It was a very special day for me-my birthday! The day I had been looking forward to all these months, all these days. I looked around my room, expecting to see presents for me to open, but instead, there was nothing. I thought why not have a look near the door instead? Excited I ran downstairs near the door, hoping the corridor would be full of presents. As expected there was a room full of gifts for me! I open the one which looks small and shiny. To my surprise, it was a small black ugly ring. It chuckled, did a small jump, bounced upstairs, and placed itself on my bedside cabinet! How strange! Was something wrong with this ring?
Pause and think: Why does the girl think that there is something wrong with the ring?
I ran upstairs for a shower, thinking what would the ring do next? I hoped that it would do nothing shocking. I quickly had a shower, changed and looked at the ring. It had turned a bright pink and gold! I hoped it would stay like this forever for it was very pretty. But then it jumped again and squealed! I stared at it for a minute then I squealed and ran downstairs for breakfast. My mother came and said good heavens! What’s wrong? I told the whole story at breakfast. As I hoped, it was something sweet for me. Wow! Bread, butter and jam with custard and lemonade. Mother said, “if you are more hungry, you could help yourself to chocolate cake. You could also have fruit cake and pudding.” What are yummy breakfast I thought to myself.
Pause and think: Why did the ring jump again and squeal?
As I eat my breakfast and told my mom about the ring, my mom stayed and stayed at me in disbelief. At last, she said slowly I don’t believe you. I said very well don’t believe me but it’s true. If you like it I can show you the ring. She said, very well go on then. I raced upstairs and showed her the ring. Just a minute after I showed her the ring, it changed and became the black ring I had seen that morning. Mother said, “oh yes! You are right. The ring is not fine.
Pause and think: Why did the ring change colour?
After breakfast, I finished my studies and looked at the ring. It was on one side and I noticed some numbers traced on it. The number read 8888. Then I took the ring and went for my usual walk. Glancing at the ring, I soon discovered that if I went in the north, the numbers would decrease. I decided to go further in the northern direction until the numbers were 0000.
I walked for about half an hour and soon I came to a strange island. The island had a big palace in the middle and trees and flowers on all sides. That was when the ring’s number showed 0000. I had reached that place! It did not occur to me that island was magical and so was the ring. The palace was glowing white and blue. I thought why not go inside to see why and what the ring had to do with this place? I went inside. I examined all the cupboards and shelves and drawers for any clue. There was no clue but I found a name printed on one of the drawers. It said WIZARD HERE BEWARE. At that name, I jumped to my feet and ran out of the palace. I had only walked for a few minutes when I got a strange feeling that the palace had something to do with the ring. Otherwise, why would the numbers change to 0000?
I ran back to the palace and quickly again examined all the cupboards and drawers and again came back unsuccessful. I decided that nothing was in there and began my half-hour walk back home. But I was wrong! Something was there! A wizard in the palace had a got awakened from his deep sleep due to the sound of the drawers opening. He checked everything. Everything was in its place. He walked back to his room thinking someone had been there, he knew it! He had seen light footprints leading to the gate. Meanwhile, I walked home and told her mother all about what had happened. Her mother listened with part interest and part confusion. She said, at last, “maybe the wizard was what was strange with the ring.” I said, “no that could not be right because there was no wizard there. But something told me, that my mother could be right. So the next day, I went back to the palace and examined some more.
This time again I found no clue but I saw a brown beard with a blue and white star cloak. The wizard! He disappeared behind a wall and I stood there thinking. I thought it would be best to follow the wizard and what connection there was between the ring and the wizard. I quietly sneaked behind the wizard and listened. He seemed to be murmuring something. It seemed like when whoever appears here to buy that silly ring from me, would be lucky for the spell that I am preparing for myself. I listen more closely. He seemed to be talking about the ring so I started to follow him. He was working on a spell. He went inside his workroom and pressed something labelled R-I-N-G. Immediately the ring on my finger changed colour. Then it chuckled. Oh ho! So that was what was going on! I decided to follow the wizard till my supper time and see what he would do next. I tried my best to hide from him and watch. Suddenly he came out of his workroom and fished something out of his pocket. He was now peering into a small marble-like thing. The wizard now turned behind a wall. Good! Heading over! But the wizard hadn’t gone! He was there looking at me!
Pause and think: do you think there is a connection between the wizard and the ring?
