Cheryl the Christmas Tree Fairy Page 2

  The girls thought hard for a moment.

  “I know!” said Rachel suddenly. “If you conjure up a wonderful food smell, I’m sure they’ll try to find where it’s coming from! We know how greedy goblins are.”

  Cheryl immediately flicked her wand, and a swirl of steam came out of it. The steam drifted down to the goblins. It smelled like pumpkin pies and chocolate brownies. It even made the girls feel hungry!

  The goblins raised their noses into the air as the steam drifted by.

  “Food!” exclaimed the plump goblin, scrambling to his feet.

  “That smells so good!” cried the warty goblin.

  Cheryl sent the ribbon of steam off through the trees, and the three goblins followed it eagerly. Then she whispered a few magic words and waved her wand. Silver glitter floated down and landed on the treetops. The girls scanned the area eagerly, but they didn’t see a magical Christmas tree.

  “It’s not here,” said Cheryl sadly.

  “Let’s try another area,” Rachel suggested. They couldn’t give up yet!

  Cheryl used the delicious-smelling steam to send the goblins even farther away from them. Then she waved her wand over a new group of trees. This time, they saw something glittering far below.

  “Oh, please let it be my magic Christmas tree!” Cheryl exclaimed.

  They flew down into the forest. Among a thick cluster of tall pines, they saw a beautiful, sparkling Christmas tree.

  “We found it!” squealed Rachel in excitement.

  Cheryl waved her wand over the tree, but nothing happened.

  “Oh, no! That spell should have sent the tree back to the Fairyland Nursery!” cried Cheryl in alarm. “Jack Frost must have put a sticking spell on it!”

  “Can you break it?” said Kirsty.

  “Not by myself,” Cheryl replied, looking very upset.

  “How can we help?” asked Rachel.

  “I need to make the tree’s magic stronger than Jack Frost’s spell,” Cheryl explained. “To do that we’ll have to make a circle around the tree and think hard about how much we love Christmas. But it really needs more than three people in order to work. I don’t know if we’ll be strong enough.”

  “Let’s try!” said Kirsty, holding out her hands.

  They stood around the tree and held hands, making a circle. Then they closed their eyes and thought about Christmas as hard as they could. Rachel thought about Christmas treats and wrapping Christmas presents. Kirsty thought about singing carols and having fun with her family. They felt a rush of warmth passing through their hands.

  “That’s it!” cried Cheryl, waving her wand again.

  This time there was a loud POOF! The tree disappeared in a puff of red and gold fairy dust. Their plan had worked!

  “Hooray!” said Cheryl. “Now let’s deal with the goblins.”

  She drew the delicious-smelling steam back to her wand. A few seconds later, the girls heard the rustle of leaves and the snapping of twigs. Then the goblins pushed through the bushes in front of them.

  “Fairies!” The goblin in the hat gasped.

  “Did you greedy things eat all the food?” the plump goblin asked suspiciously.

  “No, but we already found the magic Christmas tree and sent it back to the Fairyland Nursery,” said Kirsty, folding her arms.

  The goblins groaned.

  “We’re in big trouble now!” wailed the warty one.

  Cheryl waved her wand and a plate of mini pies appeared in front of the goblins.

  “I’m sorry you’re so cold and hungry,” she said. “No one should be hungry at Christmastime, not even troublemakers!”

  The goblins grabbed the plate of pies and gobbled them up as fast as they could.

  Cheryl hugged Rachel and Kirsty and gave them a beaming smile.

  “Thank you,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for you, I never would have spotted the goblins in the forest.”

  “We’re so glad we could help!” said Rachel.

  “I’m going back to the palace to tell the king and queen that we found my magic Christmas tree,” said Cheryl. “It’s time for you two to go home. But I’ll see you again soon!”

  With that, Cheryl waved her wand. The girls were surrounded by a sparkly whirl of golden fairy dust. When it cleared, they were back at Christmas Cabin!

  “Girls,” called Mrs. Tate from the living room. “We got the tree!”

  “There are some wonderful decorations here, too!” added Mrs. Walker. “And we just made some hot chocolate.”

  Rachel looked at Kirsty with shining eyes, and Kirsty gave a happy sigh.

  “A tree to decorate, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and a fairy adventure,” she said. “What a magical start to our Christmas vacation!”

  Santa’s Village

  Cheryl to the Rescue!

  Find Those Goblins!

  Goblins in Danger!

  Goblin Gifts

  The following morning, Rachel, Kirsty, and their parents were up bright and early. They had decided to take a sled-dog ride to a special place called Santa’s Village.

  “Are you looking forward to the ride, girls?” asked Mr. Walker.

  Rachel and Kirsty nodded eagerly.

  “I dreamed about sled dogs all night!” said Kirsty, laughing.

  “I dreamed about Santa’s Village,” added Rachel. “There’s a toy factory, a gift shop, and reindeer. The people who work there must be so nice!”

  “Maybe they won’t be nice if we can’t find the magic Christmas star,” Kirsty whispered to her friend in a worried voice. “The star is what helps everyone feel helpful and kind, remember?”

