Once upon a time there was a little girl in a white dress. She was walking
 along a road when she came across a flower. It was the most beautiful
 flower
 she had ever seen and it had a thick sweet scent that was better than
 candy.
The flower bowed then spoke to her.
      "Hello little girl. What is it you desire?"
      "Desire?"
     "Yes. I am a magic flower that grants wishes to all who travel on this
road. I only ask two things in return; after I grant your wish you
 come back and tell me if you are happy with it or not."
         "Why would you want to know that?"
        "I take my work very seriously. If someone is not happy with their
 wish I will grant them a new one and keep granting them wishes until they
 are
 happy."
      "Two."
      "Hmm?"
      "You said you asked for two things in return. What is the other?"
      "Ah, yes. The other request. You must answer a question."
      "A question?"
      "Yes, a question."
      "What is the question?"
      "Why are you walking on my road?"
      "That is a strange question. First, I don't believe this is your road.
 This road is for everyone to use, not for one person to control. Second, I am

 walking on this road because I am looking for something. I haven't yet
 found it, but I believe if I keep walking, I will find it."
      "My my, what a smart girl. I have decided to grant your wish. Now tell
 me," the flower bowed again, "what is the object that you desire?"
      "Nothing."
      "Nothing?"
      "Nothing."
      "Then you are happy?"
      "No."
       "Then you are sad?"

       "No."
      "Then you are somewhere in the middle?"
      "No, well, I don't think so."
      "So you 're not exactly sure how you feel?"
      "In short probably, yes."
      "And there's no object you desire?"
      "Yes. There is no object I desire."
      "Oh my," the flower rested its blossom on one of its leaves, "what a
 pickle."
      "Is this really that big of a problem?"
      "Yes actually. You see I am required to grant wishes to all who cross
 my
 path, that I see fit, and who are unhappy. And I just hate to see people
 not
 happy because people are always happier when they're happy, right?"
      "Yes, that's true."
      "Hmm, I know! I will grant you wishes that people in the past have
> wished for and if you are not happy with it I will refund the wish."
>      "That sounds like a good solution."
>       "I thought so too. Now let's see." The flower thought for a moment.
     "Oh, I know! The person I granted this wish for was very pleased." The
flower clapped its leaves together and touched the ground. The ground spilt
 and a box sprung from the crack. It opened to reveal a beautiful fan that
 was
 made of the finest materials and had the most beautiful flowers painted on
 it.
 When she waved it the wind turned different colors and sang. The flower
 bowed and said, "I hope this makes you happy." The girl had great fun with
 the fan at first, making the wind sing and turn colors was very amusing,
 but
 after a few days she returned to the flower.
      "You didn't like it?"
     "Oh no. It's a beautiful fan it's just, not what I need."
      "Hmm, alright. As promised I will refund your wish." The flower put
 its
 leaves together then touched the ground. The box appeared and the girl put
 the fan back in it. The flower tapped its leaves together and touched the
 ground again. The box disappeared and a fountain, a marble fountain, with
 beautiful carvings and breath taking statues appeared in its place. The
 statues were of three dolphins and in the middle of the three dolphins
 there
 was a gorgeous mermaid. The bluest and most pure water the girl had ever
 seen flowed from the mermaid's hands and the dolphin's mouths. To top it
 all off, the fountain floated and followed her around. The flower bowed and
 said, "I hope this makes you happy." Again, at first the girl had great fun
 with the fountain, but after a few days she again, returned to the flower.
      "You didn't like that either?"
      "Oh no! Again, it was beautiful, but I don't need it."
      "Hmm, Ah! How silly of me. Little girls don't want fans or fountains."
 The flower tapped its leaves together and touched the ground. The fountain
 landed on the very spot it had come from and the ground swallowed it up. In
 its place there was a stand, and on the stand there was a porcelain doll.
Its face was painted with the most beautiful of colors, and it wore the most
 regal
 of dresses. It came with a matching hat that had a feather in it. The
 flower
 bowed and said, "I hope this will make you happy." The girl very much
 liked the doll because it was very close to what she was looking for. She

 enjoyed the doll's company for two weeks before returning to the flower.
      "Oh dear. You didn't like that either?" I'd thought I'd finally gotten
 it
 right."
     "Oh, no no no! The doll was very very beautiful and I did enjoy it
 very
 much, but it's not what I need, but it did help me realize what I want to
 wish
 for."
      "You've thought of a wish? Lovely! If you wish for it yourself, you
 are
 sure to like it. Now please tell me, what is the object you desire?"
     "I desire no object. My only wish is to stay here, with you, and be
 your
 friend. Because all I want is a friend." The flower was silent for a
 moment.
but then bowed and said, "I hope this will make you happy." And it indeed
 made the girl, and the flower very happy.

                                      The End

-Nicole