The Doll that Came Straight from Fairyland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "The Doll that Came Straight from Fairyland" |
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Illustration by Mrs. Percy Dearmer
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| Author | Evelyn Sharp |
| Country | Britain |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Literary fairy tale |
| Published in | All the Way to Fairyland |
| Publication type | Fairy tale collection |
| Publisher | John Lane |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 1898 |
| Preceded by | "The Professor of Practical Jokes" |
| Followed by | "Those Wymps Again!" |
The Doll That Came Straight From Fairyland is an exciting children's story. It was written in 1898 by Evelyn Sharp. She was a writer of fairytales and also a suffragist. This means she worked to get women the right to vote. The story first appeared in a book called All the Way to Fairyland. It was published in London, England, by John Lane. The book included seven other short stories.
Contents
Meet the Author: Evelyn Sharp
Evelyn Sharp was born in 1869. She was one of eleven children in her family. Evelyn went to school in London for three years. She started her career as a writer there.
Evelyn's first published work was an article about fairy tales. This led her to write two popular books. These books were Wymps and other Fairy Tales (1896) and All the Way to Fairyland (1898).
She wrote for many newspapers during her life. Evelyn also strongly supported the women's suffrage movement. This movement worked to give women the right to vote. She even went to prison twice for her activism. Sharp also refused to pay taxes to protest the government. After World War I, she helped with relief efforts.
Sharp married her friend Henry Nevinson in 1933. They lived together for eight years. Henry passed away in 1941. Evelyn then moved back to London. She lived there until she died on June 17, 1955.
Story Summary: A Prince's Adventure
Prince Perfection's Birthday Party
The story begins on Prince Perfection's 10th birthday. This is a very special day for princes and princesses. It is celebrated with a huge feast and many gifts. Princess Pansy, who is 8 years old, feels a bit jealous. Everyone is invited to the party, even the Prince's godmother, Fairy Zigzag.
This party is extra fancy. It celebrates the Prince's perfect manners. The party lasts late into the night. But Fairy Zigzag does not like the Prince's party or his personality. She arrives late and asks the Prince what gift he wants. The Prince thinks about a steamboat, a cannon, or a magical balloon. But he politely says his godmother should choose.
Instead, Fairy Zigzag asks Princess Pansy what she wants. Princess Pansy asks for a beautiful clay doll. Fairy Zigzag then creates a magical doll. It comes straight from fairyland! The fairy leaves the party, and Prince Perfection is left without a gift.
The Missing Doll and a Jealous Prince
Princess Pansy names her new doll Lady Emmelina. In the days after the party, Pansy becomes totally enchanted by the doll. Prince Perfection gets jealous. His sister no longer wants to play with him. He misses her company very much.
The Prince decides to get revenge on the doll. One night, he sneaks into the nursery. He quietly takes Lady Emmelina. But the doll screams! Prince Perfection realizes she comes alive at night. He quickly covers her mouth. Then he sneaks her out into the garden.
In the garden, the Prince finds a white stone he has never seen before. He lifts the stone. Underneath, he finds a hole. He hides Lady Emmelina inside the hole.
A Quest for Lady Emmelina
The next morning, Princess Pansy is very sad. Lady Emmelina is gone! The Prince feels guilty. His sister is too upset to play with him now. He decides to give the doll back. But the white stone in the garden has disappeared!
The Prince waits until night. He sneaks back into the garden. He finds that the stone has reappeared. When he lifts the stone, he does not find Lady Emmelina. Instead, he finds a grasshopper. The grasshopper tells him he must go on a quest to find the doll.
The Prince shrinks to the grasshopper's size. He steps through a magical door that has appeared. Prince Perfection must walk straight ahead. When he meets others, he must ask what they are thinking. On his quest, he travels across the sea. He goes through a gorse bush and over an iceberg. Finally, he reaches a castle.
Along the way, he collects thoughts. These thoughts are his earlier wishes for gifts: a steamboat, a cannon, and a magical balloon. These wishes help him reach the castle where Lady Emmelina is waiting. Once he finds her, the Prince quickly returns home.
Happy Ever After
When Princess Pansy sees her brother, she hugs him tightly. Lady Emmelina falls to the ground. Prince Perfection was gone for over a month! Princess Pansy no longer cares about playing with the doll. She only wants to play with her brother.
Fairy Zigzag was probably behind the Prince's adventure. But the children soon forget about Lady Emmelina. The Prince and Princess never have an unhappy day again.
Character Descriptions
Prince Perfection
Prince Perfection is not an ordinary 10-year-old boy. He is very polite and has perfect manners. Everyone in the country loves him. But his fairy godmother does not. Prince Perfection does not truly value his sister until she stops playing with him. He becomes jealous of her doll. He plans to hide the doll to get his sister's attention back. When this plan fails, he must go on an adventure to find the doll.
Princess Pansy
Princess Pansy is Prince Perfection's younger sister. She is 8 years old. She loves her brother. But when Fairy Zigzag gives her a doll, she stops playing with Prince Perfection. She becomes obsessed with her doll. She is very upset when the doll goes missing. Once her brother returns from finding the doll, she realizes how much she missed him. The siblings then play together again.
Lady Emmelina
Lady Emmelina is the magical doll. Fairy Zigzag gives her to Princess Pansy. Lady Emmelina comes from Fairyland. At night, the doll can talk and move. But after sunrise, she loses her powers. She becomes an ordinary doll again.
The Grasshopper
The grasshopper is a spy from Fairyland. He can change his shape. He tells the Prince what he must do to get the doll back. He also helps the Prince on his quest.
Fairy Zigzag
Fairy Zigzag is the Prince's godmother. She does not like the Prince or his party. Instead of giving him a gift, she creates a doll for Princess Pansy. Later, it is believed that Fairy Zigzag is responsible for Prince Perfection's adventure. This adventure helps him return Lady Emmelina to Princess Pansy.
