A long time ago in a distant land, there was a magical place called the Shimmering Lake. This lake wasn’t like other lakes; it sparkled as if thousands of tiny stars were floating in it. Creatures from everywhere were curious about its secrets. It was said that anyone who could answer three smart riddles from the lake’s guardian, a wise frog named Sir Ribbit, would be granted a wish. But solving the riddles wasn’t easy.

One bright morning, a brave squirrel named Nutty decided to try her luck. She wanted to win a wish to help her community gather enough acorns for winter. Nutty hurried to the edge of the Shimmering Lake. When she got there, Sir Ribbit appeared, wearing a little top hat and holding a stick like a cane. “Welcome, brave one!” he croaked. “To win your wish, you must answer my three riddles. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely!” Nutty said excitedly, her tail twitching. Sir Ribbit cleared his throat and gave her the first riddle, “I have keys but open no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?” Nutty thought hard. After some silly guesses, including a crocodile and a pancake, Nutty finally said, “A piano!” The frog laughed. “Correct! On to the next!”

Feeling more confident, Nutty listened to the second riddle. “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?” Nutty thought for what seemed like forever. Then she clapped her little paws and said, “An echo!” Sir Ribbit clapped too and said, “Well done! One last riddle to go, and your wish will be yours!”

Nutty was almost jumping with excitement as Sir Ribbit gave the final riddle: “What runs around the yard without moving?” Nutty thought of a dog chasing its tail and then started laughing. “A fence!” she shouted. Sir Ribbit jumped high and tipped his hat. “You’ve done it! You answered all three riddles correctly!”

When Nutty made her wish, she thought not just about storing acorns, but about what could help her community. With a big smile, Nutty wished for a big, cheerful festival where everyone could come together, share food, and play games. Sir Ribbit agreed, laughing, and the Shimmering Lake turned into a place for a grand celebration. Nutty and her friends learned that the best wishes are the ones that bring joy to everyone.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What made the Shimmering Lake different from other lakes?

2. Who is the guardian of the Shimmering Lake, and what does he ask for in return for a wish?

3. Why did Nutty the squirrel want to win a wish?

4. Can you describe how Nutty felt as she answered the riddles?

5. What were the three riddles that Sir Ribbit asked Nutty?

6. What did Nutty wish for after answering the riddles correctly?

7. What lesson did Nutty and her friends learn from the experience at the Shimmering Lake?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A long time ago in a (1)______ land, there was a magical place (2)______ the Shimmering Lake. This lake wasn’t like other lakes; it sparkled as if thousands of tiny stars were floating in it. Creatures from everywhere were curious about its secrets. It was said that anyone who could answer three smart riddles from the lake’s guardian, a wise frog named Sir Ribbit, would be granted a wish. But solving the riddles wasn’t easy.

One bright morning, a brave squirrel named Nutty decided to try her luck. She wanted to win a wish to help her (3)______ gather (4)______ acorns for winter. Nutty hurried to the edge of the Shimmering Lake. When she got there, Sir (5)______ appeared, wearing a little top hat and holding a stick like a cane. “Welcome, brave one!” he (6)______. “To win your wish, you must (7)______ my three riddles. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely!” Nutty said excitedly, her tail twitching. Sir Ribbit cleared his throat and gave her the first riddle, “I have keys but open no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?” Nutty thought hard. After some silly guesses, including a (8)______ and a pancake, Nutty finally said, “A piano!” The frog laughed. “Correct! On to the next!”

Feeling more (9)______, (10)______ listened to the second (11)______. “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?” Nutty thought for what seemed like forever. Then she (12)______ her little paws and said, “An echo!” Sir Ribbit clapped too and said, “Well done! One last riddle to go, and your wish will be yours!”

Nutty was almost jumping with excitement as Sir Ribbit gave the final riddle: “What runs around the yard without moving?” Nutty thought of a dog chasing its tail and then started (13)______. “A fence!” she shouted. Sir Ribbit (14)______ high and tipped his hat. “You’ve done it! You answered all three riddles correctly!”

