QUEST 99 · MEMBERS

Fairytale I - Growing Pains

Recently, farmers around Gielinor have been noticing some trouble with their farming patches. They just don't seem to have the same yields as before. What could be the source of this malady?

Fairytale I - Growing Pains — OSRS Wiki quest image
OSRS Wiki image for Fairytale I - Growing Pains. OSRS WikiGame image © Jagex Ltd
Difficulty
Intermediate
Length
Medium
Quest points
2
Released
27 February 2006
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Before you start

Where to start

Talk to Martin the Master Gardener by the pig pen in Draynor Village.

Recommended

Enemies to defeat

Tanglefoot (level 111) - (may be flinched)

STEP BY STEP

Walkthrough

Follow the chapters below. Click any screenshot or diagram to view it at full size.

Growing Pains

  1. 1 Location
The start point. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd
Warning: Do not pickpocket Martin the Master Gardener during the quest, or you won't be able to talk to him for 10 minutes of consecutive in-game time.

Head to the Draynor Village marketplace and ask Martin the Master Gardener nearby if there is anything you can help with. He will mention that his roses haven't been doing as well as they used to. He suspects something's wrong, and wants you to ask several other members of the G.A.G. (Group of Advanced Gardeners) if they're having the same problems as him.

Gathering information

Items recommended: Fast travel methods to farm patches around Asgarnia and Misthalin.
  1. 1 Location
  2. 2 Location
  3. 3 Location
  4. 4 Location
  5. 5 Location
  6. 6 Location
  7. 7 Location
  8. 8 Location
  9. 9 Location
The locations of the Advanced Gardeners. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd

You will have to speak with any five members of the Group of Advanced Gardeners. These are the gardeners that tend farming patches around Gielinor.

Note: All farmers added since the launch of Old School RuneScape do not count, including: Ayesha in Al Kharid, Lammy Langle north-east of the Woodcutting Guild, Imiago in Tai Bwo Wannai, and Marisi in Hosidius. You can ask them why the crops are failing, but they will only respond by saying they do not know anything about that.

Some of the easiest to reach are:

An efficient method of speaking to five members of the Group of Advanced Gardeners:

Following this method should put you right next to Martin the Master Gardener once you've spoken to Frizzy Skernip.

All of them will say that since recently they have troubles with their crops. They all suspect a different reason (lack of rain, swarms of insects, adventurers digging up the patches, the seasons being off their usual times) for it, though. However, the last gardener will suggest that the fairies might have something to do with it. Speak to Martin again and the player will suggest the last gardener might have the most accurate reasoning.

Trouble in Zanaris

Items needed: Dramen staff.
Fairy Nuff's room just north of the bank.
Fairy Nuff's room just north of the bank. Image source ↗

Travel to the fairy city of Zanaris via the shack in the middle of the Lumbridge Swamp with a Dramen staff equipped. Head to the Fairy Queen's throne room, just south of where you enter the city. The "Fairy Godfather" has replaced the queen; ask where she is and he'll tell you that the queen has fallen to some sort of illness and is currently under the care of Fairy Nuff. Speak with this fairy in the north-west of the city. She'll give you details about the queen's illness and give you a symptoms list to take to a wizard named Zandar Horfyre, in the Dark Wizards' Tower.

Investigating the illness

Items needed: Spade and the symptoms list
Items recommended: Falador teleport and a skills necklace

Travel to Falador and head west to reach the Dark Wizards' Tower. Climb up to the top floor and talk to Zandar, who will take the symptom list and then suggest talking to Malignius Mortifer about killing the Tanglefoot. This necromancer can be found on the crossroads south of Falador. You can fast travel to him with a skills necklace (to the Crafting Guild).

He'll tell you he could probably help, but wants something from you first. He wants a skull from a grave in the Draynor Manor backyard. Head to the back of the manor and dig up the grave there. In case you have no spade, there is one inside the manor. If you have dug up the skull previously, you will not find it, and your character will mention that they think they stored it in the bank.

