The infant princess was left all alone in the castle, crying in her crib.

Until a small group of fairies came to investigate the noise.

“Oh, it’s a babe!” Declared the eldest, and the youngest licked her lips.

“Can we eat it?” She asked, and the middle fairy walloped her with a wand.

“No! Human flesh is so fatty! Besides, this one is a princess. We must give her wishes.”

The youngest looked sad. “Why? To make her more yummy when she grows?”

The eldest stroked the human’s fine hair and the crying lessened.

“No, so she can make the kingdom grow when she comes to rule! The better the royalty, the better the peasants are to eat.” She nodded wisely.

The trio of fairies thought king and hard about their wishes. Being the size of thumbs, the magic was deceptively strong.

The youngest clapped her hands, “I have it! May all the crops she grows on her lands be rich and full…” she waves her wand, and the child watches as small sparkles shimmer.

“Hmm. I wish that she will understand all the technicalities of the kingdom.” The eldest said, adding shimmers to the air above the princesses head.

The middle fairy took her time, before hesitantly raising her wand. “May her smile kill all who see it?” She sounded unsure, but the other clapped heartily.

Before the last wish could be given, there was a sudden commotion.

A maid had burst into the room and screamed. “Out! OUT! You wretched things!” She wielded a broom and the fairies fled out of the gap in the window, watching as the maid shut it hard and lifted the child up.

“Oh no!” The middle fairy watched as the half made wish evaporated. “Now she shall never slay her enemies!”

The three fairies looked at each other in shock and surprise - and all they could do was cry.