8 Fairy Gifts (France)

The Flower Fairy lived in a lovely palace, with the most delightful garden, full of flowers and trees and fountains and fishponds and everything nice. The fairy herself was so kind and charming everybody loved her. All the young princes and princesses who formed her court lived happily with her.They came to her when they were quite tiny and never left until they were grown up and had to go away into the great world. When that time came she gave to each whatever gift was asked of her.

The fairy loved the Princess Sylvia with all her heart.She had nearly reached the age when the gifts were bestowed.However, the fairy had a great wish to know how the other princesses, who had left her, were prospering. Before the time came for Sylvia to go away, she resolved to send her to some of them. So one day her chariot drawn by butterflies was made ready, and she sent Sylvia to the court of Iris.

When two months were over she stepped joyfully into the butterfly chariot and got back quickly to the Flower Fairy and said, “You sent me, madam, to the court of Iris, on whom you had bestowed the gift of beauty. It seemed her loveliness had caused her to forget her other gifts or graces.Unfortunately, she became seriously ill and though she presently recovered, her beauty is entirely gone. She hates the very sight of herself and is in despair. She entreated me to tell you what had happened and to beg you, in pity, to restore her beauty.”

“You have told me what I wanted to know,”cried the fairy, “but alas! I cannot help her. My gifts can be given but once.”

Some time passed, she sent for Sylvia again and told her she was to stay for a while with the Princess Daphne. Before very long she returned to the Flower Fairy’s palace. “How was Daphne?”asked the fairy. “She was one of the princesses who asked for the gift of eloquence.”

“And very ill the gift of eloquence becomes a woman,”replied Sylvia. “It is true she speaks well and her expressions are well chosen, but she never leaves off talking. And, though at first one may be amused, one ends by being wearied to death. Oh, I cannot tell you how glad I was to come away.”

After allowing her a little time to recover the fairy sent Sylvia to the court of the Princess Cynthia. The fairy had given Cynthia the gift of pleasing.

“I thought at first,”said Sylvia when she came back,“that she must be the happiest princess in the world. She had a thousand suitors who vied with one another in their efforts to please and gratify her. The longer I stayed the more I saw Cynthia was not really happy. In her desire to please everyone she ceased to be sincere and degenerated into a mere coquette.So in the end her suitors went away disdainfully.”

Sylvia went to Phyllida and returned to report to the fairy:“She received me with much kindness and immediately began to exercise that brilliant wit you had bestowed upon her. I was fascinated by it. But like the gift of pleasing, it cannot really give satisfaction. I perceived more and more plainly it is impossible to be constantly smart and amusing without being frequently ill-natured and too apt to turn all things into mere occasions for a brilliant jest.”

Now the time came for Sylvia to receive her gift and all her companions were assembled. The fairy asked what she would take with her into the great world. Sylvia paused for a moment, and then answered, “A quiet spirit.”And the fairy granted her request. This lovely gift makes life a constant happiness to its possessor and to all who are brought in contact with her.

—Comte de Caylus