Zandar's location. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd
Malignius' location. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd
Draynor Skull's location. Open interactive map ↗Map data and tiles: OSRS Wiki · Game imagery © Jagex Ltd
The grave where you will find the skull
The grave where you will find the skull Image source ↗

Blessed secateurs

Items needed: secateurs and the amulet of ghostspeak
Items recommended: Mort'ton teleport

Return to Malignius with the skull, who will mention that the queen's illness is the result of an evil creature called the Tanglefoot, and the only way to defeat it is by creating a pair of enchanted secateurs. You will need to take a pair of secateurs and three randomised items to the Nature Grotto in order to bless them. Check your quest log to see what randomised items you need to bring. The list below details how to obtain your items; you may use any method. Once you have them, grab your amulet of ghostspeak and secateurs and travel to the Nature Spirit in the Mort Myre Swamp. He'll bless your secateurs, which will then glow green and turn into the magic secateurs.

Warning: If travelling through the swamp to reach the Nature Grotto, the ghasts may rot the edible seaweed, jangerberries, king worm or lime from the list. If any of these are a required item, bring multiples or a filled druid pouch to avoid losing them.
Note: The randomization will always generate three items in sequence within this ordered list. For example, items #1/#2/#3, items #2/#3#/#4, etc.
# Item GE Price Ways to obtain
1 White berries 686 Grown from whiteberry seeds (with 59 Farming); or dropped by a variety of monsters; or obtained from various dangerous spawns. Two spawn at the Lava Dragon Isle in the Wilderness (which can be picked up using Telekinetic Grab without having to venture onto the island itself).
2 Mort myre pear 3,066 Use the bloom option of a silver sickle (b) in Mort Myre. Take care not to accidentally add these to a druid pouch.
3 Mort myre stem 878
4 Mort myre fungus 236
5 Nature talisman 161 Dropped by a variety of monsters, most commonly from monsters in the Abyss. Can also be bought for 50 abyssal pearls from Apprentice Felix at Guardians of the Rift minigame.
6 Clean avantoe 1,806 The grimy herb is dropped by a variety of monsters, or grown from an avantoe seed (with 50 Farming). It can be cleaned with 48 Herblore, or by paying Zahur in Nardah 200 coins per herb. Clean avantoe can also be obtained from Sorceress's Garden.
7 Clean irit leaf 1,497 The grimy herb is dropped by a variety of monsters, or grown from an irit seed (with 44 Farming). It can be cleaned with 40 Herblore, or by paying Zahur in Nardah 200 coins per herb. Clean irit leaf can also be obtained from Sorceress's Garden.
8 Blue dragon scale 16 Spawns in Taverley Dungeon, Corsair Cove Dungeon, and Isle of Souls Dungeon (use antifire protection for the nearby blue dragons).
9 Proboscis 640 Dropped by mosquitoes encountered during Tai Bwo Wannai Cleanup. Completion of the Jungle Potion quest is required to access this minigame.
10 Jangerberries 348 Spawns on an ogre island near Yanille. May be grown from jangerberry seeds (with 48 Farming). Note that ghasts can rot this food when travelling through Mort Myre, so bring a filled druid pouch. Can also be stolen from fruit stalls in Hosidius (with 25 Thieving).
11 Potato cactus 67 Grown from potato cactus seeds (with 64 Farming), or found in the Kalphite Lair (be aware of the monsters within, bring a form of antipoison, and one rope to get through the entrance).
12 Crushed gem Not on GE Fail to cut an uncut opal, uncut jade, or uncut red topaz. These gems can be obtained from a variety of sources.
13 Clean snapdragon 7,544 The grimy herb is dropped by a variety of monsters, or grown from a snapdragon seed (with 62 Farming). It can be cleaned with 59 Herblore, or by paying Zahur in Nardah 200 coins per herb. Can also be obtained at the Brimhaven Agility Arena for 10 Brimhaven vouchers.
14 Supercompost 20 Made from compost bins or obtained from various monsters.
15 Clean volencia moss Untradeable The grimy herb can be gathered from rocks at Karamja Jungle Mine, then cleaned with only 3 Herblore. Requires partial completion of Jungle Potion to obtain.
16 Babydragon bones 887 Dropped by baby dragons.
17 Uncut diamond 2,466 Randomly obtained whilst mining, particularly from gem rocks. Also a guaranteed drop from Slagilith during One Small Favour. May also be obtained from a variety of other sources.
18 Raw cave eel 44 Caught in the Lumbridge Swamp Caves (with 38 Fishing). Bring a light source for the caves.
19 Edible seaweed 20 Spawns on Fossil Island and Mos Le'Harmless. Can also be dropped by a variety of monsters. Note that ghasts can rot this food when travelling through Mort Myre, so bring a filled druid pouch.
20 Oyster (unopened) 46 Dropped by a variety of monsters, caught using a big fishing net, obtained from panning at the Digsite, or as a reward for completing the Fishing Trawler minigame. Make sure not to open the oyster.
21 Charcoal 173 From various general stores, notably Jiminua's Jungle Store. for 67.
22 Red vine worm Untradeable Dug up in McGrubor's Wood with a spade. Watch out for the aggressive guard dogs.
23 Fat snail 1,676 Dropped by bruise blamish snails and blood blamish snails.
24 Red spiders' eggs 184 Spawn in several locations.
25 Raw slimy eel 25 Caught in Mort Myre and Lumbridge Swamp Caves (with 28 Fishing). Bring a light source if fishing in the swamp caves.
26 Grapes 72 Culinaromancer's Chest (requires any Recipe for Disaster subquest), grown from the vinery in Hosidius ( 36 Farming), found in the Cooks' Guild ( 32 Cooking), stolen from wine stall ( 22 Thieving), or as a reward from vineyard foreman for filling a grape barrel (requires completion of Children of the Sun).
27 Uncut ruby 1,063 Randomly obtained whilst mining, particularly from gem rocks. May also be obtained from a variety of other sources.
28 Jogre bones 1,109 Dropped by jogres.
29 King worm 616 Spawns in the north-west of the Gnome Stronghold, in the south of Taverley, and on Molch Island. Note that ghasts can rot this food when travelling through Mort Myre, so bring a filled druid pouch.
30 Snape grass 695 Grown from snape grass seeds (with 61 Farming), or collected from various spawns.
31 Lime 109 Bought from Funch's Fine Groceries or Grand Tree Groceries for 2. Can also be stolen from fruit stalls in Hosidius (with 25 Thieving). Note that ghasts can rot this food when travelling through Mort Myre, so bring a filled druid pouch.
Show animation: The Nature Spirit enchants the secateurs using the spell Phasma Phasmatis Natura.The Nature Spirit enchants the secateurs using the spell Phasma Phasmatis Natura.
The Nature Spirit enchants the secateurs using the spell Phasma Phasmatis Natura. Image source ↗

