The Three Wishes of Yael
In a space station orbiting a distant planet, there lived a child named Yael who had a heart full of wonder. One morning, while exploring a mossy glen, Yael discovered a tiny golden frog perched on a mushroom. "I am the Frog of Three Wishes," it croaked. "But choose wisely — for each wish must reflect forgiveness, or it will vanish like morning mist."
Yael thought carefully. For the first wish, they said, "I wish that everyone in my village had enough food to eat tonight." The frog nodded approvingly, and baskets of warm bread and fresh fruit appeared on every doorstep.
For the second wish, Yael said, "I wish my grandmother's garden would bloom again — she misses her flowers so much." Instantly, the grandmother's garden burst into a riot of color: roses, sunflowers, lavender, and daisies, all swaying in the gentle breeze.
The frog waited for the third wish. Yael sat quietly for a long time, then smiled. "I wish that I could always remember how good it feels to make others happy." The frog's eyes shimmered with golden light. "That," it said, "is the wish that never fades."
And so Yael grew up in a space station orbiting a distant planet, known far and wide not for wealth or power, but for the warmth they brought to everyone around them. And every spring, a small golden frog would appear in the garden, just to say hello.
Talk about it
Yael learned that making others happy brings the deepest kind of joy.
Three questions for lights-out
- What did Yael wish for first, and why do you think they chose that?
- How do you think Yael's grandmother felt when her garden bloomed again?
- Yael's last wish was special — what made it different from the first two?
Words worth knowing
- orbiting
- traveling in a circle around something in space
- mossy
- covered with soft green moss that grows on damp ground
- shimmer
- to shine with a soft, wavering light
- vanish
- to disappear suddenly, like magic
- lavender
- a purple flower that smells sweet and calm
Why did the frog say wishes had to reflect forgiveness?
The frog was teaching Yael that the most powerful wishes come from a kind heart—wishing for others rather than just yourself shows forgiveness and generosity.
What does it mean that Yael's third wish 'never fades'?
Unlike magic bread or flowers, the happiness Yael felt from helping others stays with them forever and keeps growing throughout their life.