The Golden Vase and the Secret Letters from Fairyland

The Golden Vase and the Hidden Treasure

By Ubaid

Maryam’s younger brother, Soheil, was a dreamer. While she—wise beyond her years—studied diligently in the eleventh grade, Soheil, only in ninth, often drifted into a fantasy world. He was convinced that one day some saint, magician, or fairy would reveal the secret to a hidden treasure that would make him the richest man alive. Hard work was never part of his plan.

One ordinary afternoon, as he unpacked his school bag, something unusual caught his eye. Tucked between his books lay a small golden-colored plastic vase. He was certain he had never seen it before. Instead of flowers, a folded piece of paper was lodged inside. Curious, he unfolded it.

The words written there sent a shiver down his spine:

"It has come to our knowledge that you desire a treasure, one that will solve all your financial worries. Not everyone receives such a treasure. Only those who are truly special are chosen. If you wish to be one of those chosen ones, write ‘yes’ on this paper and place it in your storeroom. Remember, this must remain a secret between us."
— Fairyland

Soheil’s eyes widened. Could this be real? Was Fairyland reaching out to him? Without hesitation, he scribbled “Yes” on the paper and hid it in a corner of the storeroom. That whole day, his mind spun with wild imaginings. Perhaps tomorrow, a genie would appear. Perhaps tonight, the walls would crack open to reveal chests of gold.

The next morning, before school, he dashed to the storeroom. The vase was still there, untouched. Disappointment struck him. “Maybe this was a prank,” he muttered. Yet, when he picked up the vase, the paper inside wasn’t the same as yesterday. Heart racing, he unfolded it.

"By writing ‘Yes,’ you have shown that you wish to be among the chosen. But to be truly different from ordinary people, you must first fulfill certain conditions. Are you ready to accept them? Write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and return this to the vase."
— Fairyland

His hands trembled as he quickly wrote “Yes” again and placed the note back.

That night, he could hardly sleep. By dawn, he was at the storeroom once more. Another letter awaited him. This time, the message was clear:

"The first condition is that you must work hard. You must put your heart into your studies. If you fail to truly learn and understand your lessons, we will stop contacting you. Only those who embrace knowledge with effort will earn the treasure."
— Fairyland

Soheil froze. Work hard? Study? He hated studying. Daydreams had always been his refuge from books and numbers. For a moment, he wondered if he should quit this strange game. But then he thought of the treasure. If Fairyland offered riches, surely they wouldn’t ask him to waste time unless it was essential.

That night, he wrote “Yes” again.

And so began the transformation of a boy who had never known discipline. Suddenly, his days filled with reading, revising, and struggling to focus. At first, it was agony. He grew restless, sometimes even angry, when the urge to daydream pulled him away from his homework. Yet, each time his determination wavered, the golden vase encouraged him.

Sometimes a letter praised his efforts:

"Well done. You are on the right path."

Other times, it warned him sternly:

"If you are careless, you will lose the chance to find the treasure."

Those notes became his secret companions, guiding him when his motivation faltered.

Weeks turned into months. Slowly, Soheil noticed changes in himself. The once-absentminded boy who relied on luck began to understand his lessons deeply. Instead of memorizing blindly for grades, he started enjoying the thrill of solving problems, of knowing the answers because he truly understood.

Maryam, puzzled by her brother’s sudden discipline, often teased him. “Since when did you become such a bookworm?” she asked. Soheil only smiled mysteriously, unwilling to reveal the golden vase or the letters from Fairyland.

But in quiet moments, he wondered. Was the treasure real? Would a chest of jewels appear one day in his storeroom? Or was the treasure something else entirely?

One evening, exhausted from hours of study, he looked at his books and realized something shocking: he didn’t hate them anymore. In fact, he felt proud of himself. The very thought of learning gave him a sense of achievement he had never known.

Maybe, just maybe, this was what Fairyland wanted all along. Perhaps the true treasure wasn’t gold or diamonds, but the ability to grow, to work hard, and to succeed on his own merit.

Soheil didn’t have the answer yet, but one thing was certain—he was no longer the same lazy dreamer he had once been. The golden vase had awakened in him the strength to believe not in luck, but in effort.

And that, he thought with a secret smile, might be the greatest treasure of all.