I, Brea, am historian for the McClure Fairee Clan. Our lighter-than-air translucent bodies float as fleeting whisps among the tree shadows of Silver Mountain while we dance gracefully with the gentle wind. Humans scarcely notice that we of the McClure Fairee Clan are different from other fairees. We rely on problem-solving logic instead of magic.
Far back in history, our ancestors used magic carelessly. During peace and war, we fairees commonly granted three magic wishes to friendly humans who asked. Such a thing did Ean, a respectable member of our clan, give to a small harmless country. Ah, but it was trickery. The unnamed evil country used the first two magic wishes to win treacherous wars and amass great wealth. Then, they turned against us out of fear and used their third wish to remove our magic. Those ungrateful, spiteful humans left us to make our way in the cold world with only a small reserve of magic to use for emergencies.
The truth I must say here is that we are not human, yet we have overly kind hearts and a great desire to help all distressed souls. Unfortunately, helping humans with magic often leads to confusion and more complex problems. World politics, frequent wars, and the puzzle of good and evil baffle us. We are unable to distinguish an evil smile from a joyful one and cannot discern a human friend from a human mortal enemy.
For years and years after our significant loss of magic, we roamed the world thrice and twice again. Our clan grew anxious and weary for we had no warm place to lay our heads. One fine day in the far north, we came across a small struggling group of survivors from the last global war. They called their rag-tag, war torn collection of rubble, The Continued Village. Our clan observed the people closely and understood they lived in great fear from larger cities nearby who wanted to intrude, capture, and kill them. These frightened people had a desire to live in peace and sorely pleaded for our help.
Our McClure Fairee leaders considered The Continued Village’s request. Then, after much discussion, we devised a fair plan, a mutually acceptable bargain. The agreement allowed us to live comfortably in a sizeable outlying circle outside the village forever and we fairees agreed to protect the village from intruders forever. We then used our magic reserve to place a solid circle of protection securely around the entire village.
A hundred years went by. The village grew into a most pleasant town. We fairees lived contentedly. So it was also with the people of The Continued Village Town. Outsiders, free of intrusive intent, were allowed to come and go, live, and conduct business. Everyone was prosperous and happy.
In another hundred years, the town grew large and became an unsavory metropolitan city. Within the city people became selfish, angry, and wicked. They believed all the gods in heaven favored them alone. Illogically, they reasoned, “How special we are to be rich and strong. We have no need for fairees. We have no problems.”
So it happened that the citizens discredited the fairees’ magic circle of protection and broke the old agreement. A dozen or so of their biggest, fiercest soldiers banished us without regret. We obligingly removed our circle of protection and quietly moved to the top of Silver Mountain. Greedy citizens sold the large ring of fairee land to the highest bidder at their first opportunity. In the excitement of excess riches, they forgot that the McClure Fairees’ magic protected them from savage intruders. It was a grave error in judgement.
Soon after, many bold intruders came to The Continued Village City. Hordes of angry humans with fiery torches broke through the city gates. Black-hearted people looted shops, set fire to buildings, and captured many citizens. Naturally we wanted to rescue them, but alas, our reclaimed magic reserve was not strong enough. Out of concern we gathered at daybreak on top of Silver Mountain. It was urgent to find a way to help people of the Continued Village City.
Ean spoke to the group of fairees, “Is it logical that our small amount of reserved magic is strong enough to remove entirely evil humans and save those that are entirely good?”
Shannon, the scribe, said, “Yes. Perhaps. But therein lies a serious problem. All humans we know have a speck of each living inside them. The purest humans have a spot of evil in their hearts, and the vilest humans have a dot of good. We have only enough magic to save the entirely good people.”
Ean said, “But, all the entirely good humans of the city are mere children. If we save them and remove their parents, who will care for them? Will the separation sow seeds of anger and pain for the children?”
Shannon said, “Yes, it could be so. This is a serious question. Let us be careful to keep all children with their parents. We fairees must not create hatred or evil.”
Together Ean and Shannon spoke further to the fairees on the mountain top. Shannon said, “Are we helping humans well when we easily solve their problems with magic? Do they learn from their mistakes? Have we taken away their pride of accomplishment?”
Ean said, “It seems magic weakens humans.”
Shannon said, “Shall we give humans our most precious gift of The Thorny Path of Reason?”
Ean said, “Yes, it is the wisest solution. I believe this gift will help most humans flourish.”
Shannon addressed the entire group of fairees, “I ask all McClure Fairees, do you agree?”
The fairees gleefully hallelujahed agreement.
These crucial words that day were gloriously inscribed on the side of Silver Mountain; The McClure Fairee Clan grants all humans the fine gift of The Thorny Path of Reason. Thus, Shannon, the scribe, wrote in handsome letters for posterity. And that is how it came to be that humans learned to solve their problems without magic.
Bio
Carolyn Slovitz is a grandmother, a mother, a friend, a former teacher, and a writer. She successfully published two children’s books on Amazon in October and November; Miss Mean Minnie Greene, and Cocoa and Nestle, Double Trouble Dachshunds. She is currently working on a novel, The Lost Souls of Glory, about people who live on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia.