Ethel The Sugar Plum Fairy

This is a story I created with my Dad over a few bedtimes, I came up with the characters names and what should happen next.  We laughed and giggled loads creating this and it will always be a special story to both of us.  

Hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Ethel the Sugar Plum Fairy

Once upon a time, in Sugar Plum Fairy land, there lived a Sugar Plum Fairy called Ethel.

Ethel loved being a Sugar Plum Fairy, but there was a downside to all the magic, sparkles and glitter.  Sugar Plum fairies ate Sugar Plums for breakfast, Sugar Plums for dinner, Sugar Plums for tea and Banoffee Pie for supper.  Every day it was the same, Sugar Plums, Sugar Plums, Sugar Plums and buckets of Banoffee Pie.

One day, Ethel decided enough was enough and she packed her bag and headed off to the Mystic Forest (which was next door to Sugar Plum Fairy Land) to see what else the world had to offer.

In her bag she packed a bottle of Sugar Plum juice, her magic fairy wand.

The Mystic Forest was full of creatures, sounds and smells that Ethel had never imagined.  She listened to the noises the trees made in the wind.  As this was a mystic forest, the trees did not go swish, wish, swash like normal trees that you or I would hear, they twinkled and chimed like little bells, small lights flickered from the roots right to the very topmost leaf.  Well, most of the trees did, there was also the “A-woo-gah” tree, bright blue and pink with orange thorns all the way to the top and when the wind caused this tree to rock, oh my what a racket, “A-woo-gah! A-woo-gah!”.

Ethel flew down to the forest floor to see what mystical creatures could be found and hopefully make some friends, try some new foods and learn new things.

At the bottom of a Laa Laa bush, Ethel heard some rustling from a hole in the ground.  Suddenly, out popped a strange fuzzy head with black and white stripes, a pair of the biggest sunglasses ever seen and a dirty straw hat.  Ethel jumped backwards in surprise to see such a funny looking creature.

“Oh, Good Morning” said the fuzzy black and white head, “didn’t see you there”

“Good morning to you” said Ethel, “my name is Ethel the Sugar Plum Fairy and I have come to the Mystic Forest to meet new friends and to try new foods”

“My name is Rumble Tumble the Badger” said Rumble Trumble, “and it is nice to meet you too Ethel. 
Tell me, what is your favourite food, and I will see what I have in my cupboard so you can try something new”

“Well, because I am a Sugar Plum Fairy, I eat Sugar Plums for breakfast, Sugar Plums for dinner, Sugar Plums for tea and Banoffee Pie for supper” replied Ethel, “and to be honest, I am a little fed up with all these Sugar Plums and the Banoffee Pie is not helping my waistline!”

The badger’s head disappeared for a minute and when he returned his mouth was stuffed full of wriggling and jiggling worms

“whm lworv bworms!” mumbled Rumble Trumble before realising that talking with his mouth full was quite rude.  Laying the wriggling and jiggling worms on the forest floor at Ethel’s feet he repeated, “I love worms” but this time, it was much clearer.

“I love the way they tickle your tongue and wriggle in your belly if you slurp them up in one go. Would you like to try one?”

Ethel slowly reached her tiny Sugar Plum fairy hand down towards the clump of wriggling, wobbly, mucky worms and plucked a plump, juicy one right up.

“Oooh, that’s a good one” said the badger licking his lips

“So, I just pop it in and slurp?” questioned Ethel

“Yup, don’t bother chomping, just slurp!” replied Rumble Trumble.

Slowly, Ethel raised the plump, juicy worm towards her mouth and…..

“Slurp”

The worm wriggled on her tongue and jiggled into her belly, it made her shiver and shudder and wobble all over.

Ethel quickly grabbed her Sugar Plum Fairy Juice from her bag to wash down the taste.

“Would you like another one?” gleamed Rumble Trumble

Taking another drink of her Sugar Plum Fairy juice, Ethel slowly shook her head.

“I am so sorry Rumble Trumble, I know worms are your favourite food and I am glad I tried it, but I don’t think I could eat another one, they are a bit too wriggly and jiggly for me, maybe they are just the best for Badgers.”

“I have a friend who is great with food, maybe you should come with me, and I will introduce you”, said Rumble Trumble.  He squeezed out of his hole and took hold of Ethel’s hand.  Together they walked further into the Mystical Forest telling each other tales and stories of other adventures and exciting journeys that had been on, but those are for another time.

Eventually, they arrived at a golden pile of logs.  They shined and glistened in the beams on sunlight peeking through the leaves high above. Ethel was amazed at how beautiful they were, shimmering and shining and with each ray of light that caught the golden logs, they seem to make a “ping” or a “ching”

A gentle breeze passed through the Mystic Forest and the trees chimed, light twinkled and the Awoogah tree blarted out its noise, “A-Woo-Gah!”.

Suddenly, an orange creature stretched out from behind the golden logs and licked his lips.

Ethel jumped again, the worm wriggled in her belly and she let out a little Sugar Plum trump.

This made both Rumble Trumble and the new orange creature to start giggling out loud. Ethel began to giggle too. Sugar Plum trumps make the funniest noises.

“Hi Rumble Trumble” said the orange creature once everyone had stopped laughing, “Who is this lovely lady you have with you?”

