The Magic Hen
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Heather who lived with her father and mother. Heather was happy and clever. Her father, being a carpenter, didn't earn much. But he provided for her basic needs.
Heather liked to help her father, and sometimes he taught her how to fight.
— Fight, Heather! Hit harder! — Just a little more and I'll probably beat you! — Is that what you think? One, two, three! Ha! — I was going easy on you! — Sure you were!
The Fairy Sisters
In this forest lived two fairy sisters: Phoebe and Elaine. Phoebe, the younger one, was very mischievous and often upset her sister.
— Oh! — Phoebe, I told you not to touch my spells! — Don't touch my spells! Relax, sister! — Ah! Do you know how important what's in here is? Fine, if you won't listen, I'll take care of you! Ha! — What? No! Turn me back! — No, not until I'm done. And yes, I've taken most of your powers too.
Phoebe argued with Elaine to turn her back, but without success. Finally, she left grumbling.
— It was just a joke! Doesn't she get it? Oh! Huh? What's this?
A New Friend
Phoebe watched Heather and her father playing.
— Wow! That looks fun! What? Strange! I feel something coming from that girl! — Ha ha! You'll lose again, Heather! — You wish! Come on, take that! — Nice hit! I think you can now defeat any monster! — I've always been ready! — Ah! I feel it again! What could it be? Wow! — Huh? A hen?
Heather ran toward Phoebe, who had never been so close to humans before.
— Oh! Cluck-cluck-cluck! Cluck-cluck-cluck! — Oh, how cute you are! Dad, can we keep her? — Oh! If you take care of her. Why is there a free hen in the forest?
But Heather wasn't listening. She was happy to have a pet. And Phoebe liked the attention, so she let the girl pet her. Heather took Phoebe home, and Phoebe was amazed by the house.
— Heather, dear! Are you home? — Mom! I chopped a lot of wood today. Tomorrow we'll be able to buy your medicine. — It's alright, dear. This cough... It's nothing.
Phoebe watched as Heather tried to cheer up her mother.
— What's over there? — Isn't she cute? — A hen in the forest? Poor thing! We should take care of...
The woman went inside and Heather followed.
Phoebe's Magic
Phoebe felt sorry for them, so when night came, she pecked at the house and changed it. The straw beds changed into beds with proper mattresses, and the cupboards filled with food.
— Good thing Elaine left me some magic.
She left and soon arrived at her cabin.
— Phoebe! Where have you been?
Phoebe told her sister everything, and Elaine looked at her with disbelief.
— They seemed like good people. — Phoebe, you shouldn't go there. They're humans, and if they find out you're a fairy, they might take advantage of you.
Phoebe liked Heather and begged so much that Elaine eventually gave in.
— I'll stay in hen form around her. I won't show my true face. — Alright, but be careful!
People Disappear
And so Phoebe began staying with Heather, visiting Elaine from time to time. One evening, Heather's father was leaving to sell lumber.
— Dad! I want to come too! — I'm sorry, Heather, but I can't take you with me. — Why not? — My dear, you know that people have been disappearing from town mysteriously, right? And nobody knows where they go. — But Mom, I'll be very careful! — I'm sorry, dear, but stay home.
With that said, Heather watched her father leave with the lumber.
Queen Beryl
The next day, Heather's mother was very sick, and her father was taking care of her.
— Dad, aren't you going to sell? Oh! He fell asleep! What do you say, little hen? Shall we go to town together? — An adventure with Heather? I'll protect her from anyone who tries to touch her! Let's go!
Heather pushed the wood cart and they quickly arrived in town. Heather enjoyed selling the lumber. But being a good girl, she decided to head home.
— Come on, little hen! Oh, what a beautiful lake! — Meow! — Oh! Ah! Do you think I'm scared of you? — Ah! — Ha! — You're not so tough! Wait! Where's Heather? Heather? Heather!
Heather was pulled underwater, but she was no longer in the lake. She had arrived in the sea.
— Welcome! Mmm, with so much energy, you'll be useful to me! — Who are you? — I am Queen Beryl, from the depths of the sea. And I will lock you up here, just as I've done with the other people from your town! — What?
And suddenly, Heather was transformed into a sea creature. She was taken to a huge prison where others who had been transformed were also held.
— Let me go! — It's no use! If you do anything, they'll punish you!
The fish explained that the queen used their energy to increase her power and capture the town.
— But we can't stay here! There are many of us! Surely we can try to escape!
Hearing these words, the fish was filled with hope.
— Alright, let's try to break this wall!
Saving Heather
Meanwhile, Phoebe was very worried.
— Oh no, where is she? Her father said people are disappearing mysteriously! What do I do? What do I do? Elaine!
To her surprise, Elaine appeared suddenly.
— Phoebe, why did you call me? I'll make myself invisible. — Elaine, I've lost Heather! I don't know where... Wait! I feel it again! — You feel it?
Phoebe told Elaine that sometimes she could feel a magical presence from Heather, but she didn't understand where it came from.
— Hmm. We'll figure out what that is later. Now let's go find her! Oh! What was that? — Elaine! Your magic isn't working anymore! — Well. How strange, nothing happened to me! — Maybe because you're in this form, I can't get in. — Then I'll go! She's my friend and I will save her!
Elaine couldn't stop Phoebe, so she tried to transform her into a powerful fish.
— Seriously? — My spells aren't working well. You'll have to manage! Stay in touch while you're down there. Now go!
Phoebe followed Heather's aura and soon reached Queen Beryl's palace, where she saw the witch.
— That's the evil sea witch, Queen Beryl. Can she be defeated? — I don't know, but now go and look for Heather. Don't go near the witch.
Phoebe swam off and found Heather.
— Heather! Little hen, is that you? And you can talk? — I'll explain later. For now, let's get you out of here. Why is this cracked?
Heather explained that they had tried to break the wall but hadn't succeeded.
— Alright. Stand back! — Wow!
Phoebe's magic freed all the sea creatures, who swam in every direction. Unfortunately, Queen Beryl felt her power weakening.
— Something has happened! — Let's run, quickly! — Wait! What's this for? Could it be there?
Queen Beryl and her guards came and saw Phoebe and Heather swimming away.
— Catch them! — Let's swim!
The guards furiously chased the two girls.
— Phoebe, are you there? — Elaine! Sister, I just remembered something. It was just a rumor, but they say Queen Beryl can be defeated if you bring her to dry land. That's where she loses her powers.
Phoebe told Heather what Elaine had said.
— But how do we get her out of the water? Heather, you swim ahead! I'll distract them! — No, little hen, you can't take them on! Swim! Oh no!
But the moment she touched them, the two monsters turned to gold and sank to the bottom of the sea.
— Wow! Elaine's magic really has gone haywire!
Seeing this, Queen Beryl lunged at Heather.
— Come on, take that! — Oh no!
The queen knew how to fight well, but oddly, Heather fought even better.
— Get out of here! — No! How dare you! You won't escape! Take this!
And so, with all her strength, she threw the witch onto dry land.
— Ouch! Dry land? Oh no!
The Conclusion
Queen Beryl lost her powers. The spell was broken and the other missing people returned to town. Heather and Phoebe came too, and the people praised them for what they had done. The town mayor rewarded Heather generously.
Of course, Phoebe never showed herself to the others, but later she explained everything to Heather and her family.
— So you were a fairy? Wow! — That's why our house became so beautiful! — Thank you, good fairies! We are forever in your debt for taking care of Heather. — I didn't understand something. What magical aura was I feeling coming from you? — It was probably from her strength and hope. It's a special kind of magic.
And indeed. For everyone has inner strength and hope. When we use them to do good, they become magical.
