Adalina was no ordinary fairy. No one knew why, but she had no wings. And, what’s more, she was a Princess, daughter of the Great Fairy Queen. As she was so tiny, like a flower, life was just a series of problems for her. Not only couldn’t she fly, but she hardly had any magical powers, since fairy magic comes from their delicate crystal wings.

So, from an early age, Adalina had depended on the help of others for many things. She grew up thanking people, smiling and being friendly, so naturally all the creatures in the forest were delighted to help her.

But when she reached the age to become Queen, many fairies doubted she could be a good Queen with such a disability. They argued and protested so much that Adalina had to agree to take a test in which she would have to demonstrate to everyone the wonders she could work.

The little fairy became extremely sad. What could she do? She was hardly magic at all, and couldn't even travel far with those little legs of hers. But while Adalina sat on a stone next to the river, trying to think of something that would surprise the other fairies, the news of the test was spreading among the friendly forest animals. Before long, hundreds of creatures were by her side, ready to help her however she needed.

-“Thank you so much, little friends. I feel much better with you by my side,”

she said with the sweetest of smiles,

-"but I don't know whether you'll be able to help me."

-“Of course we will!”

answered the squirrel,

-“Tell us, what will you do to surprise those foolish fairies?”

-“Wow…. if only I could, I would love to capture the first ray of sunshine before it touches the Earth, and keep it in a dewdrop, so that when it was needed it could be used as a lantern for all who live in the forest. Or… I’d also like to paint a rainbow in the night sky, under the pale moonlight, so that the nocturnal creatures could see its beauty… But I don’t have any magic or any wings to keep it in…”

-“Well, you must have your magic kept somewhere else then! Look!"

an old tortoise shouted excitedly, as it flew through the air, leaving a trail of green behind it.

It was true. When Adalina had been telling her friends of her deepest wishes, a wave of magic had washed over them, and there they all were, flying through the air, making a magic rainbow, and capturing not just one but hundreds of rays of sunshine within fine drops of water that filled the sky with tiny brilliant lamps. For the whole day and night you could see squirrels, mice, frogs, birds and fish leaping through the sky, filling it with light and colour, in a spectacle never seen before and that filled the forest dwellers with delight.

Adalina was declared Queen of the Fairies, despite her not knowing from where such a powerful magic had come. And it wasn’t until some time later that the young Queen understood that she was the first of the Great Fairies, whose magic is to be found not in one's wings but within all one’s true friends.