When Nutty made her wish, she thought not just about storing acorns, but about what could help her community. With a big smile, Nutty wished for a big, cheerful festival where everyone could come together, share food, and play games. Sir Ribbit agreed, laughing, and the (15)______ Lake turned into a place for a (16)______ celebration. Nutty and her friends learned that the best wishes are the ones that bring joy to everyone.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a wish you would make if you had the chance to ask for anything? Why would you choose that wish?

2. How would you feel if you had to solve riddles to get something you really wanted?

3. Do you like puzzles and riddles? Why or why not?

4. What is a time when you helped your community? How did it make you feel?

5. How do you think Nutty felt after answering all the riddles correctly?

6. Do you think it’s important to think about others when making a wish? Why or why not?

7. What is a festival or celebration that you enjoy? What do you like most about it?

8. How would you feel if you met a talking animal like Sir Ribbit? What would you want to ask it?

9. Do you think it’s better to wish for something for yourself or for others? Why?

10. What is a lesson you learned from Nutty’s story about helping others? How can you apply it in your life?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. distant
2. magical
3. guardian
4. granted
5. community
6. croaked
7. riddle
8. confident
9. excitement
10. correctly
11. cheerful
12. celebration
13. festival
14. together
15. joy

Meanings:
(A) A day or period of celebration, typically for religious or cultural reasons
(B) Feeling sure about your abilities
(C) A puzzling question or problem that requires thought to answer
(D) Made a deep, rough sound like a frog
(E) Someone who protects or watches over something
(F) A feeling of great happiness
(G) A feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness
(H) Having special powers or qualities that make it different from ordinary things
(I) Far away in space or time
(J) Happy and optimistic
(K) A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common
(L) A special event or party
(M) In a way that is accurate or true
(N) Given or allowed
(O) With each other
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the lake in the story?
(a) Sparkling Lake
(b) Glimmering Lake
(c) Twinkling Lake
(d) Shimmering Lake

2. Who is the guardian of the Shimmering Lake?
(a) King Croak
(b) Lady Leap
(c) Sir Ribbit
(d) Prince Hops

3. What type of animal is Nutty?
(a) Rabbit
(b) Frog
(c) Squirrel
(d) Bird

4. What does Nutty want to wish for?
(a) Help her community gather acorns
(b) A new home
(c) A magic wand
(d) A friend

5. What is the first riddle given to Nutty?
(a) “What runs around the yard without moving?”
(b) “I speak without a mouth.”
(c) “What has a heart that doesn’t beat?”
(d) “I have keys but open no locks.”

6. What is Nutty’s answer to the second riddle?
(a) An echo
(b) A shadow
(c) A whisper
(d) A breeze

7. What does Nutty wish for after answering the riddles?
(a) A pile of acorns
(b) A big, cheerful festival
(c) A new friend
(d) A magical creature

8. What lesson do Nutty and her friends learn from the experience?
(a) Winning is everything
(b) The best wishes bring joy to everyone
(c) Riddles are too hard
(d) Magic is real

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Instead of wishing for acorns, Nutty wishes for a festival to bring joy to her community.
2. The final riddle asks what runs around the yard without moving, and Nutty answers “a fence.”
3. To earn her dream, Dizzy must solve two riddles posed by Sir Ribbit.
4. The first riddle involves something that has keys but cannot open locks, which Nutty answers correctly as a piano.
5. Dizzy, the adventurous squirrel, wants to win a dream to help her community gather pinecones for winter.
6. Dizzy answers the first riddle about something that roars without a voice and shines without light with the answer “a waterfall.”
7. Sir Ribbit, the guardian of the ocean, is a wise frog who wears a bowtie.
8. The Shimmering Lake is a magical place that sparkles like stars.
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 made the Shimmering Lake different from other lakes?
The Shimmering Lake sparkled as if thousands of tiny stars were floating in it, making it magical and unique.

