The fairies of the mountain were rushing around arranging a secret party. It was the birthday of the Fairy Princess, Esme. They wished to give her a surprise.
All the little animals on the mountain had been invited and the trees, bushes, and even the boulders had been decorated. Music was being organised by the birds and the crickets. But it was all hidden away carefully.
During the day, a huge brown bear had lumbered onto the mountain. The fairies were horrified. The birthday celebrations were going to be ruined. Everyone would be frightened out of his wits.
The brown bear was chewing up some of the decorations. He had frightened the birds into silence. He tasted the food that was being stored in the cave, ready for the party. The fairies groaned, but there was nothing they could do to stop the brown bear rampaging through all the arrangements. By evening, the fairies were in despair. The bear had finally gone to sleep under a tree. They would have to make the arrangements all over again quickly if the party was to be held that night.
“Perhaps they won’t be so perfect as they were earlier,” said the fairy of the mountain stream, “But what matters is that Princess Esme knows we love her enough to have fun and celebration!”
All the fairies agreed. The fireflies formed streamers and draped themselves on the trees, bushes and the boulders. The fairies of the waterfall and the stream joined to cook all the little cakes and snacks. The fairies of the caves came out to arrange the dances.
Princess Esme arrived looking gorgeous in a golden gown, with little green sparkles all over it. All the fairies burst into the birthday song for her. But it awoke the brown bear!
Princess Esme thought that the bear was a special present for her. She gave him a big hug! The bear was completely shocked. No one had ever hugged him. Before the astonished eyes of the fairies and all the animals he turned into a handsome young prince wearing a brown velvet suit! An ogre had placed a spell on him and turned him into a bear. Only if someone treated him lovingly would the spell break. Esme’s hug had turned him back into a prince!
“How wonderful!” exclaimed the fairies, “We came to celebrate birthday and now we’ll celebrate a wedding too!” Princess Esme married the Prince with great pomp and show, and they lived happily thereafter.
