Ava and the Autumn Sprite

7-9 min read
12 pages
6+

Ava lives in a little village between the woods and the hills, and she loves the old story of the Autumn Sprite. One cool fall day, she finds the tiny Sprite under a giant oak tree and gets to make one wish. Ava wishes for her whole village, not just for herself, and the next morning everyone wakes up to the biggest harvest they have ever seen.

Between the green woods and the round hills sat a little village. In autumn, the leaves turned red, orange, and gold. The air smelled like ripe apples. Everyone in the village was smiling, because soon it would be time for the Harvest Fair—the merriest day of the whole fall.

Ava lived in that village, and autumn was her favorite time of year. She jumped in crunchy leaf piles. She picked juicy apples. She watched the trees turn from green to gold. But most of all, Ava loved an old, old story: the legend of the Autumn Sprite.

The story said that a tiny Autumn Sprite painted the woods and orchards in bright fall colors. The Sprite brought the village a big, happy harvest, too. And whoever found the Autumn Sprite could make one wish—and that wish would come true.

One cool morning, just as the sun came up, Ava packed a little bag for the trip and set off for the woods. She was going to find the Autumn Sprite! Red and yellow leaves made a bright roof over her head. Fallen leaves made a soft carpet under her feet. Crunch, crunch, rustle, went her boots. Ava hummed as she walked.

Ava walked and walked, stopping to look at everything. When the sun slipped down behind the trees, she came to a cozy little clearing. In the middle stood a giant oak tree. Its shiny acorns twinkled in the last golden light.

Then, under the oak, Ava saw something tiny and glowing. Ava's heart went thump, thump, thump. She held her breath and tiptoed closer. The little someone had wings like autumn leaves and hair that shone like warm sunshine. Ava's eyes grew wide. Could this be the Autumn Sprite from the old story?

“Hello,” Ava whispered in a small voice. “Are you the Autumn Sprite?” The tiny creature looked up and smiled. “Yes, I am,” said the Sprite. “Why did you come all this way?”

Ava took a deep breath. “I came to see if the old story is true,” she said. “Can you really make a wish come true?” The Sprite nodded. “Yes, I can. But you only get one. So think hard about what you want most.”

Ava looked out at the woods, glowing in the soft evening light. She thought about the Harvest Fair and her neighbors laughing together. She thought about how hard they worked in the fields. Then she knew. “I wish for the biggest harvest ever,” she told the Sprite, “so everyone in our village can be extra happy.”

The Sprite's eyes sparkled. “What a lovely wish, Ava! You asked for everyone, not just for yourself. Your whole village will be so glad.” The Sprite waved one tiny hand. A warm breeze swirled through the clearing. Golden leaves and shiny acorns danced in the air, twinkling in the sunset. Ava stood very still, feeling warm and happy all over.

By bedtime, Ava was back home, safe and snug in her own bed. The next morning, the villagers stepped outside to get ready for the Harvest Fair—and they gasped! The fields and gardens were full of ripe vegetables. Apple trees bent low with juicy apples. Giant pumpkins gleamed in the morning sun. No one had ever seen such a harvest! People laughed and hugged, so thankful.

Ava never forgot the Autumn Sprite. Every fall, when the leaves turned red and yellow again and the cool wind blew, she remembered that evening under the big oak. And each time, Ava looked up at the bright leaves and smiled a soft little smile.

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