Once upon a time

This week's story - The Lost Present

It was Nicole's mummy's birthday soon, so her daddy took her to a shop to buy a present. Nicole chose a necklace made of glass beads which sparkled and shone in the light.

That night, when Nicole went to bed, she was admiring the necklace in the moonlight. Not far away a black and white magpie was also admiring it. He watched Nicole put the necklace down on the windowsill, then get into bed to sleep. Soon the cheeky bird flew into her bedroom, through the open window, and took the string of shiny beads away to his nest.

In the morning, when Nicole woke, she found that the necklace was missing. Her daddy was very cross because he thought she had been careless and lost her mummy's gift.

Much later, when Nicole went to bed, she was still feeling bad about the lost present and started crying. She was crying so much that she did not hear the Crying Fairy come in. She said to her: "What's wrong?" Nicole told her that she had lost her mummy's nice present. "Don't worry.

I am the Crying Fairy. I come to help unhappy children. I will fly around and help you look for it."

Just then something shimmering caught the fairy's eye. She flew towards it and spotted a beautiful rainbow-coloured necklace in the bird's nest.

"I think a naughty magpie took it because they just love shiny things. They don't know that stealing is wrong." Nicole was delighted to have the necklace back and thanked the fairy for all her help.

Now she has a gift to give to her mummy and her daddy won't be cross with her anymore.

• This is our special column for your original stories.

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