Dazzler
She was given the name Violet because of the colour of her eyes and placed on the top of the family’s Christmas tree, where she sparkled and practised her secret art of dazzling
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After the Christmas holiday was over, and the tree was stripped of its tinsel and baubles, Violet was taken to the playroom, where the children dressed her in more conventional dolly clothes.
Violet loved the children.
She watched how they sewed pieces of cloth together and learned to thread a needle and stitch a neat seam: but during the night, whilst everyone slept, Violet practised and practised her dazzling techniques on a teddy bear, until one starlit evening, he winked one eye, then another.
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The seasons came and went until once again the nights grew long, dark and cold. Once more Violet found she was preparing herself for her primary role: to sparkle at the top of the family’s Christmas tree. She brushed her hair until it shone, polished her cheeks until they glistened and smiled and smiled and smiled, only to find that a new centre of brilliance had taken her place. An angel with wings of gold and hands that were clasped together had taken Violet’s position. A beauty with eyes shut and lips pursed in prayer was to adorn the top of the sweet-smelling pine tree.
Over the holiday Violet lost her sparkle as new games took the children’s interest. They didn’t notice when she slid to the bottom of the toy box and fall into a deep, deep sleep.
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Weeks later, Violet woke up as she was being tipped onto a pile of old, unwanted, and worn out things on top of the town’s rubbish tip.
Fred, the boss of the dump, found Violet and placed her with other rescued toys in his special, secret garden by the side of his shed. There, Violet learned many more new things, especially in the night, after the dump closed and Fred had gone home.
Exciting adventures began to be planned.
She had new friends, toys that had been thrown out, just like her. Little by little she regained her sparkle, and her dazzle took on an extra dimension as amazing, magical things started to occur. Violet’s dazzle power and sewing skills brought new life to earless teddy bears, and torn, ragged dolls, and armless toy soldiers. Soon the community of disregarded toys had a purpose. After nightfall, with Violet’s dazzle-power they became animated, searching the dump for new members and making it their business to bid them welcome.
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One sunny morning Fred came into the secret garden and stared at the toys sat on the sloping grass lawn. He took off his helmet and scratched his head.
Some nocturnal activity was taking place, and he suspected owls were picking up toys and dropping them after they realised they tasted strange, or foxes were moving things around, just to be sly. He gave his head another scratch, replaced his hard yellow hat and pondered. Why was his special garden growing in population?
Fred’s eyes fell on Violet as she sat by the gnome’s wishing well. She was smiling.
‘It’s you,’ he whispered, ‘you’re different. There is something you have that these poor toys don’t. What is it?’
‘I’m a dazzle-sprite.’ She told him, ‘and I can’t help being alive. These toys are my only friends now that the children have forsaken me.’
Fred gave his beard a tug. ‘Well, well, I must be going mad.’
‘No,’ cooed Violet, ‘you’re not mad. You are our hero. You saved us and gave us this lovely, safe home.’
A dustcart pulled up at the gates, Fred turned to greet the driver as the loaded vehicle rumbled into the yard and stopped outside of the shed.
Violet froze: stared straight ahead.
The driver wound his window down and shouted above the engine’s noise, ‘A woman who lives up the hill, says there have been strange lights seen here this past few weeks. She told me to report it and I am.’ He drove on.
Fred pushed his helmet back and wiped his brow. He turned back to where Violet was sitting. ‘What’s this about bright lights?’ he asked.
She blinked her pale purple eyes at him. ‘Oh it’s probably moonlight catching the shine on frosted branches.’
‘Moonlight eh?’ Fred pulled his hat straight, opened his shed door and entered. He looked through his window. Violet blinked her eyes towards him and without Fred noticing, she sent a dazzle straight into his pupils. From now on she knew that Fred and herself would be the best of friends, and as for her toy pals, well Violet had lots and lots of adventures in stall for them.
(c) 2024 Pat Barnett
Story Analysis
“Dazzler” is an enchanting tale about Violet, a Christmas tree fairy with magical “dazzling” abilities who brings toys to life. Initially cherished atop a family’s Christmas tree, she falls from grace when replaced by a new angel decoration. After being discarded at a dump, Violet discovers her true purpose – using her dazzling powers and sewing skills to repair and animate abandoned toys, creating a vibrant community of rescued playthings. The story takes a poignant turn when Fred, the dump’s caretaker, discovers Violet’s secret and becomes part of her magical world through her dazzling powers. The narrative masterfully weaves themes of rejection, resilience, and finding one’s place in the world, while exploring the transformative power of friendship and purpose.
Author Background
Pat Barnett draws from her rich life experiences, including her time as a nursery nurse in her fifties and a decade in Australia with the Noosa Scribes. After returning to North Yorkshire, she co-founded ‘The Wordbotherers’ and continues crafting stories that explore the boundary between ordinary life and extraordinary magic. Her writing style reflects her ability to find wonder in the mundane while addressing deeper psychological themes.
Literary Context
“Dazzler” appears in Barnett’s collection of supernatural and whimsical tales that explore the intersection between reality and magic. The story exemplifies the book’s broader themes of transformation and redemption, while showcasing Barnett’s talent for crafting narratives that appeal to both children and adults. The collection weaves together various tales that challenge readers’ perceptions of reality, with “Dazzler” serving as a particularly poignant example of finding magic in discarded things.
