A Goblin Story

I.

As a result of ancient treaties, entered into many centuries past, and over conflicts long forgotten, the Queen of All the Faeries is bound, every one thousand years, to send some number of Faerie babies to live with the Goblins.

II.

A Goblin couple was to be sent a Faerie child.

“I wonder who it will be!” They gurgled.

They were so excited.

But they did not know what to do.

A second child was sent. And then a third. But they were Goblins after all. And did not know what to do.

They loved the babies as best they could, with their big clunky hands and their clunky, immovable hearts.

But all they knew how to feel was anger.

Even their love came out that way.

And so the little Faerie children built walls, to protect themselves. And they ran behind their walls to eat, so the Goblins wouldn’t take their food, or yell at them.

A fourth little Faerie child came, but she couldn’t stay. She went spinning and spinning away, never to be seen again.

And then the Goblins went quiet. Some would say they turned to stone. But they didn’t. They kept moving, but slowly, as if through heavy mud and mire.

“This is a bad place!” The Goblins wailed.

And they picked up the remaining three, and scurried away with them to the sea.

Two of the Faerie children clung together. The other stayed alone. But they all brought their walls with them.

One day, the first Faerie’s wings were strong enough, and she flew away.

“I’m never coming back! Never coming back!”

Soon after, the second, and the third:

“We’re never coming back! Never coming back!”

From far off in the flowers, and way up in the trees, the three Faeries could see the Goblins.

“I wonder what they’re doing now,” the Goblins would say, and “I hope they’re OK.” The Goblins still moved as if through heavy mud.

The Faeries watched as the Goblins fed themselves with their clunky hands, and tried to work machines they didn’t understand.

Whenever a big storm came to the forest, the Papa Goblin would put on his rain coat and stand outside for hours, watching with his big round eyes.

After a time, the three Faeries did come back. And they held hands and danced. And they made lovely meals and ate together with the Goblins, and showed them how to work the machines they didn’t understand.