Gifts

This is the story of a beautiful valley settled at the foot of a hill, where nature itself seemed alive. Colorful flowers spoke lovingly to children, the breeze carried gentle laughter, and every corner reflected cleanliness and harmony. The children of this valley were eager learners who valued knowledge, discipline, and neatness. They kept themselves tidy and took pride in their appearance and surroundings.

However, among them lived a girl named Najma who was very careless about cleanliness. Despite repeated advice from elders and friends, she ignored every warning. Her clothes were dirty, her hair uncombed, and she paid no attention to personal hygiene. People often wondered if they had ever seen dirt that could walk, talk, and move around—Najma seemed exactly like that.

One day, her friends, annoyed by her habits, decided to tease her. They gathered together and mocked her openly. Najma became furious, pushed her tangled hair away from her grimy face, and began shouting at them. One of the girls, wrinkling her nose at Najma’s running nose and yellow, unattractive teeth, said, “Let’s run away! It smells terrible here. Look at this filthy girl standing in front of us!” Saying this, all the girls ran off, leaving Najma standing alone, sulking with a twisted face.

The next morning, Najma woke up early. There was a large mirror fixed to her room’s wall. As soon as her eyes fell on it, they widened in terror. She saw what looked like a witch standing in front of her—messy hair, a face covered with marks like flies swarming over it, and sharp, frightening teeth. Suddenly, the figure stretched out its hands as if to grab her. Terrified, Najma screamed and ran out of the room, blindly rushing toward the garden.

She finally collapsed near a bush of flowers, gasping for breath. She was so frightened that she tightly shut her eyes. At that moment, she heard a soft laugh that slowly echoed in her ears. When she opened her eyes, she saw flowers laughing gently. A red rose bent toward her and spoke kindly, “Girl, look at us. Early in the morning, dew washed our faces, and the breeze tickled us, making us laugh with joy. Now the sun’s rays are growing stronger. Go, wash your face, wear clean clothes, oil and comb your hair, then come back to me.”

Hearing this, Najma felt happiness bloom in her heart like a rose. She immediately ran to the bathroom, bathed properly, wore clean clothes, oiled and combed her hair carefully. Humming softly, she returned to the rose bush and said, “I’m back.” The rose smiled brightly and said, “Pluck me and place me in your hair, then look at yourself in the mirror.”

Najma did exactly that. Standing before the mirror, fear still lingered in her heart, so she kept her eyes lowered. Suddenly, a voice said gently, “Najma, look at me.” She looked up and saw a beautiful fairy smiling at her. The fairy said, “I have brought two gifts for you. Please accept them.” Holding out her hands, she added, “One gift is health, and the other is happiness.”

Najma accepted both gifts. Her face turned red with embarrassment, and she bowed her head in gratitude without saying a word. When she lifted her eyes again, the fairy had disappeared. In her place stood a beautiful girl—more radiant than the fairy herself. A red rose adorned her hair like a crown, enhancing her beauty.

Najma realized then that cleanliness, self-care, and discipline had transformed her. The true gifts were not magic, but good habits that brought health, happiness, and confidence. From that day onward, Najma never neglected cleanliness again and lived happily, respected by everyone in the valley.