Killing the Tanglefoot

Attacking the Tanglefoot.
Attacking the Tanglefoot. Image source ↗
Items needed: magic secateurs
This fight takes place in an instance.
On death, all unprotected items will be moved to a grave outside the instance. Any items left on the ground will be lost.

Head back to Zanaris with your magic secateurs. It is highly recommended to bank your Dramen staff at the Zanaris bank before the following fight, as you will need to obtain another one to return if you die here.

From the entrance to the city, travel south-west, past the agility shortcuts, to the mysterious ruins of the Cosmic Altar. Climb through the gap on the west side of the room, and the Gatekeeper there will allow you to pass. Inside the tunnel are a few baby tanglefootii (level 45). Proceed to the end of the tunnel to stumble upon the level 111 Tanglefoot.

The Tanglefoot may only be damaged with the magic secateurs, and your maximum hit will depend on both your Strength and Farming levels. The Tanglefoot may be flinched to avoid taking damage by standing one tile east of the southern end of the corridor, attacking then returning to the eastern tile until his health bar disappears. Protect from Melee is highly recommended if not flinching.

Tip: If a baby tanglefoot walks onto the player's safespot, those with RuneLite may consider using the Menu Entry Swapper plugin, swapping the Attack option for BOTH baby tanglefoot (there are two kinds) to prevent the player from accidentally attacking them.

Once defeated, the Tanglefoot will drop the Queen's secateurs. Pick up the secateurs and return them to the Fairy Godfather.

Congratulations, quest complete!

