“We don’t want to sleep! We don’t want to sleep!” The
children chanted as they bounced up and down on their beds sending dust and
feathers flying all over the room. Their mother tried to lull them to bed with
her soothing voice, but nothing seemed to be able to work on these feisty hyperactive
children. The little devils started to scream even louder, “WE WON’T SLEEP! WE
WON’T SLEEP!”
“What
is with all this ruckus?” The grandmother asked as she limped into the room.
She set aside her cane onto the sofa and then straightened her back.
“I’m
so sorry, mother-in-law, to have bothered you. I’ll have these little monsters
in bed soon, so you should try to get some rest.” The mother said ushering the
grandmother out of the room.
“Wait
just one moment, dear. How about you hand over your little monsters to me? This
old woman still knows all the old tricks to tranquilize fussy children you
know.” The grandmother replied with a hint of amusement in her eyes.
“Oh,
well, be my guest.” The tired mother said as she stepped aside and slumped onto
the couch.
“So,
you children don’t wish to sleep?”
“NO!
NO! NO!”
“But
you do know you have to, even though you don’t wish to.”
“Well
then, I’ll wish on a shooting star so that we never have to sleep.” The
youngest child replied. His big eyes climbed up to meet his grandmother’s eyes
and challenged her.
“I
don’t think you need a shooting star to make a wish come true. Why, you can use
a four leaf clover that you hunted for in the garden, or blow out birthday
candles on top of a cake, or perhaps…” The grandmother said with a smile. “Perhaps
a wishing well will do the trick.”
