When the earth spins and Spring wakes the world, the fairies make ready to welcome their newborn, who have been dreamt of during the long months of Winter. In a tulip blossom a mother fairy smiles in her sleep, waiting for the arrival of her first child. With her dreaming eyes she can see the perfect features of her baby miracle; chubby, round, rosy cheeks, a tiny upturned nose, long silky eyelashes that leave shadows on the porcelain face. The baby is curled up like a sprout, waiting for the breath of life to wake her from slumber. The child also dreams. The images in her mind are bright colors dancing in a golden light, a wisp of black hair, and the music of a happy laughter. Mother and child are each others’ dream, tied together by a ribbon of love.
For a moment the mother stirs; she can feel a change in the air outside her red cocoon. But Spring has been delayed. In a neighboring rose, a mother fairy wakes up before her time. She thought the winter storm was bringing her baby. When she realizes her error, she cries in disappointment. She can’t fall asleep again, and her dream is lost in the night. The rose fairy sings a song to guide her babe to her. She can’t see her child, but her child can hear her and follow her voice.
In the tulip, the mother fairy now dreams of a dancing fairy child, wild hair whipping in the air. The child is learning how to fly, and peals of laughter perfume the air and send light to everything they touch. Fairy laughter gives the world its colors. Bumblebees, butterflies and hummingbirds fight amongst themselves to entertain the child, but the winner is a clumsy dragonfly that falls in the pond, drenching his wings in the cool water. He smiles a silly smile, and the fairy giggles with delight. The mother still smiles in her sleep, imagining her daughter’s voice, the sweetness of her kisses, the silkiness of her skin.
Mother Earth moves her pregnant belly, and stirs the winds that bring Spring showers. The tulip drinks her nourishment, and grows. In the gray skies there is a glimpse of golden light, and through the clouds, the fingers of Father Sun stretch to touch the Earth, coloring a pathway for thousands of children of light who slide down the rainbow.
The rose fairy sings loudly, searching for her white haired son. Her eyes can’t see him anymore, but her heart leaps when the sun rays touch her flower. In the white light, she feels a breeze brush her lips. She closes her eyes, and feels her baby snuggling against her chest. Father Sun smiles down on them, and the rose fairy waves with her hand in gratitude. Her song wakes the birds.
The tulip fairy hears her name called in the wind and rain, and when she opens her eyes, she sees her miracle baby swaddled in light. The child is even more beautiful than what she had seen in her dreams. Mother fairy gazes into her daughter’s eyes and sees herself smiling in joy. The babe hungrily sucks her mother’s milk and smiles in contentment; then, she closes her eyes to continue her dreams. Now, the wisp of black hair has a face. The face of love, the touch of silk, the music of rain is her mother.