Sparkle Schoolhouse

Sparkle Weekly Wonderings: Water Fairies

In keeping with our four-week “Introduction to Fairies” theme, I am honored to bring you the most misunderstood of the members of the fairy realm: the water fairies.

In fairy tales, Water Nymphs or Nixies can be anything from nasty to terrifying. They are shown to be temperamental and occasionally bloodthirsty. Now, this is not entirely untrue — but it is certainly not the norm of this ordinarily peaceful fairy folk.

Fairies are much like the nature they represent. Air fairies are like air: changeable and unseen. Fire fairies are like fire: dramatic and inspiring. Water fairies are like water: fluid and generally seeking their own level. In other words, most water fairies are more like puddles than tsunamis. They tend to be slow unless rushed, still unless overfull, calm unless a storm blows in. They are more often floating on the surface like someone ambling along in a raft than they are plunging over steep cliffs like a waterfall.

So in this week’s stories, you will see the full breadth of behavior from water fairies — and we hope that you will see similarities in your children. Those who are influenced by many water fairies behave like them. Slow, steady, dreamy, happy to sit in one place unless provoked. But when pushed or pulled or hurried, look out. A big wave is about to crest.