Quick checklist 25 instructions

Use this when you already know the route. The full walkthrough above includes explanations and diagrams.

Starting out

  1. Talk to Martin the Master Gardener in Draynor Village.

    Say: Quest. → Anything I can help with? → Now that I think about it, you're right!

    • Note: Do not pickpocket Martin or you won't be able to continue for 10 minutes of in-game time.

  2. Talk to 5 Group of Advanced Gardeners members. They are any of the gardeners found near farming patches that tend to your crops. Any of them will work except for Ayesha in Al Kharid, and ones found on Great Kourend. Note: The following is a suggested path you can take to speak to farmers quickly:

    • Run north-west and talk to Elstan Allotment/Flower/Herb patch.

      Say: Are you a member of the Group of Advanced Gardeners?

      • If you do not have secateurs or a spade, buy them from the Sarah in the building next to the cabbage patch.

    • Run south and talk to Frizzy Skernip.

      Say: Are you a member of the Group of Advanced Gardeners?

    • GE spirit tree teleport to Gnome Stronghold, run east and talk to Bolongo.

      Say: Are you a member of the Group of Advanced Gardeners?

    • Run south-west and talk to Prissy Scilla at the tree patch.

      Say: Are you a member of the Group of Advanced Gardeners?

    • Teleport to Falador, run east to the park and talk to Heskel at the tree patch. (Ring of wealth's Falador teleport option takes you there directly).

      Say: Are you a member of the Group of Advanced Gardeners?

  3. Return to the Draynor Village market and talk to Martin.

    Say: Quest.

Trouble in Zanaris

  1. Travel to Zanaris (with your dramen staff or Lunar staff equipped, enter the small shack south of Lumbridge Castle in Lumbridge Swamp). (If you need to collect the spade, enter the shack without the staff equipped first and collect it).

  2. Run to the throne room and Talk to the Fairy Godfather.

    Say: Where's the Fairy Queen?

  3. Run north of the bank and talk to Fairy Nuff to get the symptoms list.

  4. Speak to Zandar Horfyre on the top floor of the Dark Wizards' Tower just north of the Makeover mage.

Getting the Magic Secateurs

  1. Speak to Malignius Mortifer, the necromancer north-west of Port Sarim's rune shop to give him the Draynor skull and receive the list of three required items.

    Say: I need help with fighting a Tanglefoot.

    • If you do not have secateurs or a spade, buy them from the farm shop to the north-east.

    • If you do not have the Draynor skull, travel to Draynor Manor and use a spade on the grave north of the building, but within the fence to receive the Draynor skull.

  2. Collect the 3 randomly-picked items. Check the quest journal to see your list of items to collect.

  3. Travel to the Nature Grotto in Mort Myre Swamp (use Shades of Mort'ton minigame teleport, go west, then follow the winding path north over the bridge), equip your Ghostspeak amulet and talk to the Nature Spirit inside to receive the Magic secateurs.

Battle the Tanglefoot

  1. Travel to Zanaris with your Magic secateurs and prepare for the Tanglefoot fight.

  2. Run south of the wheat fields to the Cosmic Altar and squeeze-through the gap in the western wall.

  3. Equip your Magic secateurs, run to the end of the tunnel and defeat Tanglefoot. (Turn on Protect from Melee if you have the level for it. You can also lure the Tanglefoot around the mushrooms to the east to be able to flinch it.)

  4. Pick up the Queen's secateurs.

  5. Talk to the Fairy Godfather.

  6. Congratulations, quest complete!

QUEST COMPLETE

Rewards

  • Magic secateurs (increases some crop harvests when Farming)
  • 3,500 Farming Farming experience
  • 2,000 Attack Attack experience
  • 1,000 Magic Magic experience
  • Tanglefoot accessible in the Nightmare Zone.

OSRS WIKI CONTRIBUTORS

Sources & credits

Walkthrough text and preparation lists are adapted from Old School RuneScape Wiki contributors under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. Game imagery © Jagex Ltd; individual image sources are linked in their captions. This page is fan-made and not affiliated with Jagex.

Game icons © Jagex Ltd, via the OSRS Wiki. Interface icons by Lucide.