A Properly Trimmed Hedge

Asarum loved to watch the Big People. They did such puzzling things. They used gadgets for all kinds of things that could be easily accomplished with just a little magic. And sometimes they did things that made no sense at all. Asarum was enjoying a lovely summer day under the bushes when he heard a metallic sound further down the hedge. Clip. Clip. Clip.

He knew he should run and hide, but what was making that noise? He couldn't help it; he flew up to a branch and peeked through the foliage. There was Ned Anderson holding a giant pair of scissors and cutting back the branches of the hedgerow. Ursula came along behind to gather up the clippings and put them in a bag. Asarum dashed out of sight, laughing to himself at such a funny activity.

Imagine his surprise when his cousin Dicentra appeared later in the day bearing a fairy-sized pair of shears herself!

"I thought I would help you trim up your hedges today," she announced.

"Thank you," he murmured, trying not to be rude. Together they worked on his little yard, trimming and clipping until everything was neat and linear. As soon as Dicentra left, Asarum wandered around and surveyed the work. No wood fairy had ever thought to do such a thing. He was learning a lot about life in town. He liked most of it, but this didn't sit right. He sat down to stare at the shrubs hoping he would start to appreciate the trimming.

He stared. He stared. At last he got up and found the little bag of trimmings. He scattered them back underneath the shrubs. Then he got out his little flute and began to play. As he played, the trimmings began to stir, then fly about. Each one found the branch it had been cut from and fit itself back on. By the time he finished the tune, his shrubbery looked as wild and overgrown as it had at the start of the day. When his cousin returned he would thank her for her help but explain that every garden has to reflect the tastes of the fairy that lives there.