Ho! So here you are thief! Shouted the wizard. Sneaking into my palace like that! What behaviour is this? Come with me now – into prison! I dared not disobey him of course, so I followed. He let me into a room and locked all the doors except that of the bathroom. Then he went into his workroom and shut the door. I thought to myself how could I escape? Suddenly I saw a little table. On top of that, there was a spell book and a wand! I thought why not look for a spell to get out? Quickly, I searched for a spell. There it was! On Page 31! I read it and re-read it and then read it once again. All I had to do was to point to the wand to the door and sat FREE in a firm voice. How easy! I pointed the want to the door and said F-R-E-E. The door opened and I ran out. I did the same to the main gate and ran back to my house. Just five minutes after I ran out, the wizard came into the room. He was surprised to see the room empty and a spell book open. He roughly open the spell book to check where I had gone. He said, “so I need to go to the park to the red house and three houses after that. He went to his disguise room and disguise himself as an old man. He slipped his spell book into his pocket. He put his wand with the spell book, and carefully put his beard, moustache and white hair. Ah! Everything was ready! He slipped out of his palace, being careful such that nobody notices him while he was stepping out.
Pause and think: will the wizard find the ring back?
He looked around and noticed me – as I skipped my way to my home. He waited till I reached home. Then he walked slowly to my home and rang the bell. Mother opened the door. She said slowly, “come in.” He limped inside as if he was hurt. Seeing this mother said, “you can stay the night with us.” The old man seemed pleased. She led him to his bedroom. He limped inside and locked the door. As soon as mother’s footsteps were unheard he reached inside his pocket for his spell book. He looked for a spell to trick me and found one. He created a hundred ants and cockroaches and unlocked his door. He limped to my room and spread them all around. Just then I came to her room. I squealed as I saw the insects. Mother thundered upstairs and banged open the door of the room and scolded me. What is all this noise about? I did not dare to answer her. I stood there silent.
Mother said in a firm voice go to bed right now and do not come out of this room until supper! Then she slammed the door behind her and went to look inside the old man’s room. He seemed to be sleeping. She quietly closed the door behind her and departed, but she was wrong! The old man was awake!
Meanwhile, I was sitting in my room thinking. I felt something suspicious about this man. He was strange. Earlier he had not been limping and had not gotten hurt anywhere to limp. And then the insects? They seem to come out of nowhere. Suddenly I felt something suspicious about this man. I decided to find out. I quietly walked to his room and open the door. He was asleep. I tiptoed inside. I saw the same eyes mouth and nose as that of the wizard. But the wizard didn’t even know that I had escaped or did he? So then it must be someone else. Night came and I dropped off to sleep.
The old man though was awake He also must have felt mysterious so he tiptoed to my room. He took the ring from my bedside cabinet and ran outside the house with the ring. He ran to his palace and quickly change into his wizard clothes and dropped off to sleep. Meanwhile, I woke up early the next day. I looked at my bedside cabinet for the ring and after being unsuccessful I decided to look for it in the old man’s room. I quietly tiptoed out of bed and went to the old man’s room. I open the door. He was not there. Oh, he must’ve gone for an early morning walk. But he limped, so how could he go for walk? So he must be in the bathroom then. The wizard was back safely in his Palace and he was also awake.
Pause and think: will the little girl ever get to see her birthday ring again?
He wondered what had happened to me, and thought to have a peek at me through his spells. But he’d left his wand at my home! Never mind he thought to himself, he had more wands. He chanted the spell in his firm clear voice. He could see me in my room, wondering what had happened to the ring and the old man. He felt sad and began to realise this mistake. He decided that the next day he would visit our house and say that he was sorry. So that was exactly what he did.
He had a free afternoon and hence walked to our house in the original wizard form. He looked very sad. He felt like an old man who had come to beg in the streets. He walks solemnly to my house and rang the doorbell. Mother and I were having lunch. Mother opened the door. I was surprised as I saw the wizard. The wizard, in a very sorry voice, explained why he had come and the story of why he wanted to sell the ring. Mother and I listened with interest and at the end, I shook his hand and said it was okay. And he replied and said he wanted to be my friend. I had the same feeling in my heart and hence much to my mother’s intense surprise I agreed to be his friend.
Pause and think: why did the wizard and the little girl decide to be friends?
As the years passed, we both became lifetime companions. The wizard helped me when I was in trouble. The ring was shared between both of us and the wizard acted and felt like a real friend to me. We had sleepovers and picnics and you name it. We were friends for life.
The End
