Polina and the Pinching Pixies
“I solemnly promise to fulfill my duty as a Pinching Pixie and make mischief wherever I go. I will uphold the values of trouble-making to honour all Pixies past, present and future.”
Polina lowered her small, green hand from her fluttering chest and nervously tugged at one of her iridescent wings. Yesterday was her half-moon birthday, which meant that she was finally old enough to begin mischief training! After completing the Pixie Promise – which Polina had diligently practiced in front of the mirror this morning – the Pixie leader, Petya, told Polina and the other pixies that it was time for their initiation. They had already learned all the essential mischief-making skills: the proper spell to make single socks vanish from dryers, the correct method of rotting fresh food and how to make table legs wobbly. Polina had seen other pixies perform these acts countless times before – in fact, she came from a long line of Pinching Pixies – but she had never ventured into a real house and caused havoc – until today. Petya marched down the line of anxious trainees and handed them each a copper key.
“As soon as I perform the activating spell, each of these keys will be enchanted and you may use them to enter any household.” Petya flicked her wrist and the key in Polina’s hand emitted a warm glow. “Now, you are looking for unprotected houses that do not have –”
“A bunch of white heather from Kadnikov on the doorstep,” Polina piped up.
“Very good, Polina!” The young pixie beamed with pleasure; she had read the mischief manual three times. “I wish you all the best of luck on your first day,” Petya continued, “and remember: Make More Mischief!” The group of young pixies repeated the motto before flitting off in every direction, buzzing with anticipation.
To minimize human contact, the troupe set out at midnight. Pixies always work in pairs and Polina’s partner was a spunky pixie called Pavluskha, whose hair resembled spiky shards of green glass. Although they were both brand new mischief-makers, Pavluskha knew exactly what to do; she led the way to the first house. There was no heather to keep them out, so they inserted a key into the keyhole and flitted inside.
It was a quaint, cozy home with comfy armchairs and children’s artwork adorning the walls. Polina stared at a framed family photo while Pavluskha immediately set about causing chaos – she cast the creaking couch charm on all the armchairs and used a vanishing spell on the TV remote. Polina preferred to take her time, carefully smudging the windows and knocking the head off a plastic doll. The two pixies worked their way through the house until it was thoroughly topsy-turvy. Just before they left, Pavluskha remembered the final touch: she threw a handful of pixie dust into the air, which immediately settled on the floor and into every corner of the house. Suddenly, they heard footsteps creaking on the stairs. Luckily, the pixies had been trained for a ‘surprise human encounter’ and they both cast the chameleon spell to blend into their surroundings. A little girl in pink pajamas entered the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. Then, she noticed the broken doll lying on the couch. Polina held her breath as the child stared at her toy in horror and burst into tears, clutching the doll’s decapitated body to her chest. She ran back up the stairs, sobbing. Polina had never seen a human weep and it filled her with sorrow.
While Polina remained in her hiding place, still frozen with shock, Pavluskha seemed unaffected and insisted they move on to the next house. They spent the night busily repeating their mischievous deeds. As dawn broke and they made their way their back to headquarters, Polina began to think about the other families they’d visited – parents and children who would wake up to find their homes in chaos.
Over the next few weeks, Polina’s interest in mischief-making began to wane. Before her own training, she had always accepted that magic was meant for causing trouble; that was just the way things were. But having practiced the mischief and seen its consequences herself, she now found it cruel and uncivilized.
One day, Polina and Pavluskha arrived at a house, which was home to a young couple and their baby, judging by the photos and the toys strewn about. While Pavluskha began the usual tasks, making a perfect mess for the poor family, Polina silently went about the house straightening picture frames, closing holes in moth-bitten sweaters and making freshly baked bread appear on the kitchen table. Finally, Pavluskha noticed Polina’s handiwork in disbelief.
“Polina, what on earth are you doing?! That doesn’t look like mischief!” she shrieked.
“We always do so many bad things, I thought that maybe this time we could help them a little instead,” Polina said sheepishly.
“You are going to be in so much trouble when Petya finds out!” Pavluskha’s eyes widened. Although Polina pleaded with her to keep her secret, Pavluskha exposed her at the following Pixie meeting. Unsurprisingly, Petya was furious.
“Polina, by committing acts of kindness instead of mischief, you have broken the Pixie Promise and are hereby expelled from Mischief Making. Hand me your key!” With that, Polina was banished – with immediate effect.
Although heartbroken and discouraged, Polina refused to give up what she had begun. She decided she would find a way to help humans instead of causing trouble. Although she had lost most of her magic when she was dismissed, she still had the blossoming spell. From then on, Polina grew fields and fields of wild white heather in the town of Kadnikov, which became famous for its abundance of the flower. To this day, she collects bunches of heather and distributes it discreetly to as many households as she can, preventing pixies from wreaking havoc in the homes of innocent humans. [1006]