The Lightning Goldfish's Wish

Lily hated spinach. Every Tuesday night, her mother served the green leafy stuff, and every Tuesday night, Lily pushed it around her plate until her mother sighed.

One rainy afternoon, Lily sat by the pond in her backyard, skipping stones across the dark water. Suddenly, a flash of lightning crackled through the gray sky, and something extraordinary happened. A small orange goldfish jumped right out of the pond and landed on the grass beside her.

"Hello," said the goldfish.

Lily rubbed her eyes. "You can talk?"

"Only during lightning storms," the goldfish explained, flipping its tail happily. "I'm Finn. I've been watching you skip stones for weeks. You seem lonely. Want to be friends?"

Lily had never had a friend who was a fish before, but Finn was funny and kind. They spent the whole storm talking about everything—Lily's school, Finn's adventures underwater, and how much Lily disliked spinach.

"Spinach is actually magical," Finn whispered. "Where do you think mermaids get their powers?"

"Really?" Lily's eyes widened.

"Really," Finn nodded. "If you eat just three pieces of spinach during a lightning storm and make a wish, it will come true."

That Tuesday, lightning flashed across the sky as Lily sat down to dinner. Her mother was surprised when Lily ate three pieces of spinach without complaint. Lily closed her eyes tight and made her wish.

The next morning, she rushed to the pond. "Finn!" she called. "It worked!"

Finn popped up. "What did you wish for?"

"I wished that you could talk to me whenever you want, not just during storms. And that you could visit me on land!"

Finn's scales shimmered. Suddenly, he grew tiny legs and hopped right out of the water onto the grass. "Lily, that's the best wish anyone has ever made for me!"

From that day on, Lily and Finn were the best of friends. And whenever Lily's mother served spinach, Lily ate every bite—because she knew that magic could be found in the most unexpected places, especially when you kept an open mind and an open heart.