Lucy couldn’t help being curious about her grandmother’s library. While Grandma was busy baking cookies in the kitchen, Lucy sneaked into the vast room filled with towering bookshelves. The afternoon sun streamed through tall windows, making dust particles dance like tiny stars. Her green eyes spotted something unusual – a golden book on the highest shelf, slightly glowing.
“I shouldn’t…” Lucy whispered to herself, but her hands were already reaching for the stepping stool. Standing on her tiptoes, her fingers brushed against the ancient leather binding. The book seemed to hum under her touch, and before she could stop herself, she pulled it free.
As Lucy opened the book, golden light burst from its pages, surrounding her in a swirling vortex. She felt her feet leave the ground as story pages danced around her. When the light faded, she found herself in a strange, magical place. There, standing stiffly before her, was a wooden puppet wearing a tiny golden crown.
“Hello,” the puppet said in a princely voice. “I am Prince Alexander. I’ve been cursed by a witch who turned me into this wooden form. Might you help me break this spell?”
Lucy’s eyes widened with surprise. “Me? But I’m just a little girl who doesn’t always listen to her grandmother.”
“Sometimes the best helpers are those who think differently,” the puppet prince replied with a wooden smile.
The prince led Lucy through an enchanted garden to a magnificent fountain glowing with magical light. “The curse can only be broken by someone pure of heart who’s willing to help others without seeking reward,” he explained.
Lucy approached the fountain, watching the glowing water cascade down its marble tiers. Floating above was a crystal wand, sparkling with magic. Without hesitation, Lucy reached for the wand, thinking not of rewards but of helping her new friend.
“Why do you want to help me?” the puppet prince asked.
“Because everyone deserves a chance to be themselves,” Lucy replied simply, repeating words her grandmother often said. As she spoke, the wand descended into her hand, and bright light engulfed the prince.
Lucy blinked, and suddenly she was back in her grandmother’s library, curled up in the big leather armchair. The magical book lay warm in her lap, its glow fading. Was it all a dream? But there on the page was a beautiful illustration of a human prince, smiling and free from his curse, with a small note: “Thank you, brave Lucy.”
“Lucy? There you are!” Her grandmother entered with a plate of cookies. “I hope you haven’t been causing mischief.”
Lucy smiled, hugging the book close. “No, Grandma. I was just learning that sometimes being a little different can help others.” Her grandmother smiled knowingly, as if she had known about the magical book all along.