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Alicia was a small and tiny earthen spirit with sparkling blue eyes and a pinched up nose; even in the fairy world, where all things are small, she was the smallest of them all.

Her home was deep inside the strong and twisting roots of a big Oak. It was safe and none of the winter cold snows could find their way in.

She loved playing around her cozy and warm home with her mom and dad. They would play hide and seek and she could easily hide in the corners or under the furniture. They would read books by the firelight and sing songs that only the fairies knew.

Alicia was frightened of the other earthen creatures, as well as of what might be outside her cozy home under the big Oak. She had never been out before and saw no reason to go into the “outside.”

When company came over Alicia would not come out of her tiny seedpod bed. When the Bunny family who lived next door came to visit, she was frightened that being so small, one of the many bunny babies might accidentally hop on her. She would only peek over the beds edge with her tiny pinched nose when the Gloends, a family of glowworms came to visit, because she wanted to see where the warm yellow glow was coming from.

At dinner one evening, Alicia’s mom and dad told her that soon winter’s hold would be ending. That frightened Alicia since she only knew the winter and could not imagine what might happen if it was to end.

They explained to her that in the entire magickal world, it was her magick that would call in the changing of seasons and the turning of the great wheel. On the eve of the next night Alicia, her mom and her dad would go on a journey into the forest. Here, there would be a great gathering and all the mystical creatures of Earth would see her gift of magick.

But Alicia shivered with fear — what was this wheel and how can she stop this magick and changing? She liked things just as they were and didn’t want anything to change at all. She didn’t want to go to a gathering where so many would be. She didn’t know what this gift was that she was to give. What if she got lost and no one could find her? Or maybe the others would see her. Maybe they would not like her or make fun of her or laugh at her being so small.

Her greatest fear was that maybe she had no magick. She had not seen it. She couldn’t fly like her mom and dad; she kept falling on her elbows. She couldn’t make things like flowers or snowflakes like her mom and dad; all she ended up with some ice that melted. She couldn’t even make light with her wand. How would her parents feel when they found out, what would she do?

Even as frightened as Alicia was of going into the “outside, ” she was more frightened of what others might think of her. She didn’t want to disappoint her mom and dad, so she decided it would be best if she hid. She would go into the “outside;” no one would look for her there. She would not go very far. Just far enough away where she could hide until the gathering was over, and then the change would not happen.

Alicia’s mom was roasting acorns for the great gathering’s feast and her dad was busy polishing up his ice wand. Alicia knew no one would see her leave, or think she would go into the “outside” alone, since she never had before.

With her wand in a small bag tied to her waist, Alicia carefully opened the door of her house and stepped into the “outside.” She closed the door quickly and quietly so her mom and dad would not hear it creak. Then, she turned to see what was here in this “outdoors.” It was white everywhere. She walked along for a little while when all of a sudden “crunch” she sunk into the snow up to her wing tips. It took a bit of work but she wriggled her way up and out of the snow. Now she was really cold and she could see it was getting darker. The bright bluish color of the sky was now turning a purple hue with streaks of red and yellow.

She wasn’t sure, but if night was coming she had to hide quickly. If she could fly just to the edge of the forest she would find a place to stay until the gathering was over and then she could go home again. Then it would be safe because nothing would change. That is what she wanted.

Alicia was frighten and getting colder, but she had made up her mind. She had to do this, or everything she knew was going to change forever. She shook herself off and looked toward the forest edge. With all her will and might she jumped up and began flying forward. Then back a little, then up, then down, then around in some circles and then slower and then faster and then it happened. Bang! She flew right into a tree branch hanging low weighted heavy by the snow.

Alicia did not know what exactly had happened as she rubbed her head, but when she rose up again out of the snow it had gotten very dark. She could see tiny lights twinkling above her now. She looked around trying to figure out what direction to go. By now the gathering must be over and she could go home. Everything would stay the same. But which way was home?

Alicia couldn’t see where to go, so she didn’t want to try to fly. What if she hit another tree, it was dark now and she couldn’t make anything out, plus her head still hurt from before. She had to be very careful deciding what way to go now.

All of a sudden, she heard someone calling her. “Alicia, Alicia.” She felt her body begin to shake so hard that the tiny ice cycles that had formed on the tips of her wings, tinkled like little bells. As she turned around to look behind her, she saw a woman lying on a big pile of fur blankets. She was not a fairy, but she was beautiful, dressed in a green, red and white gown. Hundreds of earthen creatures stood all around her, many Alicia had never seen before, but none were scared or frightened at all. Although Alicia didn’t understand it, she wasn’t frightened either.

There seemed to peace about this woman, it was something calming. “Alicia, I have been waiting for you. I need your help.” the Lady said.
“Waiting for me?” Alicia asked.
“Yes, Alicia, ” she said. “Its dark now and we need your light to light the way, so that we can see what lies before us.”
“My light?” Alicia asked, remembering she had not been able to make her wand light before.
“It’s your magick Alicia, your magick that will call the light from within me.” the Lady said.
Alicia slowly began to walk toward the woman. That’s when she saw that this quiet lady was going to have a baby, and she was going to have it any moment.

All the fears and worries Alicia carried with her were beginning to melt away, just like the ice on her wing tips. As she looked into the meadow green eyes of this lady she wanted more than anything else in her small life to make a light for her.

Alicia, still trembling, took her wand from its little bag, and raised it up. With every magickal hope she had ever had, she put her energy into lighting her wand.

The lady smiled gently at her and in that instance there was a great flash of light, which came from the tip of that tiny wand. It was a brilliant luminous light, which filled every corner of the night.

As Alicia held her wand high she looked over to see that now the lady was holding in her arms a baby; a wonderful little baby boy. Suddenly, she understood it all, everything her mom and dad had been telling her.

This was the magick; this was her special gift. Alicia, the tiniest of all fairies, she was the one who carried the spark, the spark which released the light of the world and the turning of the wheel of life.

In her tiny being she had carried that magick, the magick to unlock the power of love and understanding for the world to share. Standing in that brilliant light, Alicia understood who the Lady was and the importance of this baby. She was a part of the rebirth of the Light. This baby was the Light again reborn of the Goddess. The beautiful Lady was the Goddess of life, and Alicia was that spark of magick which survives all time and through which we find boundless possibilities.

Soon the edge of the forest was filled with earthen creatures and spirits from all over the mystical world. Alicia’s mom and dad watched their fairy child as she beamed with joy. The Lady holding her baby boy blessed all those who shared in this time of magick as the feast was served and great happiness was shared by all.

Alicia didn’t even notice that she was floating on the air. She was no longer weighted down by all her silly worries or fears. She knew that even though she was tiny she had the power to light the world. Now she understood, magick is all around you if you only believe, and trust in yourself.

So each year as you light a candle to call the light, remember the tiniest fairy, for it only takes one tiny spark to give light unto the whole world.

Blessed be our Lady the Mother of Light.

Lady Abigail
High Priestess Ravensgrove Coven
Copyright: Copyright © 11012005

To you and your family from Witches of the Craft and Coven Life’s families we bid you a joyous and blessed Yule.

I apologize to our Sisters and Brothers that live in the Southern Hemisphere for not posting this early yesterday. My wish for you and yours is you make it through your clod months with plenty to eat, a home to shelter you, and the clothing you need to keep you warm especially when you are outdoors. With love and bountiful blessings

                                                                                                                                                    — Lady Beltane