A legendary tale passed down by Springvale hunters that portrays an encounter between an unknown young boy and a spring fairy.
Under the cascading moonlight, a tearful boy made his wish at the spring.
A fairy from afar, who had taken up residence in the unoccupied spring, listened in silence to his wordless wish.
Spring fairies know nothing of distant memories or deep dreams. They are born of water's essence, faceless descendants of the angels.
Thus, when the curious fairy emerged from the water and heard the cry of that boy's heart, she became interested in this life, younger and more fragile than her own. The silent fairy reached out her formless fingers, cold as the midnight dew and soft as fortune forgone and gently caressed the boy's forehead and cheeks.
Startled by this stranger's touch, the young boy lifted his head and met the fairy's gaze. "Can you make my wish come true?" The boy asked.
The fairy of the spring was surprised and confused by this presumptuous question. But she could not speak, and so simply nodded her head.
Satisfied, the boy left.
He did not know that the spring fairy was alone, without friends or family, and that she had lost a great deal of her wisdom.
Only when the spring water flowed from cracks in the stone into her pool, and when she gazed upon the fractured image of the moon in the rippling water, did she slowly regain the ability to think, and to mimic fragments of speech.
Like a curious child, the fairy observed the world around her in innocence, wonder, and love. She rejoiced with the fox and squirrel who stole berries, and grieved at the dark clouds that covered the horizon.
And for that young boy, a feeling complex yet immature welled forth from within her heart.
All alone in this world, she had neither the power nor wisdom with which to grant his wish.
But she could share it, and she drew life from sharing his burdens.