Praxis Looks For Justice
Children's Story
Praxis the pixie was ordering the other pixies around. He was good at doing that and was so enjoying himself that his skin was a bright, bustling pink. But he was a bit bossy as well, so his skin was also tinged with a slightly pompous purple. Praxis' skin changed colour according to his moods, so everybody always knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling.
He'd been brown for a number of days, because he'd been deep in thought. The other pixies always gave him a wide berth when he was in a brown study, because they knew from experience that if they interrupted his train of thought at such a time he'd go blistering red with anger, and then he wasn't very nice to know.
Praxis wanted a pixie picnic, and he'd been trying to work out how to get one. The pixies always had one special treat every year, but the special treat for this year had already happened. Anyway, since it had only been a sing-song with all the woodland creatures, followed by acorn wine which Praxis was too young to drink, he hadn't considered it to be much of a treat. It was so unfair, he thought. Sing-songs and wine were for grown-up pixies and elves and fairies and woodland creatures, and weren't much fun for pixie children. But a picnic! That was different. Praxis could only remember one pixie picnic, years ago when he had been very small, but he had enjoyed it so much that he'd always wanted another one. The very thought of the delicious food that all the different woodland creatures would bring made his mouth water, and there were bound to be games and sports and races. Terrific!
But how could he get one? He thought of being so naughty that he was taken before the Chief Pixie - that had happened on a number of occasions before - then he could ask about his picnic. But somehow, if he'd been that bad, he didn't think the Chief Pixie would listen.
He thought of climbing as high up the old oak tree as he could, then dropping down right in front of the Chief Pixie's toadstool, so that when the Chief Pixie heard the crash and came running out to see what had happened, he'd feel so sorry for Praxis that he'd grant any wish. But the trouble with that was that he might get really hurt, then he wouldn't enjoy a picnic even if they had one.
He thought of finding a big leaf and writing a letter on it, asking the Chief Pixie for a picnic. But he couldn't write very well, and it sounded like hard work, so he didn't bother. And he thought of being so good and so helpful that the Chief Pixie would reward him for his efforts. But the thought of being good for a long time filled Praxis with horror, and anyway, he thought there was no guarantee that he'd be rewarded at all, so he certainly didn't want to be good for no reason.
And then Praxis had a brainwave. He'd find the smallest, youngest, cutest pixie and send her to the Chief Pixie with a message. Surely even the Chief Pixie wouldn't refuse then? So Praxis was busy now, ordering all the pixie children to line up in front of him so that he could choose the cutest and send her on her way. But to his surprise, he found it really difficult. He discovered that all the little pixies were cute, and he couldn't pick out any one of them which was cuter than any other.
But with that came his second brainwave - they could ALL go, one after the other, so that the Chief Pixie really got the message. And he couldn't possibly be cross, because the chosen pixies were so small.
Praxis strode up and down the line, giving orders to the little pixies. He made them practise over and over again, until each of them knew excatly what to do and how to do it. Then he sent them on their way, and hid behind a mushroom to see what happened.
Starting with the biggest and ending with the smallest, all the little pixies formed up in a line, as Praxis had instructed them. Then they marched off to the Chief Pixie's toadstool. The first pixie rapped on the door, and when the Chief Pixie emerged said, "Chief Pixie, you are the wisest and noblest pixie in the whole wood. Please give us little pixies a picnic, for that would be a wonderful gift for us."
The Chief Pixie looked too astonished to frown, and promised to think about it. Then he went back inside and closed the door. A moment later, the second pixie rapped on the door and delivered the same message. Again the Chief Pixie promised to think about it. By the time the fifth pixie had rapped on the door with the same message, the Chief Pixie was beginning to look very puzzled, and his frown was beginning to come back. By the time he saw the twelfth and last pixie, the tiniest of them all, standing there, his frown was very black indeed. But he couldn't be croos with the tiniest pixie, who had forgotten her lines.
Then the Chief Pixie stood outside his door and roared, "Praxis!" in a voice which sounded so much like thunder that all the little pixies shivered. Even Praxis himself discovered that his knees were knocking. How had the Chief Pixie known he was behind the pleas? With his head bent, Praxis shuffled forwards.
"So!" roared the Chief Pixie. "What's the meaning of this, Praxis?"
"It..it wasn't f-fair," stuttered Praxis. "Sing-songs are for grown-ups. I only wanted a picnic." Then he added hurriedly, "for all the pixie children."
The Chief Pixie squatted down until he was the same height as Praxis, which made Praxis feel even more uncomfortable. But to his astonishment, the Chief Pixie was looking at him with kindly eyes, and his voice was really gentle. "Praxis," he began, "you can have your picnic. But you know, you only had to ask. Next time you want soemthing from me, just ask. I might say no or I might say yes, but you have to ask me first. And because you made all these other pixies do your work for you, you're going to have to do something for me."
Praxis sighed, and his skin turned a sad blue. What would his punishment be this time?
"I want you to organise all the games for the picninc," said the Chief Pixie. "I'll organise the food, you arrange the games. Will you do it?"
