purred.
“Well, you won’t have to,” said Clara. “Christmas is coming whether we’ll be ready or not.”
“I’m ready now,” said Lily.
“We’ll be patient, won’t we, Squeakie?” said Rosie Bell. She rubbed Squeak’s tummy.
“O-bee!” said Squeak.
“Why not, Squeak? Why won’t you be patient?” said Rosie. Squeak rolled over and rubbed her back on the side of her cot. “I don’t know what’s the matter with Squeak. She hasn’t been at all herself lately.”
“Maybe she’s getting a new tooth,” said Silver.
“Or she has an upset tummy,” said Clara. “Lily, have you been giving Squeak fairy chocolates again?”
“Not too many,” said Lily.
“I’m a little worried about her,” said Rosie. “Do you think—”
Just then there was a tinkling of bells outside their fairy house windows. “What’s that?” asked Clara. The bells had a tone that she recognised from long ago, but she did not want to risk saying what she thought. She flew over to open the door – and found no one there.
“Try the back door,” said Lily. “Maybe it’s Avery. She said she’d come and visit later on today.”
The tinkling sound came again. Rosie looked at Clara. Could it be?
Silver flew to the back door and opened it. “No one here, either,” she said.
Once more the bell tinkled. Ginger scurried into the kitchen to hide.
“Look! There at the window!” cried Rosie.
A dazzling beam of light filled the largest window of the fairy house great room.
“Squeak!” said Squeak.
The light was so bright and powerful that it seemed to be knocking right on the windowpane.
Clara took Rosie’s hand and squeezed it tight. “She’s come back, Rosie,” whispered Clara. “She’s come back at last.”
It would be terribly rude to go much further in this story without introducing all of you to the Fairy Bell sisters. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them already, please do so now. Here are:
Clara, Rosie, Lily, Silver and Squeak live together with the other young fairies on Sheepskerry Island, which is a place so filled with magic that you might be reading this story very near it right now (only you might not know it because human people call it by another name). The Fairy Bell sisters have one more member of their family, their big sister, who lives in Neverland with a friend called Peter Pan. In case you don’t dare guess her name, I’ll tell you: it’s Tinker Bell. And it was Tinker Bell who had made that tinkling sound right outside the Fairy Bell sisters’ fairy house.
If you have read other stories about the Fairy Bell sisters, you know that now is the time I usually ask a question to see if you really want to read any further. The question could be about perfect fairies or foolish fairies or headstrong fairies or fairies with tender hearts.
In times past, most of you have turned the pages and read on, which is why you know so much about the Fairy Bell sisters. But this time, I’m going to take a chance. I’m not going to ask that question, because I believe that every single one of you will want to read a story about a magical little baby who’s about to make a big change. A little baby who has a secret language all her own. A little baby named Euphemia Bell, better known as Squeak.
You might especially want to read this story if I add that it is absolutely filled with magic and it’s about a Christmas that almost does not happen – a Christmas that is an absolute disaster … until Squeakie Bell discovers the most extraordinary Christmas present in all of Fairyland.
So get yourself cosy and wrap up warm if it’s cold outside. And then let’s see if you do go ahead and turn that page …
Oh, I just knew you would! You won’t be sorry!
“What is all this?” said Rosie.
“Did Christmas come early?”asked Silver.
Clara pushed open the window against the snow. The beam of light grew brighter and the bell sound was even higher and more clear. The great room was bathed in a brilliant light, which dissolved into tiny crystals. The crystals gathered in front of the roaring fire. They didn’t melt like snowflakes. Instead, they swirled together into words.
“What is it?” asked Silver. She had never seen such a thing before in her life.
But Lily had. She remembered a message like this on her ninth birthday, a very special message indeed. “It’s from Tinker Bell!” she cried.
The moment Lily Bell said the words ‘Tinker Bell’ the crystals swirled into shapes. And the shapes turned into words. And the words chimed.
“Tink!” cried Clara. “Is that really you?”
“It’s not Tink herself,” Rosie whispered. “But it’s Tink’s magic!”
“Let’s listen to what she’s saying,” said Lily. “Quick! Before the crystals disappear!”
The words sparkled and glowed as they chimed
