The Fairy Steeds

Carl Millner landscape painter from Munich, Germany. A Maypole in Bavaria, 1848.

       It was May Day Eve. Down in fairyland there was a whirring and fluttering of wings, and a soft tinkling of fairy voices that sounded like little bluebells ringing in the breeze. "Ho, Peaseblossom! bring the Fairy Queen's May Day mantle," cried the first lady-in-waiting. 

       In fluttered Peaseblossom bearing the mantle. It was made of cobweb that had been dyed by dipping it in the first rainbow of spring. So dainty it was that it seemed ready to vanish like a bubble blown into the air. 

       "Now let the keeper of the May Day crown appear!" There was a soft ripple of excitement as the chief keeper of the royal jewels brought in the crown. It had been made by the flower fairies and fashioned like a tiny flower garland. The gold had been taken from the first marsh marigolds and was set with many flower jewels, sapphires gathered from the blue gentians, diamonds of dewdrops that had been touched by fairy wands, emeralds made from the early green of the woodland moss, all wrought into tiny sparkling flowers. 

       Then the Queen, attended by her ladies- in-waiting and followed by the keeper of the jewels, who bore the crown, flew to the throne room. There the King, dressed in his most magnificent robes, set the crown upon Her Majesty's head while all the ladies-in-waiting fluttered their wings in admiration. 

       "Now," cried the King, "all is ready! Call the May Day chariot." 

       Away fluttered Peaseblossom to the royal stables where the steeds, two magnificent green beetles, were kept. In a few minutes he came flying back in great distress. "Your Majesty!" he cried, "the fairy steeds are gone!" 

        "Gone!" repeated the King, "gone! It is impossible! Where is the keeper of the royal beetles?" 

        "Asleep, your Majesty," answered Peaseblossom, "so sound asleep that even I could not waken him."

       "Bring him hither," said the King in an awful voice.

       "It is the goblins, oh, I am sure it is the goblins!" cried the Queen. 'They have thrown goblin sleep-powder in his eyes. I am sure he could not help it. Oh, your Majesty, pray consider the goblins."

       "My dear," said the King, "I believe you are right. Let him be given a bath of sweet fern to undo the work of the goblin powder. Then when the spell is broken, the steeds will return of themselves." 

       Two fairies immediately flew to execute the royal commands.

       ''But, your Majesty," cried the first lord-in-waiting, "think of the May Day revels. It is now nearing the hour of eleven, and if we do not start within half an hour surely we shall not be in the land of mortals to greet the coming of May Day." 

        'Tis true," answered the King. "We must be on earth when midnight strikes, for otherwise the goblins would have power to creep into woodland and meadow, and for a whole summer the land would lie beneath their spell." 

        "Ah," sighed the Queen, "think of the barrenness of woodland and meadow which had not been blessed with fairy blessing on May Day Eve!" 

       ''It is quite plain," said the King, "that, steeds or no steeds, we must start for earth in exactly twenty-four minutes. My dear," he continued, turning to the Queen, "I think we shall have to dispense with the May Day chariot and take to our wings." 

        "Nay, your Majesty," said Peaseblossom, "you forget the blessings with which the royal chariot is filled. They must be scattered over the earth. I will fly quick as a spring breeze to the world and back. Perchance by the banqueting place I may find the green beetles' cousins, the black beetles, who often come to have a word with them while we dance in the fairy ring. They are clumsy, but they are kind-hearted fellows and would do their best, I am sure. I will be back before the dandelion clocks have struck the quarter-hour." 

 "Go!" said the King, and Peaseblossom vanished quick as a passing thought. 

        Straight to the mortal world flew Peaseblossom. And there, on a bank of softest moss, the fairy banquet was set, but no beetles were to be seen. "Ah," cried Peaseblossom, "what shall I do!" 

       "What is it, dear Peaseblossom?" asked a soft voice. It was a little Wind Lily that grew by the brook near by. 

       "Alas," said Peaseblossom, "the fairy steeds have been stolen ! How can the King and Queen come to the revels in the May Day car, the wonderful car that bears the seeds of beauty and joy which the fairies scatter over the earth this eve?" 

       "Oh, Peaseblossom!" said the Lily. "Often I have longed to spread my petals like wings and fly like a bird into the blue sky. I know I could do it. Touch me with your wand, dear Pease- blossom, and let me fly. Then I will draw the chariot of the fairy Queen." "And I, I ' - floated soft voices from the Wind Lilies near by. 

       Peaseblossom waved his wand, and suddenly the Wind Lilies spread their dainty petals like wings and flew high up in the moonlit sky and away to fairyland. 

       Just as the dandelion clocks struck the quarter- hour Peaseblossom appeared driving the fairy chariot. Instead of beetles the steeds were eight dainty, winged creatures the like of which no one had ever seen. The fairies laughed with joy, and the fairy bells all tinkled a merry May song. 

       "Who are you, beautiful creatures?" cried the Fairy Queen, clapping her hands for joy. 

       "Your Majesty," answered the first, "only an hour ago we were flowers. Now we know not what we are, but we do know that we wish we might always fly as now and always serve your Majesty." 

       "It shall be done!" cried the Queen. "Every May Day you shall draw the fairy car, and all summer you shall fly over the fields and in the sunny gardens, and mortals shall love you and shall call you — Butterflies. by Frances G. Wickes

 Old English Country Rime 

 Spring is coming, spring is coming, 

 Birdies, build your nest; 

 Weave together straw and feather, 

 Doing each your best. 

 Spring is coming, spring is coming, 

 Flowers are coming too : 

 Pansies, lilies, daffodillies, 

 Now are coming through. 

 Spring is coming, spring is coming, 

 All around is fair; 

 Shimmer and quiver on the river, 

 Joy is everywhere. 

 We wish you a happy May.

The Royal Ballet demonstrates the Maypole Dance!