  The girls knew that Jack Frost and his goblins had stolen three enchanted items from Cheryl the Christmas Tree Fairy. Kirsty and Rachel had helped her find the magical Christmas tree, but they still had to find the Christmas star and the Christmas gift — and time was running out. There were only two days left until Christmas!

  “Let’s go, girls!” said Mr. Tate.

  Their sled guide was waiting for them outside. When the girls saw the husky dogs, they gasped in delight.

  “They’re so beautiful!” said Kirsty, her breath hovering in the chilly air.

  Rachel and Kirsty loved the dogs’ snow-tipped fur coats and bright, intelligent blue eyes. Everyone climbed into the sled and snuggled together under warm blankets.

  “Mush!” cried the guide, and the huskies raced off.

  The dogs sped over the snowy ground, past pine trees, grazing reindeer, and cozy log cabins. The sled was going so fast that the cold wind took the girls’ breath away, and no one could speak a word. But Kirsty and Rachel smiled at each other, their eyes sparkling.

  The ride was over much too soon. The huskies slowed down as they arrived in Santa’s Village, and the sled stopped outside a very large building. It was decorated with colored lights and had an arched sign over the door.

  The girls and their parents jumped out of the sled and made sure to say thank you to the guide and the dogs. Then Mr. Tate looked at his watch.

  “Why don’t you girls take a look inside Santa’s Workshop, while we wander around the gift shop?” he said. “Then we can go for a reindeer ride!”

  Rachel and Kirsty nodded and ran up to the door of Santa’s Workshop. A man dressed as an elf opened the door for them. He was wearing a bright-green outfit with red trim.

  “Welcome to Santa’s Workshop,” he said with a beaming smile. “This is where we make toys for children all over the world. We’re especially proud of the beautiful wooden toys that our carpenters make.”

  The girls stepped through the door and stopped in astonishment. The workshop seemed much, much bigger on the inside! Huge machines whirred all around them, letting out long whistles and shooting colored sparks into the air. Dozens
of people dressed as elves rushed around busily.

  “Go ahead,” said the man, who was holding the door for them. “Just follow the silver arrows painted on the floor. You might even see Santa, if you’re lucky!”

  Rachel and Kirsty walked on, following the trail of silver arrows painted on the workshop floor.

  They came to a long table where several carpenters were sitting in a row. Each one was concentrating hard on the toy he or she was making. Farther down the line, more people dressed as elves were painting wooden toys with bright colors. Kirsty’s eyes shined as she turned to her best friend, but Rachel was frowning.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Kirsty.

  Rachel pointed under the table, to where two very small elves were crouching. They were tying some of the carpenters’ shoelaces together!

  “Those naughty elves!” Kirsty exclaimed. She couldn’t believe her eyes! What were they thinking?

  “Those aren’t elves,” said Rachel, as the troublemakers turned to each other, showing long green noses. “They’re goblins!”

  “Oh, no!” cried Kirsty. “What are they doing here?”

  At that moment, a large machine beside them gave a loud whistle. Then there was a burst of red sparkles, and Cheryl popped out of the machine!

  “Hello, girls!” she said.

  “Thank goodness you’re here,” said Rachel. “There are two goblins causing trouble over there!”

  She quickly explained what had happened. When they turned back to the table, the goblins had disappeared — and all the carpenters’ shoelaces were tied together!

  “I’d better fix that before someone gets hurt,” said Cheryl, looking worried.

  She waved her wand and said:

  “Stop this silly goblin plot —

  Untie each tangle and each knot!

  Laces all should loop and show

  On every foot a perfect bow.”

  The girls watched in awe as the shoelaces untied themselves from one another and formed neat bows.

  “I can’t believe the goblins are here,” said Rachel.

  “They’re definitely up to no good,” Cheryl said. “Let’s follow them and find out what they’re doing!”

  Cheryl tucked herself under a lock of Kirsty’s hair so no one would see her. Then the girls followed the silver arrows deeper into the workshop, looking left and right for the goblins.

  “Over there!” Kirsty exclaimed.

  Two figures in green uniforms were kneeling down in front of a blue and red machine, peering into the engine. One of them was holding a wrench, and the other one had a hammer.

  “We have to stop them,” cried Rachel. “They’re going to break the machine!”

  The girls dashed across and pulled the figures away from the machine. But to their horror, they saw two surprised human faces staring at them!

  “We’re so sorry!” said Kirsty, her cheeks red with embarrassment. “We thought you were . . . someone else.”

  The girls backed away and rushed off along the silver arrows’ path. As they walked farther into the workshop, Cheryl gasped.

  “I see them,” she cried. “There they are!”

  There was no doubt about it this time. The girls could see the goblins’ green faces! They were standing in a quiet corner next to a box full of toys, whispering to each other.

  “Come on,” said Rachel. “Let’s find out what they’re saying.”

  The girls darted over to the other side of the box. They edged around it until they could hear the goblins’ voices clearly.

  “It’s fun playing tricks on these silly people,” the first goblin was saying. “What should we do next?”

  “Playing tricks isn’t the only reason we’re here,” said the second goblin. “Look what I have.”

