Praxis Feels Angry
Children's Story
Praxis, the little pixie whose skin changes colour according to his moods, was a dull, ugly red. He was angry with his best friend, Liturgico, who had beaten him in the classroom and on the sports field. Praxis was feeling grumpy because Liturgico was good at everything, and it just wasn't fair.
"I hate you," Praxis shouted. "Anyway, you cheat. That's how you always win."
Liturgico was hurt. "I don't," he protested. "I can't help being better than you. You're a bad loser, Praxis."
Praxis had punched him then and made his nose bleed. He hadn't meant to hurt Liturgico, and he felt ashamed of himself, but he wasn't about to admit that to anybody.
"It's your own fault," he said sulkily. "You called me names."
After that, Praxis refused to have anything to do with Liturgico. Instead of sitting next to him in class, Praxis sat over the other side of the room. Instead of playing on the same side in football, Praxis played against Liturgico and made sure he gave him a good kick on the shins to make him howl. When the pixie children went out to play after school, Praxis wouldn't allow Liturgico to come anywhere near.
But Praxis' skin stayed that dull, angry red, because he wasn't very happy inside.
On the day of the Wise Old Pixie's birthday, Praxis was very excited. The Wise Old Pixie was the only other pixie to have skin that changed colour, although he was so old and so wise that his colours were almost always blended to pure white. Praxis had a special relationship with the Wise Old Pixie and had worked very hard on making a special present for the Wise Old Pixie. He had spent hours on it and had worked with great care. He was sure the Wise Old Pixie would love his gift.
Praxis had collected a number of fir cones, sprayed them all with silver and gold paint, stuck shiny sequins on some of them, and mounted them all on a wooden base that he had carved himself. It was a beautiful gift, made with love. Praxis was so proud of it that he planned to present it in front of everybody at the Wise Old Pixie's party.
The Wise Old Pixie's birthday party happened every year. All the pixies were invited, and it was held in the open air in the middle of the pixie glen. Everybody loved it, and the pixie children grew very excited when it was due. Nearly all the pixies made gifts for the Wise Old Pixie, but Praxis knew his would be the best of all, and he couldn't wait to present the gift.
First, there were all the pixie games. Praxis made sure he was well away from Liturgico, except in the game where he managed to trip Liturgico up, so that for once, Praxis won. Then there was the dancing in the fairy ring, which went on until every pixie was exhausted. After that came the tea, the biggest and best feast of the whole year. And then, just before everyone went home tired but full of happiness, came the presentation of gifts.
Praxis planned to wait until the end, so that his gift was last. As he imagined the oohs and aahs of admiration when the other pixies saw his gift, little spots of pink began to glow through his dull, angry red.
All went according to plan. Praxis was thrilled to see that no other gift was a good as his, not even Liturgico's gift. When all the other pixies had presented their offerings to the Wise Old Pixie, Praxis strutted to the middle of the glen. With a flourish he pulled his gift from behind his back and held it out to the Wise Old Pixie.
But the Wise Old Pixie didn't take it.
Praxis' face fell, and his skin began to turn blue. "Don't you like it?" he asked, his little pixie voice faltering.
A tear gathered in the corner of the Wise Old Pixie's eye. "It's a very handsome gift, Praxis," he murmured, "but I can't take it. I can only receive gifts of love."
"But -- but I don't understand. I do love you," Praxis stammered. "You know I do. I really love you, and I made this specially."
The Wise Old Pixie shook his head. "No, Praxis. You have anger in your heart, and you're keeping it there. That's why your skin has stayed that dreadful colour for so long. You must let go of your anger so that your heart can fill with love again."
He turned away, and Praxis crept back to his place with his head down. He turned purple with shame.
As all the pixies began to disperse to their own homes, Praxis felt a shy tap on his arm.
"Do you want to play football?" asked Liturgico.
Praxis put his arms round his old friend. "I'm so sorry, Liturgico. I don't hate you, I never have. I -- I think I've been jealous of you because you're so much better than me at everything. But I'm not going to be jealous any more, and I'm sorry that I've been so nasty to you. Can we be friends again?"
