48 THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY

It was the day before Christmas.

Two little children went to the woods.

They wanted to find a Christmas tree.

Poor little children! They had never had a Christmas tree.

“Oh, dear! ”said the little girl.

“We have nothing to put on the tree.”

“We must find a tree with many cones on it, ”said the little boy.

“Cones will make our tree beautiful.”

“Yes, yes! ”said the little girl.

“We must find a tree with cones on it.”

The children walked on and on.

But they could not find a tree with cones on it.

By and by night came.

The children were very, very tired.

They could not find their way home.

So they sat down to rest.

Soon the little girl fell asleep.

The little boy was tired, too, but he did not close his eyes.

“I must take care of sister, ”he said.

“I will put my coat around her to keep her warm.”

He sat there a long time until he shook with the cold.

By and by he saw a very bright light.

It waked his little sister.

Soon the children saw a beautiful fairy.

She came right up to them.

“Who are you? ”asked the little boy.

“I am the Christmas Fairy, ”said the fairy.

“I am always in the woods at Christmas time.

I make the woods bright at night.

Then good little boys and girls can find the prettiest trees.

Come, children! I will take you to a beautiful tree.”

The fairy took them to a beautiful tree.

It had many, many cones on it.

“Here is your tree, ”said the fairy.

Then she said, “Little cones, light the tree.”

The little cones began to shine like gold.

“Oh, what a wonderful Christmas tree! ”said the children.

“It will light you all the way home, ”said the fairy.

“It will shine for you on Christmas Day, too.”

The children took the beautiful tree.

It lighted them all the way home.

They were very, very happy.

(Edna V. Riddleberger)

Word list

fairy: a small, human-like creature with wings

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) What month does the story take place? How do you know?

2) Why did the children go into the woods?

3) Why were the children looking for a tree with many cones on it?

4) Why could the children not find their way home?

5) Who came right up to the children?

B) What's the word? Using the clues, write the correct words from the story.

1) they look nice on a tree: c _ _ _ _

2) another word for forest: w _ _ _ _

3) very nice looking: b _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4) a jacket, covering: c _ _ _

5) full of light: b _ _ _ _ _

C) The problem—Most stories have problems that need to be solved. Draw the problem in the story. Then draw how the problem was solved.

1) Problem:

2) Solution: