Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Wishing Well Mystery

Three children embark on a thrilling adventure to outsmart a mischievous genie and discover the true meaning of happiness.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a tiny village, there was a special well for making wishes. If you threw a coin and made a wish, it might come true! Three friends, Lily, Jack, and Ben, went on an adventure to find out more about this well.

They found a secret cave with a magic book. The book said a genie lived in the well and liked to play tricks. The children wanted to wish without getting tricked, so they solved some hard riddles they found in the book.

When they met the genie, he played funny tricks with their wishes. Lily’s cat wouldn’t stop talking, and Jack got too much ice cream! Then Ben wished for all the people to be happy, and the genie made it happen without any tricks.

The children learned that making others happy is very special. They told everyone that the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for. The well reminded everyone to be kind and happy with the little things in life.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventureWhen you go on a fun trip or do something exciting
2specialSomething that is not like other things, it’s better or different
3riddlesLittle puzzles or questions that make you think hard
4genieA magical person who can do amazing things
5tricksWhen someone does something to make you laugh or to surprise you
6wishedWhen you really want something to happen
7happyWhen you feel really good and smile a lot
8remindedWhen something helps you remember
9kindWhen you are nice to others
10tinyVery, very small

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was special about the well in the village?
2. Who went on an adventure to find out more about the well?
3. What did the children find in the secret cave?
4. What did the book say about the genie?
5. What happened when the genie played tricks with the wishes?
6. What did the children learn from their adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a tiny village, there was a special (1)______ for making wishes. If you threw a coin and made a wish, it might come true! Three friends, Lily, Jack, and Ben, went on an adventure to (2)______ out more about this well.

They found a secret cave with a magic book. The book said a genie lived in the well and (3)______ to play tricks. The children wanted to wish without getting tricked, so they solved some hard (4)______ they found in the book.

When they met the genie, he played (5)______ tricks with their wishes. Lily’s cat wouldn’t stop talking, and Jack got too much ice (6)______! Then Ben wished for all the people to be happy, and the genie made it happen without any tricks.

The children learned that making others happy is very (7)______. They told everyone that the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for. The well reminded everyone to be kind and happy with the little (8)______ in life.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a well?
2. How would you feel if you found a secret cave?
3. Do you like making wishes? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the genie’s tricks were like?
5. How would you feel if your cat started talking?
6. Do you like ice cream? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you could make everyone happy?
8. Why do you think the children said the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. special
3. riddles
4. genie
5. tricks
6. wished
7. happy
8. reminded
9. kind
10. tiny

Meanings:
(A) When someone does something to make you laugh or to surprise you
(B) When you feel really good and smile a lot
(C) Little puzzles or questions that make you think hard
(D) When something helps you remember
(E) Something that is not like other things, it’s better or different
(F) When you are nice to others
(G) Very, very small
(H) A magical person who can do amazing things
(I) When you go on a fun trip or do something exciting
(J) When you really want something to happen
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did the children find in the secret cave?
(a) A magic book
(b) A treasure chest
(c) A talking cat
(d) A genie

2. What did the book say about the genie?
(a) The genie was very kind.
(b) The genie granted wishes without any tricks.
(c) The genie liked to play tricks.
(d) The genie lived in a castle.

3. What happened when Lily made a wish?
(a) She found a treasure chest.
(b) She got too much ice cream.
(c) She became a princess.
(d) Her cat started talking.

4. What happened when Jack made a wish?
(a) His cat started talking.
(b) He got too much ice cream.
(c) He found a treasure chest.
(d) He became a prince.

5. What did Ben wish for?
(a) For a talking cat.
(b) For all the people to be happy.
(c) For a treasure chest.
(d) For too much ice cream.

6. How did the genie grant Ben’s wish?
(a) By turning him into a prince.
(b) By giving him a talking cat.
(c) Without any tricks.
(d) By giving him a treasure chest.

7. What did the children learn from their adventure?
(a) That making others happy is special.
(b) That wishes always come true.
(c) That the well is magic.
(d) That the genie is mean.

8. What did the children tell everyone?
(a) That the well is a secret.
(b) That the genie is a trickster.
(c) That wishes are not important.
(d) That the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The genie liked to play tricks on people when they made wishes.
2. The friends solved easy riddles from the magic book to make sure they wouldn’t get tricked.
3. There was a regular well in a large village where you could make wishes.
4. When they encountered the genie, he played serious tricks with their wishes, like making Lily’s cat silent and giving Jack too little ice cream.
5. But when Ben wished for everyone to be sad, the genie made it come true without any tricks.
6. The children learned that it’s important to make others happy and that the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for.
7. Three friends named Lily, Jack, and Ben went on an adventure to learn about the well.
8. They found a secret cave with a magic book that told them about a genie who lived in the well.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was special about the well in the village?
The well in the village was special because if you made a wish and threw a coin into it, your wish might come true!

2. Who went on an adventure to find out more about the well?
Lily, Jack, and Ben went on an adventure to find out more about the well.

3. What did the children find in the secret cave?
The children found a magic book in the secret cave.

4. What did the book say about the genie?
The book said that a genie lived in the well and liked to play tricks.

5. What happened when the genie played tricks with the wishes?
When the genie played tricks with the wishes, Lily’s cat started talking and Jack got too much ice cream!

6. What did the children learn from their adventure?
The children learned that making others happy is very special. They also learned that the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) well
(2) find
(3) liked
(4) riddles
(5) funny
(6) cream
(7) special
(8) things
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (I) When you go on a fun trip or do something exciting

2. special
Answer: (E) Something that is not like other things, it’s better or different

3. riddles
Answer: (C) Little puzzles or questions that make you think hard

4. genie
Answer: (H) A magical person who can do amazing things

5. tricks
Answer: (A) When someone does something to make you laugh or to surprise you

6. wished
Answer: (J) When you really want something to happen

7. happy
Answer: (B) When you feel really good and smile a lot

8. reminded
Answer: (D) When something helps you remember

9. kind
Answer: (F) When you are nice to others

10. tiny
Answer: (G) Very, very small
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did the children find in the secret cave?
Answer: (a) A magic book

2. What did the book say about the genie?
Answer: (c) The genie liked to play tricks.

3. What happened when Lily made a wish?
Answer: (d) Her cat started talking.

4. What happened when Jack made a wish?
Answer: (b) He got too much ice cream.

5. What did Ben wish for?
Answer: (b) For all the people to be happy.

6. How did the genie grant Ben’s wish?
Answer: (c) Without any tricks.

7. What did the children learn from their adventure?
Answer: (a) That making others happy is special.

8. What did the children tell everyone?
Answer: (d) That the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The genie liked to play tricks on people when they made wishes. (Answer: True)
2. The friends solved easy riddles from the magic book to make sure they wouldn’t get tricked. (Answer: False)
3. There was a regular well in a large village where you could make wishes. (Answer: False)
4. When they encountered the genie, he played serious tricks with their wishes, like making Lily’s cat silent and giving Jack too little ice cream. (Answer: False)
5. But when Ben wished for everyone to be sad, the genie made it come true without any tricks. (Answer: False)
6. The children learned that it’s important to make others happy and that the real fun is in the adventure, not just getting what you wish for. (Answer: True)
7. Three friends named Lily, Jack, and Ben went on an adventure to learn about the well. (Answer: True)
8. They found a secret cave with a magic book that told them about a genie who lived in the well. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

Ruby, the mischievous red panda, embarks on a quest to find a golden tree and discovers the true treasure of friendship.

The Riddle of the Red Panda

Ruby the red panda loves playing games and goes on an adventure to find a special treasure with her new friends Ellie the elephant and Terrance the tortoise.

George and his grape friends escape the vineyard, overcoming obstacles and finding a world full of adventures.

The Great Grape Escape

George the grape and his friends went on an exciting adventure, rolling through leaves, escaping a scarecrow, and even meeting a squirrel named Sammy!

A young girl named Lily embarks on a daring adventure to find a hidden harbor and discovers that true treasure lies in the simple pleasures of life.

The Hidden Harbor

Lily found a secret harbor and learned that the best treasure is having fun with friends.

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