The Sphinx of the Orange Pool

Lily had the curliest hair in her whole class. It bounced when she walked and poofed when she ran. But today, her hair was tangled with leaves from exploring the jungle behind her house.

She pushed through the palm fronds and gasped. There, hidden in a clearing, was a pool the color of a bright orange sunset. The water shimmered and sparkled, as if tiny stars were swimming inside.

"Who enters my pool?" a voice rumbled.

Lily almost jumped out of her shoes. Sitting on a rock was not a scary monster, but a small golden sphinx no bigger than her cat. He had the body of a lion, wings of a hummingbird, and the most beautiful face with wise, kind eyes.

"I'm Lily," she whispered, holding out her palm. "I didn't mean to intrude."

The sphinx hopped onto her hand, light as a feather. "I've been waiting for someone brave enough to find this place. For one hundred years, I've been stuck by this orange pool."

"Why?" Lily asked, her curly hair falling over her face.

"Because I forgot the answer to my own riddle," the sphinx said sadly. "What is something that grows when you share it but disappears when you keep it?"

Lily thought hard. She looked at the orange water, the palm trees swaying above, and felt the sphinx's tiny heartbeat in her palm.

"Friendship!" she cried. "When you share friendship, it grows bigger. But when you keep it to yourself, it's not really friendship at all."

The sphinx's eyes widened. "You're right!" He did a happy flip in the air. "Thank you, Lily! Your kindness has broken the spell!"

The orange pool began to glow. suddenly, Lily wasn't in the jungle anymore. She was back in her bedroom, her hair still full of leaves.

But in her palm sat a tiny golden sphinx charm, warm and glowing.

"We'll be friends forever," it seemed to say.

Lily smiled, touching her curly hair. Sometimes the best adventures happen when you're brave enough to be kind.