Once a year, a magical old man appeared at our school. It was always at the end of the school year. He came to spread joy and reward us for everything we’d managed to do that year. I don’t know if he visited other schools, but probably not. My friends from other towns never told me about him. So this story might seem unbelievable to you. But it really happened.
The kids at our school wished for all kinds of gifts at year’s end—mostly toys and sweets. Since he was a magical old man, he could grant even unusual wishes. For example, my classmate Johnny, who was crazy about fast cars, wanted to become a race car driver for a day. The magical old man snapped his fingers three times, tried to whistle twice—well, tried—without his front teeth, he mostly made a breathy hiss. Then he said the magic words, “Astrabustus korytus, mantratatra hobitus.” Suddenly Johnny was sitting in a race car, hurtling around a racetrack at wild speed.
Fifth-grader Evie had an even stranger wish. She asked the magical old man to make it snow for at least one day at the start of summer. She loved skiing and wanted to ski. The old man snapped his fingers three times, and twice he went to whis—well, more of a hiss through the gap in his teeth—and he spoke the magic spell. And it really happened. So much snow fell that Evie could ski all day long.
He even granted wishes for our teachers. Why not? They deserved it, too. And even though their wishes weren’t as silly—they mostly wanted improvements for our school—the old man praised them for it.
I don’t know why, but he always saved my wish for last. Maybe it seemed the craziest to him, maybe it was too hard to conjure, and maybe… Well, I just don’t know why.
One year I wished for our whole school to turn into a chocolate kingdom. Imagine it: all at once, everything in our school became chocolate. The desks, the chairs, the chalkboard—even the chalk was chocolate. Every student started munching. Carl ate an entire sink. Alice nibbled on the flowerpots. In no time, everything was eaten. Then someone shouted, “Come outside—the garden is full of chocolate, too!” And sure enough, every tree, bush, and flower was made of chocolate. Even the tools we used in our school garden. It was unbelievable. We only stopped when our bellies hurt terribly. Our school was left completely empty. There wasn’t a single piece of furniture left. We were thrilled that we wouldn’t have to go to school anymore, but at the teachers’ request, the magical old man conjured everything back.
The next year, remembering that chocolate bellyache, I took a little more time to think about my wish. Then—lightbulb! A time machine, that’s it. And the kind old man really conjured one. It was just an old wardrobe, but when I stepped inside and thought of any day, I was whisked straight there in time. So I spent the whole day traveling to the past. I saw dinosaurs and ancient people in caves. I visited kings and queens. I even met my grandpa, who, sadly, had left this world before I arrived in it. I saw so much, but then another thought struck me. If I could go to the past, could I go to the future, too? I tried it. Amazing. Suddenly I was in our school on a day that hadn’t come yet. We were just about to take a test. It wouldn’t be bad to have the questions for all the tests, I thought. So I traveled to every day we were scheduled to take tests, to find out when and in what subjects they’d be. The result? We got straight A’s all year long. Of course, it eventually came to light. My classmate Susie spilled the beans, and the next year I wasn’t allowed to wish for a time machine from the magical old man.
A year later, I told myself, okay, no time machine then. I’d always dreamed of flying like a bird or a superhero. The magical old man gave me a magic cape for 24 hours that let me lift into the clouds and look down on the world from above. He warned me to be back on the ground before 24 hours were up, because the cape would vanish and I’d lose the power to fly. The first time I took off, I felt like I was dreaming. The wind whooshed past my ears, and the whole world below looked like a tiny toy. I flew over the city, over forests and meadows. I even swooped over our schoolyard, and all my classmates waved and shouted. I felt like the happiest boy in the world.
But time flew by. As the day was ending, I headed back toward school. Above the school, I wanted to do a few more loops, just to show off for the girls—especially for Susie. And right then, exactly as the old man had said, when the 24 hours ended, the flying cape disappeared and I was falling from the sky. Luckily, Boris had wished for a big swimming pool, and I fell right into it. When I climbed out, soaked but grinning, the looks on our teachers’ faces told me that next year I wouldn’t be allowed to wish for a flying cape, either. Still, it was an amazing adventure, and I knew I’d never forget that day.
The next year, the old man didn’t come to school. Years went by, and the magical old man didn’t show up. School without him was still fun, but it was never quite as special. Over time, I forgot about him. I finished school, grew up, and became an adult. Life went on. I found a job, married Susie—the one I’d been showing off for with the flying cape—and we had a son, who started going to the same school I had attended.
One day, I came home from work, and my son, bursting with joy and excitement, told me about a strange visitor at their school.
“Dad, Dad! A magical old man came to our school today!” he shouted. “He was totally amazing! He granted wishes and we were all so happy!”
I couldn’t believe it. The magical old man had returned. All those wonderful memories from childhood came rushing back. I decided to go to the school and try to meet him again.
The next day, I walked my son to school. Joy was in the air. The kids were full of excitement and anticipation. Then I saw him. He stood there in the schoolyard, just as I remembered him—with his kind smile and that lispy whistle.
“Good morning, sir,” I said, respectful and a little nervous. “Do you remember me?”
The old man looked at me, and his eyes twinkled mischievously. “But of course I remember you, my boy. How could I forget such a rascal?” he said with a smile. “You always had the most unbelievable wishes.”
“Why did you stop coming to our school?” I asked.
The old man thought for a moment. “Everyone has their time and place to bring a little magic,” he said. “I needed time to renew my strength. But I always knew I would come back someday.”
It was as if time had turned back. The old man and I walked through the schoolyard, trading stories about all the unforgettable moments we’d shared. As I talked with the magical old man, I started to wonder what my last wish could be. What kind of craziness could I live through one more time?
Then something truly unusual came to me. I stepped closer to the old man and whispered my wish in his ear. He smiled, his eyes shone, and he snapped his fingers. Twice he tried to whistle—unsuccessfully—and spoke the magic words: “Astrabustus korytus, mantratatra hobitus.”
All at once, the world around us began to glow, and I felt everything changing. The magic took hold immediately. People all over the world began to feel a warmth in their hearts. It didn’t matter where they lived, what their religion was, or where they came from. Everyone started showing more love and understanding to one another. People began to talk more, to help each other more, and to solve problems together. The world started to become a better place.
The magical old man looked at me and said, “Your wish has great value. I hope people will keep spreading love and understanding even after my magic fades. You have a big heart, and I believe what you wished for will inspire generations to come.”
From then on, the magical old man became not only a symbol of wonders, but a reminder that each of us, through our actions, can help make the world a better place. And so we lived knowing that love and understanding are the greatest magic we can experience—and share—in our lives.
Fun Facts for Kids
