beat. It was such a long way to the floor, like looking down a very deep gorge. Oh Silver, she said, I'm afraid to just jump off the edge, I'm sure I shall fall. Don't worry, Silver reassured her, just trust in your wings, after all, they brought you up, so going down will be easy. Then, taking Jennifer's hand, Silver fluttered her wings, and as Jennifer followed they flew gently down to the floor. After the first few seconds, Jennifer began to enjoy the sensation of floating on nothing, and she was almost disappointed when they reached the floor. Jennifer closed her eyes, and after the same giddy feeling that she had felt earlier, she opened them to find that she was restored to her full size. Goodbye, she whispered as she watched the glow of Silver's wings disappearing into the bottle, see you tonight. Jennifer replaced the stopper in the bottle, before taking it downstairs to the kitchen where her grandmother was preparing her grandfather's supper.
After supper, Jennifer's grandparents were rather surprised when Jennifer went to bed immediately on being asked, for she was normally reluctant to go upstairs. This evening she went without any argument, kissing her grandparents goodnight. Once in her room, she took off her shoes then put on her night dress over her other clothes, and got into bed. She waited and heard her grandparents preparing for bed, until upstairs they came. They peeped in to say good night, before going into their own bedroom. Jennifer lay back on the pillows and listened to sounds of the cottage as it creaked gently, settling for the night. Quietness gradually stole over everything, until all she could hear was the sound of her own breathing, and the muffled tick-tock of the clock downstairs as it kept pace with her own thumping heart. Time passed very slowly for Jennifer as she lay waiting, and she heard the chimes of the downstairs clock as it marked off the quarter-hours. Just when she began to think the fairies weren't going to come after all, she saw a faint glow through the slightly open door of her bedroom. In the darkness, Jennifer saw a stream of light, like a curved moonbeam, as the fairies from the bottle flew in a line to her bedside. The fluttering of their tiny wings made no sound as they spiraled around and down, finally landing and forming a semi-circle about Jennifer's bed. Jennifer quickly rose, took her night dress off her day clothes, then put on her shoes. She stood beside the bed and remembering what silver had told her previously, she closed her eyes and wished to be small. Again she felt the familiar giddy sensation, but as she was expecting it, she was not surprised. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in front of the assembled fairies and they greeted her one by one. She had no need to look for her wings, for their glow illuminated the area around her, better than any candle lamp, and much prettier. Silver then took her hand, and the pair of them joined the fairies as they all flew up and out of the bedroom doorway.
Still flying one behind another, the fairies flew from Jennifer's bedroom, along the passageway and down the stairs. Despite the fact that the door of the main downstairs room was closed, the fairies found no difficulty in entering the room. They simply flew straight through the large old fashioned keyhole in the door. A most unusual way to enter a room, thought Jennifer, I wonder what grandfather would say to that. Jennifer found that the time she had spent waiting for the fairies had been put to good use. They had prepared a party in her honour on the big table that stood in front of the fireplace, where the dying embers still provided warmth for the room. Tiny plates of food and sweet meats were laid out on a matchbox, and whilst they ate the fairies and Jennifer were serenaded by a fairy orchestra. Each player had a tiny instrument, similar to those Jennifer had seen used by the band in the village, but making sounds that were much higher in pitch and sweeter to the ear. When everyone had finished eating, some of the fairies provided more entertainment by performing a complicated flying dance. Jennifer sat enthralled as they weaved patterns in the air, rising and falling, spinning and twisting, round and round the heads of the watchers in a silent aerial ballet. Faster and faster they moved until their wings blurred and appeared to leave glowing trails behind them. To Jennifer, the dance began to seem like a shower of shooting stars, moving in all directions at the same time.
Suddenly a high pitched scream broke the concentration of the dancers, and they stopped in mid-flight, bumping into one another as they lost the thread of their pattern. Everyone turned to look in the direction from which the scream had come, and saw one of the fairies on the edge of the group holding her hand to her mouth in shock, and staring mesmerized into the dark outside the glow produced by the multiple of wings. At first Jennifer could not see what was frightening the fairy, so she moved nearer to get a better view. She saw, standing uncertainly on the edge of the table, an inquisitive mouse, which had come to investigate the goings-on on the tabletop. Despite her now tiny size, Jennifer saw that it was only a small mouse really, and she forgot how little she was. Just as she would normally have done, she walked towards the mouse, waving her arms and shouting, Shoo! Shoo! The mouse hesitated, but decided not to stop and argue with the tiny but resolute figure approaching him. He turned, popped over the edge of the table, ran down the table leg, and disappeared into his hole in the skirting board. Jennifer was now a heroine to the fairies, and they surrounded her, saying how brave she was to stop the mouse from spoiling their party. Jennifer replied that it was a little thing to do in to return for the kindness that the fairies had shown her, but asked if the dance could continue. The fairies agreed, and once more the dancers took to the air, trying to excel themselves in their performance.
After the dance, and many party games, Silver saw that Jennifer was trying to stifle yawns, and was rubbing her eyes. I think it is time you went back to bed, she told Jennifer, you must get some sleep tonight. Jennifer did not want to go at first, but after the fairies had promised that she could visit them again, she agreed that she was rather tired. Once she had said goodnight to everyone, Jennifer and Silver flew upstairs to her bedroom. After closing her eyes, Jennifer was restored to her full size, and she undressed and climbed into bed. Goodnight, she whispered to Silver as the fairy flew back downstairs, before she turned over and snuggled into the bedclothes and pillows. She fell asleep almost immediately, to dream of future adventures with the fairies in the bottle.
The End
