The Wee One fluttered to the top of the giant oak to watch the creatures of the wood as they went about their day. She noticed a glimmer, a shimmer in a clearing in the Little Woods. " I wonder what that is," she said to herself and took to the air to find out what it could possibly be.

As if by magic a small golden tree with golden apples had grown where none had been before. How beautiful the tree was settled within a grove surrounded by the rich dark greens of giant oaks and birches. The fruits of the tree were golden apples that hung from every branch and glittered in the morning sun.

" A firebird must be here! Oh, how wonderful it would be to see one."

The fae remembered what her Faery Godmother had told her about the firebird. Her eyes searched the ground for the magnificent silver and gold bird that lived in Russia.

The Firebird called Zshar-ptitsa had feather that shone like silver and gold. Its eyes sparkled like crystals. He ate golden apples from a golden tree. Faery Godmother had told her that the chants of the Firebird could heal the sick and return vision to the blind. Then she thought she knew why the Firebird had come. It was to help Jeremy! The Wee One was certain that this was the reason, and felt the warm glow of happiness spread throughout her being.

Jeremy was indeed blind and had been so since he was a tiny baby. He was now a young man and lived in a fine house not far from the Little Woods, in the Land of Real. All the fae loved Jeremy for his gentle nature and quick mind. He wrote books and thought great thoughts and taught philosophy at a great place of learning. Jeremy was in love with his childhood friend Maria but only the fae knew his secret. Maria could not remember a time when she had not loved Jeremy and often wondered why he did not love her.

The Firebird suddenly appeared. Its long golden tail feathers streaming behind it like golden ribbons. There was magic in those tail feathers the Wee One knew for to possess one was to bring the light of day into a darkened room or light a forest dell. In Russia it was said that the bird would appear at midnight and light the gardens of the Czars.

There are no Czars here, the Wee One thought as she whispered her greeting to the Firebird. " Have you come to help Jeremy?" The fae said excitedly.

" Indeed! It has been done!" The Firebird replied. In an instant the beautiful bird was gone and so was the marvelous tree.

The Wee One stood alone in the Little Woods her mind in a whirl. " Goodness!"

She muttered and fluttered quickly to the home of her friend Jeremy. She found the young man and Maria sitting on a bench in one of the lovely gardens that surrounded the house. She was happy to see the two lovers whispering together but knew that something very strange had happened when she saw her Faery Godmother there too.

The Wee One fluttered down beside Faery Godmother, who held a finger to her lips. Jeremy and Maria were happy. They were making wedding plans. What was wrong? The fae thought to herself. She turned to Faery Godmother for an explanation. The old fae motioned the faery to follow her and the Wee One was about to comply when it became very clear that Jeremy was still blind. The young man always felt the presence of the fae and simply smiled.

" I don’t understand! I don’t understand!" The Wee One cried.

Jeremy’s gentle voice assured her. " Blindness was not my problem Wee One, it was fear! Fear of not being good enough for Maria. Fear of loving. Fear is a terrible thing. I can see Maria’s love now and a very dark corner of my mind has been lit thanks to the Firebird."

" But," the Wee One began. " The Firebird could make you see. Why didn’t it?"

Jeremy rose slowly and held out his hand for the tiny fae to perch upon. " Because Wee One, seeing is not everything...love is. The giving of it and the receiving of it, despite all. Who told me that love was the greatest magic of all? I am still blind but I can see more clearly now than many a man who can see.

I do not need to see. I need to love and let myself be loved."

The Wee One listened and knew that what Jeremy said was true. Still she had hoped Jeremy could be like the other humans and see. As soon as she thought it, she realized how wrong she was and how silly. Jeremy was like every human, unique and special in his own way. Jeremy was indeed perfect just the way he was.

(c) 2001
By Idris O'Neill
All Rights Reserved
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