Chapter 5

By now the sun was going down.  “It’s time to go home now,” he thought, feeling happy and a little sad at the same time. Being a thoughtful gnome, he had marked his entrance into the Upper World with his red handkerchief tied around a small tree. As he headed for his tunnel home, he saw a circle of little blue lights held aloft by tiny fairies. They danced in the air, wings fluttering, tiny hands saluting him, and sang:
 
  You’ve come up from Underground
  To see the Sun-Bright World.
  You’ve touched and tasted, smelled and seen
  The Brightness of this Earthy Dream.
  Now say goodnight to Moon and Stars—
  You’ve been so near and come so far.
  We bless you on your Gnome Home way.
  Come back again to Dance and Play.
  
 Alexander bowed to the lovely fairies of the moonlight and said, “Thank you for the beautiful song. I will come again.”  And there was his handkerchief.  He patted the tree, who said, “Please be careful untying me.  I’m just a sapling.” Alexander very gently untied the handkerchief, and patted the tree goodbye.  “Thank you dear tree for showing me where to find my home.”  Then he carefully began to climb down the hole he had made just that morning, taking his spade with him.

Draw Fairies