It begins late in the evening with a young boy who would not leave the warm fire and go to bed like a good boy.
After a good bit of time of coaxing that slowly turned to anger, the young boy heard "If you don't get to bed, the fairies will come and carry you off!" from his mother. She left, fully expecting the young one to follow. But no, he was a willful child and rather glad to have gotten rid of her! Almost at that moment a very tiny fairy came down the chimney and introduced herself as Ainsel, which means "Ownself".
She asked the boy's name, and thinking to be clever he replied, "My Ainsel", which means "My Own Self". Since the fire was close to going out, the boy vigorously stirred the embers, which sent sparks flying about the room, and dangerously close to Ainsel. She backed away, shrieking in fright, when a loud voice was heard coming down the chimney, "Who has harmed you??"
Frightened half out of his wits the poor boy, who certainly meant no harm to his new friend, ran for his bed and hid deep under the covers, as Ainsel's fairy mother appeared. The crying child said "My Ainsel hurt me with the fire." Unfortunately for her, her mother took her to mean that she caused her own harm, and is said to have kicked her silly child back up the chimney for harming "My Own Self".
| |