Fairy Magic Summer Story: Fairy Circle, Honey Jar and Leilah Bee

inspired by Suzanne Down of Juniper Tree Puppets

This story is about a girl named Leilah Bee, honey jar and fairy magic.

Leilah Bee got her name because her grandmother raised honeybees and her mother had grown up loving bees and loving honey.

Leilah Bee always looked forward to visiting Grandma because she had a big garden, a tree swing, bee hives, and a fairy circle in the grass by the apple tree.  A fairy circle was a special place in the grass where the grass became dark green where the little fairy feet danced.

Leilah Bee made a fairy house village in and around the roots of the apple tree and waited and waited for full moon.  That is when the fairies dance in the fairy ring all night!  That is the night Grandma lights candles in the fairy ring and lets Leilah Bee put honey from her own beehives in a shell to leave in the middle of the fairy circle for the fairies.  

Grandma says fairies love flowers as much as the bees do, and they especially like the honey from the bees of this garden!  That is why we have a fairy ring in our yard.

On the morning of the full moon Grandma had a small jar of honey by Leilah Bee's breakfast plate.  "The world looks sweeter when you look at it through a honey jar," Grandma said.  Leilah Bee held the jar up to her eye and looked through.  Sure enough, the whole kitchen was golden and soft looking.

"You be on the lookout Leilah Bee; the fairies are getting ready for their dance in the fairy circle tonight.  Maybe you will be lucky and see one this full moon night", said Grandma with a loving smile on her face.

Leilah Bee spent the morning by the roots of the apple tree, making more rooms in her fairy houses.  She kept a sharp eye out for early bird fairies just in case!  And she sang a little made up song as she played.

'Fairies dancing in a ring
I wonder if you also sing?
Round and round you swirl and twirl,
Have you ever danced with a girl?
Oh I wish I could play with you
Until the grass is full of dew.'

The sun was getting low in the sky.  Grandma called Leilah Bee inside.  'It's time to fill the honey shell',
she said.  Leilah Bee took a big spoonful of honey from Grandma's honey pot.  It was golden, clear, and thick.  
She filled the shell which was shaped like a bowl.  Then together Grandma and Leilah Bee put it right in the very middle of the fairy circle.

Grandma smiled and said, 'Leilah Bee, the fairies will love this honey! Let's put the candles in the circle now.'  When they were done, the sun had set and they watched the candlelight flicker.

'Time for bed Leilah Bee.  Fairies won't come while we are here.' And Grandma and Leilah Bee went inside and got ready for bed.

Leilah Bee's bed was right next to the window, and she could see the fairy circle by the apple tree from her bed.  In her hand was the little honey jar Grandma had given her at breakfast.  

She whisper-sang her fairy song.....

'Fairies dancing in a ring
I wonder if you also sing?
Round and round you swirl and twirl,
Have you ever danced with a girl?
Oh I wish I could play with you,
Until the grass is full of dew'

Then she looked through the honey jar.  The night became golden and warm.  The candlelight flickered through the honey.  No, wait, was that candle flicker, or was that a fairy twirling!?

Leilah Bee looked all over the circle through the honey jar.  There were fairies dancing above each candle....swirl and twirl, swirl and twirl....

When she looked without the honey jar, the fairies were gone.  She only saw the candles burning.  But when she looked through the honey jar again, the fairies came back!  Swirl and twirl, swirl and twirl...

Leilah Bee watched and watched the fairy dance for what seemed like a very long time. The next thing she knew, she was just waking up in her bed and it was morning!

She jumped up and ran outside to the fairy circle.  Sure enough, all the honey in the shell was gone!

'They came Grandma, they came,' Leilah Bee called out as she ran to the kitchen to find Grandma!  Leilah Bee told grandma about seeing the fairies dance when she looked through the honey jar, and that the honey in the shell was gone!

Grandma smiled and said, 'oh my little Leilah Bee, you are a lucky girl. May you always feel the love and joy of the fairies in your heart, Yes, the world is sweeter when you look at it through a honey jar!'

'Time for blueberry pancakes Leilah Bee.  Then we'll gather up the candles and shell and put them away til next full moon.'