As he spoke, two remarkable things happened. Praxis' gift mysteriously appeared in the Wise Old Pixie's toadstool, and Praxis changed from a dull, angry red to a beautiful, healthy, shocking pink.
"I hate you," Praxis shouted. "Anyway, you cheat. That's how you always win."
Liturgico was hurt. "I don't," he protested. "I can't help being better than you. You're a bad loser, Praxis."
Praxis had punched him then and made his nose bleed. He hadn't meant to hurt Liturgico, and he felt ashamed of himself, but he wasn't about to admit that to anybody.
"It's your own fault," he said sulkily. "You called me names."
After that, Praxis refused to have anything to do with Liturgico. Instead of sitting next to him in class, Praxis sat over the other side of the room. Instead of playing on the same side in football, Praxis played against Liturgico and made sure he gave him a good kick on the shins to make him howl. When the pixie children went out to play after school, Praxis wouldn't allow Liturgico to come anywhere near.
But Praxis' skin stayed that dull, angry red, because he wasn't very happy inside.
On the day of the Wise Old Pixie's birthday, Praxis was very excited. The Wise Old Pixie was the only other pixie to have skin that changed colour, although he was so old and so wise that his colours were almost always blended to pure white. Praxis had a special relationship with the Wise Old Pixie and had worked very hard on making a special present for the Wise Old Pixie. He had spent hours on it and had worked with great care. He was sure the Wise Old Pixie would love his gift.
Praxis had collected a number of fir cones, sprayed them all with silver and gold paint, stuck shiny sequins on some of them, and mounted them all on a wooden base that he had carved himself. It was a beautiful gift, made with love. Praxis was so proud of it that he planned to present it in front of everybody at the Wise Old Pixie's party.
The Wise Old Pixie's birthday party happened every year. All the pixies were invited, and it was held in the open air in the middle of the pixie glen. Everybody loved it, and the pixie children grew very excited when it was due. Nearly all the pixies made gifts for the Wise Old Pixie, but Praxis knew his would be the best of all, and he couldn't wait to present the gift.
First, there were all the pixie games. Praxis made sure he was well away from Liturgico, except in the game where he managed to trip Liturgico up, so that for once, Praxis won. Then there was the dancing in the fairy ring, which went on until every pixie was exhausted. After that came the tea, the biggest and best feast of the whole year. And then, just before everyone went home tired but full of happiness, came the presentation of gifts.
Praxis planned to wait until the end, so that his gift was last. As he imagined the oohs and aahs of admiration when the other pixies saw his gift, little spots of pink began to glow through his dull, angry red.
All went according to plan. Praxis was thrilled to see that no other gift was a good as his, not even Liturgico's gift. When all the other pixies had presented their offerings to the Wise Old Pixie, Praxis strutted to the middle of the glen. With a flourish he pulled his gift from behind his back and held it out to the Wise Old Pixie.
But the Wise Old Pixie didn't take it.
Praxis' face fell, and his skin began to turn blue. "Don't you like it?" he asked, his little pixie voice faltering.
A tear gathered in the corner of the Wise Old Pixie's eye. "It's a very handsome gift, Praxis," he murmured, "but I can't take it. I can only receive gifts of love."
"But -- but I don't understand. I do love you," Praxis stammered. "You know I do. I really love you, and I made this specially."
The Wise Old Pixie shook his head. "No, Praxis. You have anger in your heart, and you're keeping it there. That's why your skin has stayed that dreadful colour for so long. You must let go of your anger so that your heart can fill with love again."
He turned away, and Praxis crept back to his place with his head down. He turned purple with shame.
As all the pixies began to disperse to their own homes, Praxis felt a shy tap on his arm.
"Do you want to play football?" asked Liturgico.
Praxis put his arms round his old friend. "I'm so sorry, Liturgico. I don't hate you, I never have. I -- I think I've been jealous of you because you're so much better than me at everything. But I'm not going to be jealous any more, and I'm sorry that I've been so nasty to you. Can we be friends again?"
As he spoke, two remarkable things happened. Praxis' gift mysteriously appeared in the Wise Old Pixie's toadstool, and Praxis changed from a dull, angry red to a beautiful, healthy, shocking pink.
