The Ridiculous Wishes
The Ridiculous Wishes — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In the shimmering Sky Market, where merchants traded bottled weather and clouds served as currency, lived three souls bound by a foolish bargain: Alatar, a humble cloud herder; Zara, a sky-scribe yearning for renown; and Grimwold, a bottle-weather baron with a thirst for more. A wandering Djinn offered each a wish, sparking a chain of ridiculous events that would test their desires and reveal the absurdity of chasing fleeting dreams. This tale reveals the price of discontent and the unexpected treasures found in accepting one's true self.
Page 2
Alatar sighed, watching Zara etch poetry onto storm clouds. "I wish I had her talent," he muttered. His grandfather, a weathered cloud farmer, overheard him. "But Alatar, your sheep bring gentle rain to the farmlands and the most beautiful sunsets in the sky-real talent!", he exclaimed.
Page 3
Zara, perched precariously, overheard snatches of their conversation. She longed for the fame the weather baron, Grimwold, had. "If only my words could carry such influence," she thought, imagining her poems printed onto thunderheads for all to see. A gust of wind rustled through her hair, scattering ink across the sky.
Page 4
Grimwold, counting his gold coins, smirked. "Influence is bought and sold, little scribe. More power is what I truly desire." As he spoke a stranger with shimmering eyes approached him. 'A wish, if you dare.' Grimwold's eyes glinted with avarice.
Page 5
"I grant each of you one wish," the Djinn rasped, his voice like wind through a chasm. "But be warned: Wishes are like bottled storms- they can change course violently. Think carefully before you speak your heart's desire."
Page 6
Alatar, driven by envy, wished for Zara's skill with words. Instantly, ink bloomed from his fingertips, staining the clouds dark. Zara, yearning for recognition, wished for Grimwold's influence. Suddenly, she felt a strange power, her voice booming like thunder. Grimwold, ever the greedy one, wished for even more wealth. His coins multiplied, burying him beneath a glittering avalanche.
Page 7
"Stop!" Zara thundered, trying to control the newfound power. Her booming voice, amplified by the wish, scattered the cloud sheep and rattled the bottled weather. Alatar, overwhelmed by sudden inspiration, scrawled nonsensical poems onto the turbulent skies, unleashing miniature whirlwinds. Grimwold, buried in gold, shrieked for help, but his cries were muffled by the shimmering pile.
Page 8
"As Voltaire said, 'The best is the enemy of the good'," Alatar shouted, remembering the philosopher's words. He realized the folly of his desire, his herding was enough. He wished he could take it all back. His ink-stained fingers trembled, and the swirling verses dissolved, replaced by calm, white clouds.
Page 9
Seeing Alatar's change of heart, Zara relinquished her desire for power. The thunder died down. With the calm returned, she grabbed a bottle of 'quiet air' from the market. She turned the air toward Grimwold and unleashed the wind, scattering the gold coins and freeing the weather baron.
Page 10
Grimwold, dusted in gold, looked around the recovering market. He saw Alatar gently guiding his cloud sheep, Zara carefully etching a poem onto a single cloud, and finally understood: chasing empty desires only leads to storms. The clouds parted, revealing a radiant sunset. He looked up and accepted his fate, satisfied.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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