ISSN: 2397-9607 Issue 275
In this 275th issue of the Baba Indaba’s Children's Stories series, Baba Indaba narrates an old Greek story of “FAIRIES OF THE WATERFALL.”
it was not yet dawn when Màro was awakened by voices calling her. She thought it was her three friends who always went with her early every Wednesday morning to the waterfall in the Peneus stream. Hastily she dressed, gathered up her washing, as usual, and hurried in the faint moonlight down the path to the oak forest.
Màro was surprised not to find her friends waiting for her along the way.
"Perhaps it is late," she thought, "and they are already at the waterfall."
But when she reached the familiar stones beside the pool at the foot of the fall where they always did their washing together, she was still all alone and daylight had not yet appeared in the eastern sky. Màro did not understand. She stood hesitating on the stones, not knowing whether to begin her work or to return home.
As she glanced toward the waterfall she thought she saw the forms of three maidens, combing out their long hair. She looked again, but she could see only the oak leaves shivering in the breeze. Dismissing it as a figment of her imagination, she dipped her hands in the water and began her washing.
"Will you not let us help you?" came a soft voice unknown to Màro. Three forms appeared to move among the trees near the water. She was frightened, but the strange shapes disappeared again among the thick shadows. She went on with her work.
"We shall help you. Let us help you," spoke the voice quite close to Màro. She started up trembling, to see three maidens standing at the edge of the pool. Their bright hair had a glint of green like the green of the oak leaves; the blue of water shimmered in their eyes, and their clinging garments were caught with pink blossoms like the wild neroloulouda water flowers, that grew beside the waterfall. They were mirrored in the pool as they combed their long hair with golden combs.
"Do not be frightened," said one of them. "We wish to help you."
The other two came forward silently. They took the clothes from Màro's hands; they whitened her dresses snow-white, and the work was done before dawn. Màro thanked them. As she started away, the maiden who had spoken and who had looked on while the others worked, approached for the first time and said:
"We shall help you again, but do not tell anyone about us. Do you understand? You must not speak of us to anyone."
Màro promised not to tell anyone and they visited her a few more times giving her various items of jewellery and clothing. In exchange she promises to meet them on a certain day at a certain time.
Did Màro meet the fairies of the waterfall as promised, or did she forget? Breaking a promise to a fairy has consequences, well breaking any promise to anyone has consequences, but fairies even more so. What happened when Màro broke he promise? Did the fairies take immediate action or did they bide their time. We;; you’ll just have to download and read the story to find out for yourself.

Baba Indaba is a fictitious Zulu storyteller who narrates children's stories from around the world. Baba Indaba translates as "Father of Stories".

Each issue also has a "WHERE IN THE WORLD - LOOK IT UP" section, where young readers are challenged to look up a place on a map somewhere in the world. The place, town or city is relevant to the story. HINT - use Google maps.

33% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.
INCLUDES LINKS TO DOWNLOAD 8 FREE STORIES