Winter Solstice in Silvermoor Bramble

Book excerpt: Thimbleberry, is a wingless Faeling living in Silvermoor Bramble with her grandfather. It is their first winter without her grandmother, and they are learning to adapt to their new life in Gran's absence. Thimbleberry is approaching her eightieth Winter Solstice, and must present gifts to Witch Hazel Goodfey to be granted her Faerie wings. She must solve riddles given to her by the seasonal N'Fira Systrarna Oracles to discover what gifts the Witch is expecting of her. If she is not able to proffer these gifts to the Witch, she will be banished from the Bramble forever, without ever earning her wings. Every night, after working through the clues set by the Oracles, she makes the items as requested, and retires to the comfort of her beloved thistledown blanket that her grandmother made for her. Along her travels she meets a misunderstood hermit, an unfortunate Fool of the court, and a starving farmer and his family. She makes difficult decisions to relinquish these items to help those around her, putting her needs last. When she goes to meet with the Witch, and realizes that she is approaching her without the items, she is prepared for the worst in her terrible removal from her home. The Witch has seen Thimbleberry's efforts, and decides that while she cannot grant wings to the empty-handed Faeling, she also cannot banish her because she chose to help others with the gifts. Thimbleberry is allowed to stay in Silvermoor Bramble, and her grandfather then gives her the wings her grandmother used to wear, and Thimbleberry is happier than ever.