Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived a princess. She had heard that about the Blue Crystal of the Fairy Lake which had magical powers to heal any injury or illness.
She sent several people to find the Blue Crystal but all of them returned without any success at all. Some had not even been able to find the lake!
Finally, the princess decided to set off on the journey herself and find the Blue Crystal. A group of attendants and some soldiers went with her. They travelled for miles through forests and deserts towards the hills because the Fairy Lake lay among the mountains.
Many of her attendants fell ill on the way or gave up the journey because of exhaustion. In the desert, even the soldiers were finding it difficult to travel. But there was one companion of the princess who followed her silently and steadily. She wore a dark grey robe and was always silent. She was not very pretty or very intelligent, but she was very loyal to the princess. Her name was Shade.
With great difficulty the princess finally found the mysterious lake. It lay blue and still like glass in the high mountains. Most of her attendants had been left behind, unable to travel. Only Shade stood quietly beside her.
She stood on the bank and dipped a silver cup into the water to take a drink. Immediately, the Fairy of the Lake rose shimmering from it. The princess wished her and requested her for the Blue Crystal.
“And what will you give me in return?” asked the Fairy. “I have this silver cup and all my jewels,” replied the princess, “I can give them all to you.”
“They are of no use to me, princess,” said the Fairy, “I have all the treasure I need. But I have no companion. Will you give me yours?”
The princess looked silently at Shade with tears in her eyes. But there was no other person to be a companion to the Fairy. So, she agreed and Shade moved towards the lake. The water rippled and the Blue Crystal came up in a beautiful silver box that the Fairy gave to the princess.
The princess returned to her palace and healed many people with the crystal. Now if you go to the Fairy Lake, you will see Shade there rippling on the surface among the waves. Every night a lady in grey robes walks along the bank of the lake.