Praxis' eyes suddenly shone. That meant he could have all his favourite games! He nodded his head as fast as he could, and he was so happy that his skin turned bright, shocking pink for three whole days.
He'd been brown for a number of days, because he'd been deep in thought. The other pixies always gave him a wide berth when he was in a brown study, because they knew from experience that if they interrupted his train of thought at such a time he'd go blistering red with anger, and then he wasn't very nice to know.
Praxis wanted a pixie picnic, and he'd been trying to work out how to get one. The pixies always had one special treat every year, but the special treat for this year had already happened. Anyway, since it had only been a sing-song with all the woodland creatures, followed by acorn wine which Praxis was too young to drink, he hadn't considered it to be much of a treat. It was so unfair, he thought. Sing-songs and wine were for grown-up pixies and elves and fairies and woodland creatures, and weren't much fun for pixie children. But a picnic! That was different. Praxis could only remember one pixie picnic, years ago when he had been very small, but he had enjoyed it so much that he'd always wanted another one. The very thought of the delicious food that all the different woodland creatures would bring made his mouth water, and there were bound to be games and sports and races. Terrific!
But how could he get one? He thought of being so naughty that he was taken before the Chief Pixie - that had happened on a number of occasions before - then he could ask about his picnic. But somehow, if he'd been that bad, he didn't think the Chief Pixie would listen.
He thought of climbing as high up the old oak tree as he could, then dropping down right in front of the Chief Pixie's toadstool, so that when the Chief Pixie heard the crash and came running out to see what had happened, he'd feel so sorry for Praxis that he'd grant any wish. But the trouble with that was that he might get really hurt, then he wouldn't enjoy a picnic even if they had one.
He thought of finding a big leaf and writing a letter on it, asking the Chief Pixie for a picnic. But he couldn't write very well, and it sounded like hard work, so he didn't bother. And he thought of being so good and so helpful that the Chief Pixie would reward him for his efforts. But the thought of being good for a long time filled Praxis with horror, and anyway, he thought there was no guarantee that he'd be rewarded at all, so he certainly didn't want to be good for no reason.
And then Praxis had a brainwave. He'd find the smallest, youngest, cutest pixie and send her to the Chief Pixie with a message. Surely even the Chief Pixie wouldn't refuse then? So Praxis was busy now, ordering all the pixie children to line up in front of him so that he could choose the cutest and send her on her way. But to his surprise, he found it really difficult. He discovered that all the little pixies were cute, and he couldn't pick out any one of them which was cuter than any other.
But with that came his second brainwave - they could ALL go, one after the other, so that the Chief Pixie really got the message. And he couldn't possibly be cross, because the chosen pixies were so small.
Praxis strode up and down the line, giving orders to the little pixies. He made them practise over and over again, until each of them knew excatly what to do and how to do it. Then he sent them on their way, and hid behind a mushroom to see what happened.
Starting with the biggest and ending with the smallest, all the little pixies formed up in a line, as Praxis had instructed them. Then they marched off to the Chief Pixie's toadstool. The first pixie rapped on the door, and when the Chief Pixie emerged said, "Chief Pixie, you are the wisest and noblest pixie in the whole wood. Please give us little pixies a picnic, for that would be a wonderful gift for us."
The Chief Pixie looked too astonished to frown, and promised to think about it. Then he went back inside and closed the door. A moment later, the second pixie rapped on the door and delivered the same message. Again the Chief Pixie promised to think about it. By the time the fifth pixie had rapped on the door with the same message, the Chief Pixie was beginning to look very puzzled, and his frown was beginning to come back. By the time he saw the twelfth and last pixie, the tiniest of them all, standing there, his frown was very black indeed. But he couldn't be croos with the tiniest pixie, who had forgotten her lines.
Then the Chief Pixie stood outside his door and roared, "Praxis!" in a voice which sounded so much like thunder that all the little pixies shivered. Even Praxis himself discovered that his knees were knocking. How had the Chief Pixie known he was behind the pleas? With his head bent, Praxis shuffled forwards.
"So!" roared the Chief Pixie. "What's the meaning of this, Praxis?"
"It..it wasn't f-fair," stuttered Praxis. "Sing-songs are for grown-ups. I only wanted a picnic." Then he added hurriedly, "for all the pixie children."
The Chief Pixie squatted down until he was the same height as Praxis, which made Praxis feel even more uncomfortable. But to his astonishment, the Chief Pixie was looking at him with kindly eyes, and his voice was really gentle. "Praxis," he began, "you can have your picnic. But you know, you only had to ask. Next time you want soemthing from me, just ask. I might say no or I might say yes, but you have to ask me first. And because you made all these other pixies do your work for you, you're going to have to do something for me."
Praxis sighed, and his skin turned a sad blue. What would his punishment be this time?
"I want you to organise all the games for the picninc," said the Chief Pixie. "I'll organise the food, you arrange the games. Will you do it?"
Praxis' eyes suddenly shone. That meant he could have all his favourite games! He nodded his head as fast as he could, and he was so happy that his skin turned bright, shocking pink for three whole days.
