It was a bright and cheerful morning as Layla woke up, her room filled with colorful balloons and shiny streamers. She hopped out of bed with excitement because today was her big day—Layla was turning five years old!
In the living room, the family had gathered around a delicious cake with pink frosting and sprinkles.
“Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!”
Layla beamed as the candles on the cake flickered in the light.
“Now blow out the candles, sweetheart, and make a wish!” her dad said cheerfully.
Layla leaned forward, her big brown eyes filled with wonder. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and blew out all five candles at once.
Later, she whispered her wish to the crowd.
“I wish to ride a great white horse with wings—and a candy cane on his nose!” she giggled.
The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone tilted their heads, trying to picture Layla’s strange and magical wish.
“What kind of wish is that?” her grandma asked, puzzled.
The guests exchanged glances, shrugging and chuckling, but no one had a clue what kind of dream Layla was imagining. Layla couldn’t help but burst into laughter, her joy lighting up the entire room.
“It’s my birthday, and I can wish for anything I want!” she said confidently.
Her parents smiled but whispered to each other, unsure of how to make sense of Layla’s peculiar birthday wish.
Later that day, Layla played with her favorite toy—a doll named Pockets. Pockets had a string on its back, and whenever Layla pulled it, the toy spoke in a cheerful, funny voice.
Layla tugged the string, and Pockets began to chatter as always.
“Close your eyes, Mommy!” it said playfully, giggling before continuing.
“One… two… three! Does Mommy like Pockets? Does Mommy like Pockets?”
Layla’s laughter echoed through the room as she pulled the string over and over again. She didn’t care about anything else in the world—she loved her toy and her magical wish.
But that night, something extraordinary happened.
As Layla was tucked into bed, a strange noise came from her window. It was faint at first, almost like a gentle hum. Layla sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
She tiptoed to the window and peeked through the curtains. Her heart raced as she saw something incredible.
There, outside her window, stood a majestic white horse with wings as wide as the sky. Its mane sparkled like the stars, and on its nose was a shiny red-and-white candy cane, just as Layla had imagined.
“It’s a unicorn!” Layla whispered with awe.
The unicorn lowered its head, as if inviting Layla to climb on. Without a second thought, she opened her window and climbed onto its back.
“Hold on tight, Layla. Your wish has come true!” said the unicorn in a soft, magical voice.
With a leap, the unicorn soared into the night sky, its wings gliding gracefully through the air. Layla held on tight, her laughter mixing with the whoosh of the wind.
They flew over fields of flowers, sparkling rivers, and even a candy forest where trees were made of lollipops. Layla’s heart was full of joy, knowing her wildest dreams had come to life.
When she finally returned home, the unicorn nuzzled her cheek with its candy cane nose.
“Happy birthday, Layla. Never stop dreaming,” the unicorn said warmly.
And with that, the unicorn disappeared into the night, leaving behind a faint trail of shimmering stardust. Layla climbed back into bed, her heart still racing with excitement.
From that day on, she believed more than ever in the magic of dreams.
Moral of the story:
Dream big, because even the wildest wishes can come true if you believe in them with all your heart.