1. LOOKING FOR THE STRANGE BLUE AND WHITE FLOWER
Once upon a time, there was a little but clever girl who lived in a small and poor village
in Africa. Her name was Tina. She lived with her father because her mother had died
because of an illness four years ago. They lived in a very small and old house. They slept
on the floor because they did not have a bed. They did not have any money to buy
anything, they only had a little amount of food.
One day her father got ill too. In order to prepare the potion to cure Tina's father, the
wizard needed a strange flower. The flower was blue and white with sharp spikes. A
witch living in a faraway cave was the only person who had this flower.
Her father could not survive for a long time, so the next day Tina went to the witch's
cave. The witch's cave was very far away so Tina set off very early carrying some food
and water in her bag. She walked during two weeks until she found a fountain in the
middle of the forest. She filled the water bottle and she continued the journey.
Finally, she arrived at the witch's cave. It was very dark and smelt badly but she came
in. Tina walked for two hours in the darkness and at the end she found a big room. The
witch was sitting on a throne in the middle of the room.
Tina asked the witch for the strange flower that grew in the cave to cure her father. The
witch agreed to give her the flower but first the girl would have to solve a riddle. If she
was able to answer it successfully, the flower would be for her, but if she failed, then
she would have to stay with the witch during all her life.
Tina said: “Come on, ask me whatever you want. I do not have all the day.”
Then the witch laughed and asked: “What is the animal that walks using four legs during
its first year of life, two legs when it is an adult and three legs when it is old?”
However, Tina was a very clever girl and after thinking a little bit, she solved correctly
the riddle answering that this strange animal was the human being because they crawl
when they are babies, they walk using their two legs when they are adults and when
they are old they need a walking stick, so that is three legs. The witch became very
angry and gave the blue and white flower to Tina.
Finally, she came back to her village and gave the flower to the wizard, who prepared
the potion to cure her father. And they were happy forever and ever.
ADRIÀ MESALLES
4t ESO A