In a small village, deep inside its forest, stands an enchantingly beautiful cottage that houses a beautiful young lady named Nina. Her beauty was like a spell to the villagers for they all tend to please her. Every day, people would visit and offer her the finest of what they have. And she grew accustomed to having the best. For her, there’s no real happiness than owning all of the world’s treasures.
Every morning, she tries to look her best by wearing her finest dresses and gold jewelries because she doesn’t want to disappoint the villagers and they might stop giving her gifts when she became a bit ugly. She was sits on a high chair in the middle of the room for the rest of the day, waiting for more gifts to come. First, a seamstress made her a silvery robe. She was pleased. Second, a miner gave her some diamonds, she was happier. Everything is precious until an old woman came and gave her a paper. She trembled in anger.
“Old lady, please don’t waste my time for paper is not a treasure,” Nina said, her tone a little higher.
The old lady smiled at her, and readily unfurls the paper. “My dear, I present to you a map of a hidden treasure, more precious than anything that you have ever seen or touched,” an expectant beam was on the old lady’s face as she saw how Nina’s expression changed.
Nina quickly reads the map and saw a mark: a large pile of gold under a nearby tree.
Later that afternoon. Nina marched off into a hill where the tree is found. She checks for the roots, but she saw nothing. The trunk is the same like any other tree. She digs by the soil but only got her hands dirty. She thought it’s all just a trick. She muttered a curse out of irritation.
“Excuse me young lady,” someone said and she began to startle.
She felt guarded and turned from left to right to check but no one’s there.
The voice spoke again, “I’m in front of you.”
She immediately looked and was surprised at what she saw. The tree had a face, a moving branch, and a carpet of leaves was his long beard.
“What are you? A magical tree?” Nina almost laughed in disbelief.
The tree ignored what she said and spoke. “Why are you here?”
“An old lady told me that a treasure is buried around here. Is that true?” Nina said, spying.
“True. Gold awaits anyone who search for it but it is given for a deal.”
Nina’s eyes broadened, eager to hear about what the tree is about to say. A picture of greed was painted on her face. “What deal is that? I’ll do anything. Just tell me.”
““You’ll be a fairy for a day and grant three wishes to three deserving people who show deeds of compassion. Then you will have all the gold in return.”
“That’s it?” Nina said still in humored skepticism at how easy the deal was. Who doesn’t want a wish, she thought.
Suddenly, her small hand shook with the branches. And magically, a pair of wings grew by her back as she turned into a real fairy.
She flew as she headed on the way to town. Many looked at her and started to laugh. She offered a wish to anyone who passes by but all of them didn’t give her a chance to grant.
After a tiring search, she sat along the rice paddies. Suddenly a sparrow rested on her shoulder and chirped to her ears. “I came to help so follow me.” The tiny bird led Nina to a hut in the middle of a field. The surrounding crops were all withered. She was hungry as she enters. Then, a thin boy welcomed her.
