Be Careful What You Wish For, Ruby
Ruby finds a well that grants wishes, but every wish has a surprise.
At the end of a winding lane, Ruby found an old stone well covered in moss. Written on the side were the words: ‘Make a wish, but think it through.’ Ruby grinned. ‘Easy!’ she said.
‘I wish for enough sweets to last a year!’ Ruby cried, dropping a coin into the well. The water glowed gold. There was a splash, a sparkle and a puff of glittering smoke. And there it was, right in front of her.
It was wonderful for about an hour. After a day and a night of sweets, her tummy hurt so much that she never wanted to see another one. Ruby frowned. ‘That didn’t go the way I thought,’ she said.
‘Try another wish,’ said Stan. So Ruby wished to fly like a bird. Whoosh! She soared into the air, but then she couldn’t get down, and it got very cold up in the clouds. ‘Help!’ she called.
Stan fetched Finn the bear, who looked after the well. Finn said a quiet word, and Ruby floated down like a feather. ‘Wishes are powerful things,’ said Finn. ‘You must wish wisely.’
Ruby sat and thought. Then she noticed the village was getting very dry. The river had shrunk and the crops were wilting. She got a coin and wished, ‘I wish for rain for everyone.’
The sky darkened. Rain came falling softly, the flowers lifted their heads, and the river sang again. The villagers came out dancing in the puddles. ‘That was a wish that worked,’ said Finn.
Ruby smiled. She didn’t have a pile of treats or any magic powers. But she had a village full of happy faces, and that felt better than any wish she could have made for herself.
The little lesson
The best wishes are the ones that help others as well as ourselves.
Let’s talk about it
- Which of the wishes made the biggest problem?
- What would you wish for if you could help everyone?
Finish stories to collect Ruby as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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