“This is Ethel the Sugar Plum Fairy”, replied Rumble Trumble, “and she has come to visit the Mystic Forest to find new foods and new friends as she is fed up with eating Sugar Plums for breakfast, Sugar Plums for dinner, Sugar Plums for Tea and Banoffee Pie for Supper”

“And, worms make me trump” laughed Ethel

“Well, I am Marmalade” said the orange creature, “Marmalade the Fox” he continued, “and I absolutely love Cheese and Pickle sandwiches, would you like me to make one for you?”

Ethal had never tried cheese before or pickle and definitely not cheese and pickle together, this sounded amazing to the Sugar Plum fairy.

“Yes please” replied Ethel excitedly, “Yes Please”

“Would you like one too Rumble Trumble?” asked the fox

“No thank you, I am still full up from all my wriggly worms I had for my breakfast”, replied Rumble Tumble rubbing his wobbly, jiggly and wriggly belly.

A few moments later, after lots of clanging, clattering and a couple of smashes, Marmalade re-emerged from his golden log pile house carry a plate of special looking sandwiches, oozing with bright yellow cheese and sparkling pickles.

They looked delightful and Ethel politely took one, she slowly moved it towards her mouth and took an enormous Sugar Plum Fairy bite (which is not very big compared to you or I). The taste was magical, but then the zing of a spicy pickle made Ethel do something she had never done before, she burped a pickle breath burp.

“Oooh, that is tasty, but…burp, the pickles really…burp.. make me….burp…burp”

“I love pickle burps” said Marmalade, “they make the sandwiches taste even better, but maybe they are not the best for Sugar Plum Faires.  I have a friend who would be able to find other foods for you if you like?”

“I would love to try food that does not make me burp or trump” remarked Ethel.

So, off the three friends went to the centre of the Mystic Forest to find the Wise Old Owl.  They passed more La La bushes, Twinkle Ferns and a lonely Awooga Tree. Rumble Tumble, Marmalade and Ethel told stories to each other, laughed, giggled, trumped and burped.  The sunlight sparkled through the trees and the soft leaves on the ground crunched under foot.

Eventually, the friends arrived at the tallest tree in the Mystical Forest

“Wise Old Owl, are you there?” shouted Marmalade and two big round yellow eyes appeared from a hole in the tree, “Whooo?” came a shout.

“It’s me Marmalade, and I’m here with Rumble Tumble the Badger and Ethel the Sugar Plum Fairy!”

“Whoo?” the Wise Old Owl replied

“Ethel, she is a Sugar Plum Fairy who only eats Sugar Slums for breakfast, Sugar Plums for dinner, Sugar Plums for tea and Banoffee Pie for supper”

“And worms make me trump and pickles make me burp” shouted Ethel

“Whoo?” said the Wise Old Owl

Ethel looked across at her new friends, her new friends looked back at her.

“Maybe we will go and find someone else” said Rumble Tumble

Everyone agreed, the Wise Old Owl was not that wise!

“Hello” came a shout from another branch of the tallest tree in the Mystic Forest.  Ethel jumped, and trumped and burped all at once, she almost exploded into glitter dust.

Perched on a branch was a large white bird with very, very long legs and very, very long socks.  The bird had a bright yellow beak that was nearly as long as his legs.

“I heard what you were saying to the Wise Old Owl, and thought I may help, my name is Knife ’n’ Fork, I am a stork” said Knife ‘n’ Fork, the Stork.

“Ethel, it sounds like you need a food adventure!" he said. "I know just the thing for you. Follow me!" suggested the Stork

“Whoo?” said the Wise Old Owl,

“Shut up,” shouted everyone.

The helpful stork led Rumble Tumble, Ethel the Sugar Plum Fairy and Marmalade deeper into the Mystic Forest until they reached a clearing filled with the most extraordinary plants and trees. There were Candy Cane Trees, Jellybean Bushes, and even a Chocolate River!

"Welcome to the Enchanted Grove," exclaimed Knife ‘n’ Fork. "Here, you can find all sorts of delicious foods that won't make you burp or trump."

Ethel's eyes widened with excitement. She fluttered over to a Candy Cane Tree and took a tiny nibble. "Mmm, peppermint!" she exclaimed. Next, she tried a jellybean from a Jellybean Bush. "Ooh, strawberry!" she giggled.

Rumble Tumble and Marmalade joined in the fun, sampling treats from the Enchanted Grove. They laughed and played, discovering new flavours and enjoying each other's company.

As she looked around the Enchanted Grove, Ethel felt a warm, happy glow inside her. She had found new friends and new foods, and she knew that her adventures in the Mystic Forest were just beginning.

"Thank you, Knife ‘n’ Fork," Ethel said, giving him a big, but tiny, Sugar Plum hug. "This has been the best day ever!"

Rumble tumble smiled and nodded. "Remember, Ethel, the world is full of wonders. Never stop exploring and trying new things."

The four friends laughed, chatted, trumped, and burped all afternoon and told stories of adventures and exciting tales, until the sun began to set.

Ethel thanked her new friends for such a lovely day and headed back to Sugar Plum Fairy Land.

Ethel continued to enjoy new foods and adventures with her friends for many years and one day I will tell you more about them. 

The Wise Old Owl looked around and said….”Whoo?”