The Rings

“Happy birthday!” Mum and Dad cried, the moment we got out of bed. I’m Polly, and

my twin sister is Molly.

“Molly,” I said. “It’s finally our birthday!”

Molly rolled her eyes.

“And not too soon!”

We both went downstairs to open our presents. Luckily, it was a Saturday, no school.

We both got the same things: a huge pile of books, new clothes and computer games

for our computer. Mum came and gave us both rings. Mine was an emerald with a

silver band, Molly’s was a sapphire with a band of gold. They were one hundred per

cent pure!

“And for dinner, we’re going to Pizzas Galore!” laughed Mum.

“Pizzas Galore?” we said breathlessly. “Mad!”


Molly and I were stuffed with pizza, pasta, salad and ice-cream. We were in bed with

our little light on.

“Today was mad, wasn’t it Poll?”

“Yes!” I said. “Now shut up so I can finish my chapter and then try on my ring!”

“Al right, all right,” Molly muttered. I finished. We put our rings on. And fell straight

asleep. Hours later, we woke up.

“Where are we?” I said.

“You think I know?” sneered Moll.

“Well, wherever we are, it sure is beautiful!” I said.

“Look!” shrieked Molly. “We’ve both got wings!”

I looked down and was amazed.

“Molly,” I said, “I think we’ve become fairies!”


“Because of our rings!” said Molly breathlessly. “They’re magic!”

We didn’t notice our rings slip off our fingers, roll down the bank and plop into the

river.

Two hours later, Molly and I were both happily munching bread at our new friend’s

house, Jessebelle. Then I realised.

“Molly, we haven’t got our rings!”

Molly stared at me. “Of course we do,” she said, completely forgetting that

Jessebelle was in the room.

We looked everywhere. The thing is, if we got here with the rings, we’d have to go

back with our rings! We thought hard.

Then Jessebelle said, “Go to the strawberry patch. Choose the blackest cat there. Take

him and drown him in honey in the giant bee-hive. As a reward for giving thie food,

they will tell you how to get home.”

We did. All the bees told us was, “How did Polly get her parrot?”

Molly and I looked at each other quizzically. “How did I get my parrot . . . well, Mum

bought it for me!”

“Because she heard you say, ‘I wish I had a parrot!’ I said. “I wish . . .”

We both laughed excitedly together.

“I wish, “ I began.

“WE wish,” corrected Molly.

“Whatever. WE wish!” I poked my tongue out at Molly. “We wish to go home!”

And we were! Hand in hand, with our rings on!