Emily and the Wishing Sprite
    
Emily was downcast. Her father was convinced that she should spend the summer playing softball at an expensive camp and not, under any circumstance, stay home and take the ballet classes that she had had her eye on. “If only he would listen,” said Emily wretchedly as she sat by the stream that ran through her yard.
    
“If only who would listen?” said an unexpected voice. Emily looked up. She had thought she was alone! Standing before her was the most interesting person Emily had ever seen. She had long, flowing blond hair, which melted into her dress. But this was no ordinary dress! It seemed to be made of water rippling when she moved and the color of a woodland stream. “I SAID, IF ONLY WHO WOULD LISTEN!” said--
    
Wait, who was this? wondered Emily. The question must have shown on her face.
    
“I am a water sprite with wish-granting powers named Serafina.”
    
“Oh,” said Emily. “In that case, could you give my father something to make him decide that I don’t need to go to softball camp? And I should go to dance class instead?”
    
“Uh,” said Serafina. “Wouldn’t you like candy? Or a bike? Or shoes?”
    
“No,” said Emily stubbornly.
    
“How about a camera? Or a dictionary? Or a toaster?” Serafina sounded desperate. “Or how about a--”
    
“I want not to go to softball camp!”
    
“All right.” Serafina sounded grumpy. Then: “Sprinkle this into your father’s coffee.” And tossing a packet to Emily, she melted into the stream.
    
And sure enough, when Emily sprinkled the sparkling white powder into her father’s coffee and her father had drunk it, he said, “I’ve been thinking, and I think that I should cancel softball camp so that you can stay here, maybe take a couple of ballet classes. What do you think?”
    
“I think that that would be lovely,” Emily replied happily.