2. Who is the guardian of the Shimmering Lake, and what does he ask for in return for a wish?
The guardian of the Shimmering Lake is a wise frog named Sir Ribbit, and he asks for the person to answer three riddles in return for a wish.

3. Why did Nutty the squirrel want to win a wish?
Nutty wanted to win a wish to help her community gather enough acorns for winter.

4. Can you describe how Nutty felt as she answered the riddles?
Nutty felt excited and confident as she answered the riddles, especially after getting the first two correct. She was almost jumping with excitement by the time she reached the final riddle.

5. What were the three riddles that Sir Ribbit asked Nutty?
The first riddle was: “I have keys but open no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?” The second riddle was: “I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?” The third riddle was: “What runs around the yard without moving?”

6. What did Nutty wish for after answering the riddles correctly?
Nutty wished for a big, cheerful festival where everyone could come together, share food, and play games.

7. What lesson did Nutty and her friends learn from the experience at the Shimmering Lake?
Nutty and her friends learned that the best wishes are the ones that bring joy to everyone, not just to oneself.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) distant
(2) called
(3) community
(4) enough
(5) Ribbit
(6) croaked
(7) answer
(8) crocodile
(9) confident
(10) Nutty
(11) riddle
(12) clapped
(13) laughing
(14) jumped
(15) Shimmering
(16) grand
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. distant
Answer: (I) Far away in space or time

2. magical
Answer: (H) Having special powers or qualities that make it different from ordinary things

3. guardian
Answer: (E) Someone who protects or watches over something

4. granted
Answer: (N) Given or allowed

5. community
Answer: (K) A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common

6. croaked
Answer: (D) Made a deep, rough sound like a frog

7. riddle
Answer: (C) A puzzling question or problem that requires thought to answer

8. confident
Answer: (B) Feeling sure about your abilities

9. excitement
Answer: (G) A feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness

10. correctly
Answer: (M) In a way that is accurate or true

11. cheerful
Answer: (J) Happy and optimistic

12. celebration
Answer: (L) A special event or party

13. festival
Answer: (A) A day or period of celebration, typically for religious or cultural reasons

14. together
Answer: (O) With each other

15. joy
Answer: (F) A feeling of great happiness
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the lake in the story?
Answer: (d) Shimmering Lake

2. Who is the guardian of the Shimmering Lake?
Answer: (c) Sir Ribbit

3. What type of animal is Nutty?
Answer: (c) Squirrel

4. What does Nutty want to wish for?
Answer: (a) Help her community gather acorns

5. What is the first riddle given to Nutty?
Answer: (d) “I have keys but open no locks.”

6. What is Nutty’s answer to the second riddle?
Answer: (a) An echo

7. What does Nutty wish for after answering the riddles?
Answer: (b) A big, cheerful festival

8. What lesson do Nutty and her friends learn from the experience?
Answer: (b) The best wishes bring joy to everyone
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Instead of wishing for acorns, Nutty wishes for a festival to bring joy to her community. (Answer: True)
2. The final riddle asks what runs around the yard without moving, and Nutty answers “a fence.” (Answer: True)
3. To earn her dream, Dizzy must solve two riddles posed by Sir Ribbit. (Answer: False)
4. The first riddle involves something that has keys but cannot open locks, which Nutty answers correctly as a piano. (Answer: True)
5. Dizzy, the adventurous squirrel, wants to win a dream to help her community gather pinecones for winter. (Answer: False)
6. Dizzy answers the first riddle about something that roars without a voice and shines without light with the answer “a waterfall.” (Answer: False)
7. Sir Ribbit, the guardian of the ocean, is a wise frog who wears a bowtie. (Answer: False)
8. The Shimmering Lake is a magical place that sparkles like stars. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