xinem:
Green Girl
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As soon as Emma woke, she knew something was different.
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She just didn't know what.
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One look in the mirror told her the day had finally come. Emma sighed. She wished she was like other girls.
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Emma pondered her fate and watched the tree in her backyard glimmer. Gosh, they were impatient.
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"Hail, Green Girl!" She whirled and saw no one there.
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Then she looked up. "You're supposed to say, 'Hail, Leaf Faeries'!"
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The Leaf Faeries gave her a magic book only she could read. But how did it work?
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She traced words on the cover with her finger: "Being Green." The book came to life.
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Most of the spells required a magic wand, which she would get from the Leaf Faeries once night fell.
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But one spell she could do without her wand. To everyone else, Emma appears her "normal" color.
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Emma returned to the tree at dusk. No one greeted her, though she hailed the Leaf Faeries many times.
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At last a glimmer from the tree. "The Leaf Queen needs you, Green Girl!"
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To go to the Land of Faerie, she had to do a few specific things.
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When she opened her eyes, she was in a different place.
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In the Land of Faerie, the sun was just rising.
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Emma looked for the Leaf Queen, but a great wind picked up and blew the leaves away.
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Only one leaf remained, its faery long gone.
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Emma found leaves in the pool--and a great glowing deep within. She folded her clothes and slipped in the water.
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Deep in the pool, the leaf queen said, "Hail, Green Girl. My leafs are drowned. They will not fly!"
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The leaf queen asked Emma to help her find the other faeries lost in the storm.
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She searched and gathered them all. Every one had the same story: their leafs were ruined and would not fly.
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At the Summer Tree, Emma had an idea. She could fold cranes for the faeries. Cranes could fly.
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She tore a page from her book and began to fold. As soon as she was done, the leaf queen flitted inside.
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"Hail, Green Girl!" the Leaf Queen said. Before Emma could speak, the Queen added: "You're supposed to say, 'Hail, CRANE Queen'! Make more please."
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Emma folded paper until all the faeries were Crane Faeries.
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The paper cranes flew perfectly--better than leafs.
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The Crane Queen said, "You must find your wand. It's a dangerous journey to the land of Winter. I shall go with you."
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Wind swept them from the path, but the Crane Queen and Emma found their way to the heart of Winter.
xinem:
The Crane Queen lit the way down into roots of the sleeping Tree.
