Princess White Flame

by Gertrude Crownfield

The Soot Fairy was just about to thank him for the promise of his good offices, when suddenly the Wind leaned from his seat, and peered down toward the Chimney Mouth. Flying Soot looked also. Up the Chimney rose a dense cloud of smoke, and in it, so enveloped by it that they could not see each other, though they were plainly visible to the eyes of the Wind and Flying Soot, were the Earth Fairy, Princess White Flame, and Prince Radiance. Behind them loomed an immense grey shape. It was Curling Smoke on his way to the Chimney Top, driving his enemies before him.

The Wind started from his seat in a towering rage. “So this is the way you and your Earth Fairy have deceived me,” he howled, turning upon Flying Soot. “This is the way in which she has had nothing to do with Curling Smoke. But you, her messenger, shall learn what happens when you trifle with the Wind. Up, out of my Chimney, to the punishment that you well deserve.”

With one blast he drove the Soot Fairy up and away through the great black spaces of the Chimney, and hurled him out into the Great World Beyond. Well did the Wind know that from thence he could not return.

Then with so mighty a rush that nothing could stand before it he pounced upon Curling Smoke and those whom he had in his power. “How dare you come into my presence unbidden?” he shrieked. “Out of my kingdom all of you! Out, out into the Borderland.”

Away they were driven by the fury of the Wind like leaves before a storm, down through the black Chimney and out of its mouth, into the Borderland near to the Kingdom of Earth.

There the Wind scattered Curling Smoke far and wide in thin pale streamers that slowly floated back at last to the great plain from whence he had come.

As for the wicked Earth Fairy, the Wind in the Chimney drove her away and away into the Land of Desolate Places there to remain forever a prisoner.

In the Borderland he cast down Prince Radiance, and roughly tossed the flame of the Princess upon a pile of scattered ash, and blackened coals.

Then with his anger satisfied, the Wind rushed back to his Chimney, shrieking and howling with glee at the punishment that he had dealt out to those who had offended him.

Princess White Flame, so pale that she could scarcely be discerned, quivered and flickered where the Wind had rudely thrown her. Too weak to cry out, she only sighed faintly, and sank still lower upon the ashes.