The Tiniest Unicorn

Once upon a time when magic flourished and dreams came true, there lived a herd of unicorns of the most beautiful and pure colors. Some were lilac, others were periwinkle, and some were even yellow! Although all unicorns were equally beautiful in appearance, their hearts were cruel and mean. There was only one unicorn who had a heart of gold, but the rest of the herd teased her and called her names. This was because she only stood one inch high and was not colored like the others. Instead, she was as white as a snowflake on a silky winter day. 1

Every day the herd of unicorns would romp through the Mythic Meadows and splash through the Singing Streams. They all loved to play games and roll in the flowers, but exploring the Whimsy Woods and napping under the Giant Willow Tree was their absolute favorite pastime. The little unicorn was unhappy because she could not play with the bigger unicorns. She could not romp through the meadows for she would get lost underneath the flowers, and she could not splash through the streams because the water was too deep. The games were too rough for a tiny creature like herself, and the woods were way too big. She would sit and wait underneath the Giant Willow by herself until everyone else returned to take a long nap. Her only close friends were the faeries which lived within the branches of the large tree.2

One day as the herd was out playing and the small unicorn was waiting beneath the willow, an evil king and his men were riding through the Whimsy Woods. He had heard of the beautiful unicorns and planned to hunt them for their magical horns. Although the magic inside the horns was deeply desired, removing it would cause the unicorn to disappear in a cloud of glitter and never return. The king did not care. He and his Black Knights stormed through the forest, chopping down trees and slicing through greens until he reached the Mythic Meadows. The unicorns were rolling in the flowers and had not noticed the king and his men until they were completely surrounded. The Black Knights tied a rope around their necks and led them back to the King's scary castle where they were kept in a dark dungeon.3

News of the kidnapped unicorns spread through the woods quickly as birds chirped and gossiped. One of the faeries had been searching the woods for a dewdrop to bring back to his queen when he overheard two robins chatting about what had happened. He flew as fast as his little wings could carry him until he reached the Giant Willow. He told everyone what he heard and insisted that they try to rescue the unicorns. Four of the bravest and most trusted faeries were ordered to save them from the evil king. Before the faeries could leave, the tiny unicorn (who had been waiting patiently beneath the tree for her herd) demanded to go along. The faeries thought long and hard, and finally agreed to let her join the quest. They picked her up and carried her as they journeyed towards the scary castle.4

When they finally arrived they landed upon a lily pad that was floating in the moat. The faeries and unicorn waited for many hours, but they finally slipped through the drawbridge when the Black Knights had returned for their dinner. They twisted and turned through dripping hallways lit by torches, searching for the colorful herd. They spiraled and wound through stony staircases until they found a large wooden door with a lock. The faeries set the unicorn down on the floor and circled up in a tiny huddle.5

"How are we to get in?" asked a faerie. 6

"We can slip underneath the door!" answered another.7

"But how?" asked a third faerie. "The gap is only one inch high, and we are three! Surely we cannot fit!"8

"What about the little unicorn?" suggested the fourth faerie. "She's small enough, she can fit underneath!" The faeries turned around to tell the unicorn, but she had already squeezed beneath the door and found the keys. She passed the keys under the door to the faeries, who all flew up together and opened the door. The unicorns were free! They whinnied and snorted, thanking everyone and expressing their gratitude when the king came storming down a spiral staircase.9

"You cannot escape, you are mine!" he yelled. He was holding a large sword to cut the horn of each unicorn. The king took a step forward, not noticing the faeries hiding behind the torches. They swarmed around his head in order to startle and confuse him. The king swatted at them, but they were too quick. The king became very dizzy and fell backwards on the ground. The faeries picked up the little unicorn and told the herd to follow them. Everyone fled up the stairs and through the halls until they escaped through the drawbridge. Everyone was safe again, and they all journeyed home to rest beneath the Giant Willow.10

That night, the Faerie Queen held a special festival for the heroes. They had the finest foods, the tastiest drinks, and the best music. The unicorns pranced and the faeries danced until it was time to honor the true hero. If the faeries had gone to the castle alone, they would not have been able to save the unicorns. It was the small unicorn's heart of gold that rescued them, for she insisted on going although her herd had often mistreated her and hurt her feelings. The other unicorns were grateful and promised to be pure of heart. 11

Now, although many people think they are extinct, the herd of unicorns hides beneath the Giant Willow with the faeries, in case another evil king decides to kidnap them. They remember to include the tiny unicorn in all of their fun and games, and if you look closely behind the leaves of the willow you can see them rolling in the flowers and napping.12

So next time you are feeling too small, just remember that even the tiniest creature can accomplish big things!13

The End.