Bonniebelle's Plan (1000 word version)

         When Toby was turning six years old, all the fairies, the pixies, the sprites, the secret creatures and the silly creatures and all of the other wonderful things who hide from the adults but are friends to children, decided there was a big problem: Toby's father had no idea that Toby was turning six years old.

         Years ago, when Toby was just a baby, Toby's mother got very sick and died. Toby's father was so heartbroken that he forgot a lot of things. He even forgot when Toby's birthday was, and how old he was turning.

         Toby was quiet and shy, and as kindhearted as a boy could be. He decided not to remind his father that his birthday was coming.

         So all the fairies, all the run-arounds and the scurry-abouts, all the hiders and finders, and most importantly of all, Toby's fairy godmother Bonniebelle, gathered together.

         Bonniebelle is a special fairy godmother. She is godmother to every little child who doesn't have a mother, every little girl and boy who can't have their own mother's hugs, kisses, or lullabies goodnight.

         Bonniebelle was very tall for a fairy, the height of a human, and dressed in a long, beautiful gown. The dress was green, brown, sky blue and all the colors of the outside, of the woods, of everything that as warm and good.

         When all the fairies together, they made a special plan.

         On Toby's birthday, though he was awake very early, he didn't run to his father's room, or even run around the house shouting for joy like little boys do. Instead, Toby quietly climbed out of bed and pulled open the blinds on the window so the rising sun could light his room. Toby had already planned by himself for the day. He was going to have his own party, all by himself with his imagination.

         But when the blinds were open, Toby jumped back in surprise. There, outside his window, was his fairy godmother! Toby had seen Bonniebelle in his dreams before and he knew exactly who she was. He opened the window as quickly as he could, and Bonniebelle climbed through.

         "My friends and I have a plan for your birthday today," she said, giving him a tight hug. "We have eleven birthday presents, just for you."

         "Really?" asked Toby excitedly.

         Instead of answering, his fairy godmother winked and disappeared. Suddenly, the head of a deer popped through his still-open window.

         Toby jumped back in surprise. On the deer's nose was a one-inch tall fairy. "Your first gift, Toby!" she said. The deer was holding a small basket in her mouth. In the basket was a small hat, woven from grass and flowers. The fairy clung to the deer's nose as the deer set the basket down in Toby's room, and turned around and left.

         Just then, three woodland elf heads peeked into the window. One had black hair, one had brown hair, one had bright blue hair. The fairy elves all had pointed, elf ears and big grins on their faces. Each of them held out their own basket, looking just like the first basket.

         "Your second gift!" said the black-haired elf. His basket had an apple in it.

         "Your third gift!" said the brown-haired elf. His basket had an orange in it.

         "And your really amazing, super wonderful, absolutely spectacular fourth gift!" shouted the blue-haired elf. His basket had a cupcake with icing and sprinkles in it. The other two made funny faces at the blue-haired elf, but he paid them no mind. The three dropped their baskets into Toby's room and scurried away.

         Toby sat on his bed and made no move toward the four baskets, and he was right to do so, because immediately after the three elves had gone, someone else arrived. This time it was a small brown squirrel with a big fluffy tail. He scampered all the way into Toby's room, climbed into Toby's lap, and held up a giant acorn with his paws. Toby, very gently, took the acorn from the squirrel and the squirrel flipped his tail happily and scampered off.

         Toby was setting the acorn on his nightstand when he heard a yell. "Hey there, hey there, little boy!"

         This time Toby had to look out the window. A short elf with a huge nose was standing there. "Happy birthday!" he said loudly. "Your sixth gift." He grabbed Toby's hand, shoved something into it, then turned and left like the others.

         Toby looked at what was in his hand. It was a stone, smooth as glass and shining with all the colors of a sunrise, orange and purple and gold and fiery red. Toby immediately went over and set it down next to the acorn. As soon as he turned around, he saw, peeking in the window, four racoons. Each was carrying a basket in their paws.

         They climbed inside, put their baskets on the floor next to the others already there, then left without a sound. Toby went up to the baskets to find, in each one, a pile of berries of all kinds.

         Toby counted. That was ten gifts. He wondered what the eleventh was. All of a sudden his godmother appeared, sitting on his bed.

         "Do you like your gifts, Toby?" she asked.

         Toby nodded and grinned.

         "You have one more gift, Toby, one from me." Bonniebelle looked down in her lap, and Toby realized she was cradling a small, furry little ball. It whimpered and squeaked, and when Toby came closer, he saw that it was a little black puppy, tiny and weak.

         "A puppy?" he gasped, excited.

         "Listen, Toby," said Bonniebelle gently. "This is a very special puppy, because just like you, he doesn't have a mother. He needs someone to take care of him. Do you think you can do that?"

         "Oh yes, yes!" exclaimed Toby.

         Bonniebelle put the puppy into his arms. Toby held the puppy as gently as he could.

         "Happy birthday, Toby." said Bonniebelle, and disappeared.