  He lifted his elf hat and the girls gasped. Underneath the hat was something purple and shiny.

  “The Christmas star!” Cheryl gasped.

  “What are you doing with that?” asked the first goblin, his eyes almost popping out of his head.

  “Jack Frost is too mean to find a decent star for our tree,” said the second goblin. “This one’s terrible!”

  “What’s wrong with it?” asked the first goblin.

  “It’s too small,” grumbled the second goblin. “I want an enormous star for our tree, and I’ll bet there’s a better one here. They make all sorts of pretty things in this place. I stole this star from Jack Frost so that we can swap it!”

  “Oh my goodness,” whispered Kirsty, her eyes wide. “The goblins don’t know that the star has magical powers!”

  The girls stared at one another in astonishment.

  “How are we going to get the star back?” asked Cheryl.

  “I’ve got a plan,” said Rachel, her eyes shining. “The goblins are here to replace that star with something bigger. If we can find something they like, we might be able to convince them to trade!”

  “I could make a star decoration that they’ll love,” said Cheryl, tapping her wand thoughtfully against her cheek. “It will have to be something big and colorful to please the goblins.”

  “Good idea,” said Kirsty. “But first, we have to find them!”

  She pointed to where the goblins had been standing. They had disappeared again!

  “I wish they’d stop doing that,” said Rachel. “Come on, let’s go find them!”

  The girls hurried through the workshop. They peered around machines, under tables, and inside crates of toys. They looked closely at all the workers they passed, and even checked the kitchen at the back of the workshop. But there was no sign of the goblins.

  Suddenly, they heard someone yell, “What do you think you’re doing?”

  The girls looked at each other in excitement.

  “I bet that’s the goblins, causing mischief!” Kirsty exclaimed. “Quick, let’s find out what’s going on.”

  They ran over to where the shout had come from. A few people in elf outfits were standing in a huddle, hands on their hips. Above their heads hung a sign that read: TESTING AREA. Each of them was wearing a badge that said: TOY TESTER. Rachel and Kirsty peeked over their shoulders.

  One of the goblins was sitting on a wooden tricycle that was much too small for him. He was pedaling around in circles. There was a long piece of string attached to the back of the tricycle, which had wooden dolls, wooden blocks, and a toy train tied to it. The toys were crashing and bouncing along behind the tricycle, and the goblin giggled as he pedaled faster and faster.

  “Stop!” cried the toy testers. “You’re breaking the toys!”

  The second goblin was waving a bat around in one hand and throwing tennis balls into the air with the other. None of the elves could get near him.

  “Wheeee!” he shouted.

  He whacked a tennis ball with the bat. It soared into the air, hit the ceiling, and bounced off the head of one of the toy testers.

  “Ouch!” he cried, rubbing his head.

  “We have to stop them!” Rachel exclaimed.

  She rushed forward and stepped on the string that was trailing from the back of the tricycle. She dug her heel into the ground. The goblin gave a yelp of anger and toppled off as the tricycle screeched to a stop.

  “You horrible girl!” he squealed, leaping to his feet and hopping up and down in a fury. “You ruined my fun!”

  “We just want to talk to you —” Rachel began.

  But the goblin darted behind a table piled high with toys and disappeared. Meanwhile, Kirsty had run toward the other goblin.

  “Stop hitting those tennis balls,” she pleaded. “You’ll hurt someone!”

  The goblin stuck out his tongue and made a face. Then he threw down the bat and raced after his companion.

  While the workers began to clean up the mess,
Rachel and Kirsty headed off after the goblins. Cheryl was still hiding under Kirsty’s hair so she wouldn’t be spotted. Ahead, they saw three girls in elf outfits standing together. Each of them was holding a clipboard, and they all looked very upset. “Is everything OK?” asked Kirsty, hurrying up to them.

  “Someone ruined our checklists,” said one of the girls. “We have to check to make sure that all the toys are safe to go into the gift shop. We mark off little boxes when we’ve checked that the toys work and are made well. But someone has put marks in all of the boxes on our sheets. We can’t tell which are real and which aren’t, so we’ll have to start from scratch!”

  “That’s so mean,” said Rachel.

  “That sounds like the work of goblins,” muttered Kirsty under her breath.

  Suddenly, Rachel caught a glimpse of a green foot as it disappeared around a corner.

  “What’s over there?” she asked the elves, pointing.

  “Just the Reindeer Barn,” the girl replied.

  Kirsty and Rachel exchanged a worried glance.

  “If those goblins upset the reindeer, no one will be able to go for a sleigh ride today,” Kirsty whispered. “We have to stop them.”

  The girls ran over to where they had seen the goblins and found a large wooden door. The sign on the door said:

  REINDEER BARN.

  PLEASE KEEP THIS DOOR SHUT.

  (AND NO EXTRA CARROTS FOR RUDOLPH. HE’S ON A DIET.)

  The door was swinging open.

  “Oh, no,” said Rachel. “I think we’re too late.”

  They stepped cautiously into the barn. The floor was covered with straw, and the barn was lined with empty stalls. Each stall had a different name printed on it.