This picture is from a ‘new’ publication called The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies. It combines all Cicily Mary Barker’s Summer, Autumn, Spring, and Winter fairy books. The first ‘fairy’ book of hers that was published was Spring, in 1923. It wasn’t until 1985 that a winter collection was created, although this is all of her original artwork. The Christmas Tree Fairy was in the book Fairies of the Flowers and Trees (1950).
THE SONG OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE FAIRY
The little Christmas Tree was born
And dwelt in open air;
It did not guess how bright a dress
Some day its boughs would wear;
Brown cones were all, it thought, a tall
And grown-up Fir would bear.
O little Fir! Your forest home
Is far and far away;
And here indoors these boughs of yours
With coloured balls are gay,
With candle-light, and tinsel bright,
For this is Christmas Day!
A dolly-fairy stands on top,
Till children sleep; then she
(A live one now!) from bough to bough
Goes gliding silently.
O magic sight, this joyous night!
O laden, sparkling tree!
What a precious little fairy!! I want to see more.
I am going to do a fairy month at some point! There are so many to talk about from Cicily Mary Barker!