Midwinter Magic: Three Original Christmas Fairy Tales

Reindeer sisters determined to remain free…

An elf prince seeking a cure for his dying mother…

A humble toymaker entrusted with an impossible task…

These unlikely heroes come together in Midwinter Magic, three lyrical fairy tales that weave together and reimagine these timeless legends of Christmas.

Midwinter Magic is an enchanting, evocative treat for fairy tale lovers ages 7 to 107.

Midwinter Magic

Three Original Christmas Fairy Tales

by Danielle Williams

Published 2018

© Copyright 2018 Danielle Williams

All rights reserved.

Published by Pixelvania Publishing.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to convey a sense of realism. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For Mrs. Hodson

Reindeer Sisters

Once upon a time in the cold lands, there lived nine reindeer sisters. In spring, they traveled the tundra far and wide, looking for lichens, sedges, and green grasses to eat.

From time to time they would pass by the human villages. There, the cattle would look up from their milking.

You there, reindeer sisters! You are silly to live out on your own in the world. For without human walls, the weather grows cruel in winter. You should come live with us, and then our humans would put you up in a warm barn with hay to live out the storms.

The eldest sister answered: No thank you, good cow, for we are wild reindeer, proud and free, and our coats keep us warm and our feet keep us fed, pawing as we do through the snow for our dinners. But thank you very much for your concern.

And then the sisters continued on the forage path.

In time, they passed another human village. There, the horses looked up from their herding.

You there, reindeer sisters! You are dull to live out on your own in the world. For without humans about you, the world is silent. You should come live with us, and then our humans would talk to you and give you names.

The eldest sister answered: No thank you, good mare, for we are wild reindeer, proud and free, and the songs and stories our mother taught us are fine company during all our travels. But thank you very much for your concern.

And then the sisters continued on the forage path. But four of the sisters raised their heads at the horse’s words. Names? Why, we’ve never had names before. It sounds quite fine to have a name and to be known by others.

They discussed this among each other while they chewed their cud. But the next morning, even the eldest sister agreed it would be a fine thing to have a name. Though if we are going to get names, she snorted, we ought to be the ones giving them to ourselves, for we are wild reindeer, proud and free.

At this the sisters nodded and stamped their approval. They trekked out beneath the spring sun, thinking about what they might name themselves.

In time, they passed a third human village. There, the sheep looked up from their grazing.

"You there, reindeer sisters! You are mad to live out on your own in the world. For without human shepherds, the world is full of tireless wolves who will eat you! You should come live with us, and then our humans would set watch over you while you eat, and you will