Lila loved bedtime. Not just because it meant snuggles with her teddy bear, Barnaby, but because that’s when the garden seemed to come alive with magic. Tonight, as she was getting ready for bed, she noticed a tiny, flickering light near the rose bushes. It wasn’t a firefly; it was much too small and…sad.
Lila tiptoed outside, Barnaby tucked under her arm. As she got closer, she saw it was a fairy! A very small fairy, with wings that drooped and a face full of worry. “What’s wrong?” Lila whispered, careful not to scare her.
The fairy sniffled. “I’m Lumi,” she said, her voice like a tiny bell. “And I’ve lost my sparkle! Every fairy has a special sparkle that helps us do our magic, and mine is gone. Without it, I can’t help the flowers grow or guide lost bumblebees home.”
Lila felt a pang of sympathy. “Don’t worry, Lumi,” she said. “We’ll find it! Where did you last see it?” Lumi thought hard. “I was practicing my sparkle-dust trails, making patterns in the moonlight. I think…I think it fell off near the old oak tree.”
So, Lila and Lumi began their search. They looked under leaves, behind pebbles, and even inside Barnaby’s fluffy ear (Barnaby didn’t mind!). The oak tree was big, and the garden was dark, but Lila didn’t give up. She knew how important Lumi’s sparkle was.
“It’s no use,” Lumi sighed, her wings drooping even further. “It’s probably lost forever.” Lila gently squeezed Lumi’s tiny hand. “We can’t give up now! Let’s look one more time, really carefully.”
Lila shone her little flashlight under a patch of clover. And there it was! A tiny, shimmering speck, caught on a clover leaf. It wasn’t bright, but it was definitely Lumi’s sparkle. “Lumi, look!” Lila exclaimed.
Lumi’s eyes lit up. She zoomed over and carefully touched the sparkle. Instantly, her wings began to glow, and a beautiful, shimmering trail followed her as she flew in a little circle. “You found it! You really found it!” she cried, overjoyed.
“I couldn’t have done it without you, Lila,” Lumi said, landing on Lila’s nose. “You were so kind and helpful, and you never gave up, even when I did.” Lila giggled. It felt wonderful to help someone.
Lumi sprinkled a tiny bit of sparkle-dust on Lila’s forehead. “This is a little bit of fairy magic, to remind you to always be kind and to never give up on your friends.” Then, with a final wave, Lumi flew off to help the garden bloom. Lila went back inside, Barnaby safe in her arms, feeling warm and happy. She knew, even as she drifted off to sleep, that even the smallest act of kindness could make the biggest difference.