Lily's Pesky Plant Read Online Free PDF

squeeze.
    Lily’s heart sank. She knew Tink meant to be comforting. But Lily knew what that little squeeze meant.
    The worst was still to come.

R ANI RETURNED WITH several other fairies. Some carried blankets and a clay thermos full of hot tea. Others had come along simply to see what the fuss was about. Ree, the fairy queen, was with them.
    “What has happened?” Queen Ree asked.
    The two harvest-talent fairies repeated their story.
    When they were done, Vidia pushed her way to the front of the crowd. “That vile plant has caused nothing but trouble in Pixie Hollow. It should be cut down!” she cried.
    Some fairies in the crowd began to murmur, “She’s right. The plant is bad. We should get rid of it.”
    Lily stood with her hand on the plant’s stem. Her heart pounded in her chest. Would they try to uproot the plant right then and there?
    Suddenly, Tinker Bell moved over to stand beside the plant, too. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at Vidia and the grumbling fairies.
    Lily gave her a grateful look. She knew Tink didn’t care much for the plant. But Tink was a good friend. And a brave one.
    Just then, a familiar face moved through the crowd. It was Iris. She came to stand next to Lily, Tink, and the plant.
    “This is Lily’s garden. The plant belongs to her. You can’t just chop it down,” Iris declared.
    “That’s right,” said another voice. It was Rosetta. She joined Lily, Iris, and Tink. “This plant has my protection,” she declared.
    “And mine!”
    “And mine!”
    More garden fairies came out of the crowd. They gathered around Lily and the plant. Now there were two big groups of fairies facing each other. And everyone looked angry.
    “That plant is a menace to all fairies!” Vidia shouted. “Pell and Pluck could have been caught by an owl this morning.”
    More fairies raised their voices in agreement.
    “It’s not the plant’s fault they were flying in the dark without a lamp!” a garden sparrow man argued.
    “That plant is ugly!” cried a light-talent fairy.
    “It’s a monster!” added a cooking-talent sparrow man.
    “ You’re a monster. Plant hater!” a garden-talent fairy snapped back.
    “Petalhead!” the sparrow man retorted.
    Suddenly, another voice rang out like a bell.
    “ Fairies! ”
    Everyone turned to look. Queen Ree was standing with her hands on her hips. She glowered at the crowd of fairies before her.
    “What a disgrace. This is not how we settle a disagreement in Pixie Hollow,” said the queen. Her voice sounded cool, but her gaze was stern. Behind her, the queen’s four attendants glared at the crowd. “Shouting. Name-calling. I’m disappointed in all of you,” the queen declared.
    Several fairies in the crowd hung their heads. Vidia lifted her chin defiantly.
    “At noon tomorrow we will have a meeting in the courtyard of the Home Tree,” said the queen. “All fairies are to attend—that includes you, Vidia.”
    She fixed the fast-flying fairy with a steely look. Vidia was known for disobeying the queen’s commands. Vidia tossed her hair as if she didn’t care. But the look on her face said she understood.
    “Everyone will have a chance to speak,” the queen continued. “Until then, I want all fairies to return to their fairy domains. Now.”
    Grumbling, the groups of fairies broke up and left.
    Lily flew over to Pell and Pluck. “Let me help you carry some raspberries back to the kitchen,” she said.
    “I think you’ve done enough,” Pell snapped.
    “First the wasps, now this,” Pluck added.
    “From now on, we’ll get our raspberries somewhere else,” said Pell.
    Lifting their chins, the two fairies turned their backs on Lily and flew away.

    Lily’s heart sank. No one would enjoy her garden as long as the plant was standing. But after taking care of it so lovingly, how could she bear to cut it down?

    For the rest of the day, no one was happy. Despite the queen’s commands, the fairies couldn’t seem to get