Fairy Gifts
Encyclopedia
Fairy Gifts is a French literary fairy tale
, by the Comte de Caylus. Andrew Lang
included it in The Green Fairy Book.
raised princes and princesses in her house and never sent them away grown without a gift. Her favorite was the Princess Sylvia, but she was curious how some other princesses had prospered with their gifts.
One day, she sent Sylvia to visit a former charge, Iris, who had received the gift of beauty. Sylvia returned with news that Iris thought that beauty supplied everything and she need do nothing else; unfortunately, she had fallen ill during the visit, and lost her looks. The fairy regretted that she could give such gifts once.
She sent her to others, but the princess who received eloquence would not be quiet and wearied all her listeners in time; the princess who received the gift of pleasing was insincere and made all her lovers weary of her; the princess who received wit was always turning everything into an occasion for it and took nothing seriously.
Sylvia asked for herself a quiet spirit, which made her and everyone around her happy.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
, by the Comte de Caylus. Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
included it in The Green Fairy Book.
Synopsis
The Flower FairyFairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
raised princes and princesses in her house and never sent them away grown without a gift. Her favorite was the Princess Sylvia, but she was curious how some other princesses had prospered with their gifts.
One day, she sent Sylvia to visit a former charge, Iris, who had received the gift of beauty. Sylvia returned with news that Iris thought that beauty supplied everything and she need do nothing else; unfortunately, she had fallen ill during the visit, and lost her looks. The fairy regretted that she could give such gifts once.
She sent her to others, but the princess who received eloquence would not be quiet and wearied all her listeners in time; the princess who received the gift of pleasing was insincere and made all her lovers weary of her; the princess who received wit was always turning everything into an occasion for it and took nothing seriously.
Sylvia asked for herself a quiet spirit, which made her and everyone around her happy.