Once upon a time in a far away kingdom, there lived a young prince with his mother and father, the king and queen of their land. This young prince had always dreamed of becoming an explorer and travelling all over the world. But he knew that one day he would have to be king like his father.
The king and queen wished they could help their son fulfill his dreams, but they couldn’t leave their people without a leader. They did the best they could to help their young prince explore by visiting other kingdoms as much as possible. It did help the young prince some, but he still had a desire to explore more.
Then one day, as the prince was looking out his window of the castle, a fairy appeared to him. “Young prince, I can hear your heart wishing loudly.” She said in the sweetest voice.
The young prince was so surprised! He had never seen a fairy before.
He heard of their ability to grant wishes if they so choose, but he didn’t know that they were actually real. “Well fairy, I’ve always wanted to explore the world, but I feel trapped in my castle.”
“So what is it you wish for young prince? I will grant you but one.”
“I wish to explore the world!” The fairy nodded and waved her wand. Then the young prince transformed into a blue bird. “Now you may explore the world to your heart’s content.”
The young prince, now the bird, smiled. “Oh thank you, fairy! Thank you!” The bird prince started flapping his wings and before he knew it, he was flying!
He flew out the window and up towards the clouds. He was the happiest he could be. He flew up to the top of a tree and looked over all the land. There was so much to explore.
He flew down to water and got splashed by the waves his wings made. He flew over valleys, under fallen trees, through long ranges of mountains. He passed over castles and villages far from his own.
He flew through rain, snow, and sun. He’d sleep on branches and wake up with the rising sun. At night, he saw more stars than he ever thought possible. But the bird prince was starting to get lonely. It had been two weeks since the fairy visited him and made him a bird. He started to miss his family.
So one night, the bird prince looked up at the stars and wished as loud as he could that the fairy would appear to him again. And she did.
“Hello, bird prince. How has your exploring been?”
“Well fairy, it has been really fun so far, but I’m really starting to miss my home and my mom and dad. May I have one more wish to be a boy again and be with my family?” The little bird pleaded.
She smiled and said, “Of course, little prince.” She gave a flick of her wand. “You may fly home as a bird, but as soon as you pass through your window you will be a boy again.”
The bird prince still looked worried. “But fairy, I’m afraid I don’t know the way back home. I flew so far that now I’m lost.”
She waved her wand again and a blue ball of light appeared. “Follow this light and it will lead you home.”
He jumped up and down with delight. “Oh thank you fairy! Thank you!”
And so the bird prince followed the ball of light. He passed over castles and villages, through ranges of mountains, under fallen trees, and over valleys. Finally his castle was in sight.
He flapped his little wings faster and faster and flew right through his window. When he landed on his bed, he was a boy again! Oh how he had missed his bed.
He ran to his mother and father who gave him the biggest hug. “Oh son, how we have missed you!”
He told them all about how the fairy appeared and turned him into a bird. Then he told them about how far he flew and the different things he saw. “But I missed you too much. So I asked the fairy to turn me back. I think I’ve had enough exploring. I’m ready to be home with my family.”
And so the young prince stayed a boy in the kingdom with his mother and father. And they all lived happily ever after. THE END.