“What a glorious sunrise! I hope I am the first one to gaze at the violet sun hovering above the rooftops!” I whispered as I peeked out of the window. Curiosity stirred within me, and an uncanny feeling crept over me. I could feel it in my bones.

I slid out of bed, peered into my brother’s room and tiptoed downstairs towards the stable. Quietly, I slung the satchel over my shoulder, saddled my horse, mounted it and rode off.

“Clip-clop! Clip-clop!” The hooves echoed along the path. Soon, the clouds began to sparkle overhead. As I looked up, a lucky box spun through the air and landed on the grass with a soft thud.

“Poof!” A swirl of smoke rose from the box, and a fairy appeared. “Hello! How may I help you?” she asked with a warm smile.

I stopped dead. “W-who are you?” I stammered.

“I am the Good Witch of the North,” she replied gently. “Do not be frightened. I have come to grant you three wishes. Choose wisely!”

I stroked my chin thoughtfully and said, “For my first wish, could you make it snow in Islamabad? It has not snowed here for a very long time.”

“Your wish is my command!” she declared, placing a blue snowflake in my palm. “Throw it onto the grass and watch carefully.”

The moment it touched the ground, fluffy snowflakes floated down like soft white butterflies. A soft layer of snow covered the ground, and the trees hid beneath a thick white blanket of snow.

“This spell will only last if people take care of the climate,” the witch warned.

“Now, what is your second wish?” she asked.

“I wish for the poor to have food and cosy homes. I also want every child to attend school.”

The witch gifted me a crystal-carved wand. As I waved it, the wand turned into a flying carpet and lifted my horse into the sky, soaring over the city. Soon, sturdy houses rose from the ground, with baskets of food placed on their doorsteps. The children happily hopped to school.

“What is your last and final wish?” she enquired.

“Uh!” I sighed. “It is sad that many animals may become extinct soon. We are destroying their habitats. Do you know that the vaquita, the Amur leopard and the Cross River gorilla are endangered? They will vanish unless we act quickly.”

The witch handed me a gleaming crystal. “Rub it until it flashes with all the colours of the rainbow!”

I rubbed it, and the crystal shimmered with every colour of the rainbow. Nature began to heal, and the animals smiled with joy.

“All your wishes have come true. Now it is time for me to go.”

I nodded. As she began to rise, I called out, “Come back soon!”

From the clouds, a rainbow arched across the sky with a note. It read, “Keep the climate clean, help the poor and protect endangered animals’ habitats until I return.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 15th, 2026