The Beginning: A Wish for Freedom Once upon a time, in the land of Egypt, there lived a boy named Moises who wished he were free like the birds that flew over the river. He often said, “I wish my people would leave this place and find a land where there is as much peace as we dream of.” Moises had lived in Egypt for many years, and he had watched his family and friends work hard every day since he was a child. He wished the king would let them go, but he knew it would not be easy. Moises was going to speak to the Pharaoh, who was the king that ruled Egypt. He thought, “Maybe Pharaoh will listen if I tell him how much we need to leave.” His sister, Miriam, said, “You must be brave, Moises. You have to tell him the truth. You shouldn’t be afraid.” Moises nodded, “You’re right. I will just trust in God and do what I must.” The Call and the First Signs One day, while Moises was watching his sheep, he saw a bush that was burning but did not burn up. He wondered, “Could you tell me why t...
Once upon a time, in the village of Greenhill, there lived a young fox named Toby who always wanted to explore the world beyond his home. He wished he were as adventurous as his cousin, who had traveled to many lands and brought back stories of magical places. Toby had lived in Greenhill for as long as he could remember, and he had always dreamed of finding the legendary Promised Mountain, which was said to be the highest and brightest peak in the land.
One day, Toby found an old map in his attic. He thought, “Maybe this map will show me the way to Promised Mountain.” He was going to follow the map, but he knew he shouldn’t go alone. He had better ask his friends to join him, so he ran to the river where his best friend, Mia the rabbit, was fishing. “Mia, will you come with me on an adventure?” he asked. “I think we will probably find something amazing!”
Mia replied, “Of course, I will go with you! But you must bring food and water. You shouldn’t forget your jacket, because it will get cold in the mountains.” Toby nodded, “You’re right. I have to get ready before we leave.” He packed his bag and wrote down everything he would need.
On their way, they met Leo the owl, who had lived in the forest for over fifty years. “Do you know where the Promised Mountain is?” Toby asked. Leo replied, “Could you tell me what time you are going to start your journey?” Toby answered, “We are going to leave at sunrise. Would you mind lending us your compass?” Leo smiled, “All right, I will lend it to you, but you must bring it back.”
As they traveled, Mia said, “If we get lost, we will just ask for help. We shouldn’t worry too much.” Toby agreed, “If we follow the map, we are going to find the mountain.” Along the way, they saw a river that was too wide to cross. Toby wondered, “Can you tell me how deep the river is?” Mia replied, “I think it isn’t deep enough to swim safely. We had better build a raft.”
They worked together, picking up branches and tying them with vines. “Would you please help me push the raft into the water?” Mia asked. Toby replied, “Of course, I will push it with you.” After crossing, they got tired and decided to rest. “We have walked for hours since we left the village,” Toby said. “I wish I were stronger, but I will just keep going.”
As they climbed higher, the air got colder. “You need to put on your jacket,” Mia said. “You mustn’t forget to drink water.” Toby nodded, “You’re right. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we will get sick.” They saw a cave where a bear lived, who had watched over the path for many years. “Do you know who built this cave?” Toby asked. The bear replied, “My grandfather built it. He has lived here since he was a cub.”
The next morning, they woke up early. “What are you going to do if you see the mountain today?” Mia asked. Toby smiled, “If we see it, I will climb to the very top!” As they walked, they found a fork in the road. “Should we go left or right?” Toby wondered. Mia suggested, “We ought to follow the sun. If we go left, we will probably reach the mountain faster.”
Along the path, they met a hedgehog who was going to the village market. “Would you mind showing us the way to Promised Mountain?” Toby asked. The hedgehog replied, “I have traveled this way for years. I will point out the safest path.” The friends thanked him and set off again.
Soon, clouds covered the sky. “Do you think it will rain?” Mia asked. Toby replied, “Maybe it will. We should find shelter just in case.” They hurried to a tree, and as the rain began, they got wet but didn’t give up. “We have waited for this adventure for so long,” Toby said. “We can’t stop now!”
When the rain stopped, they continued climbing. The path got steeper, and Mia said, “I wish I were as strong as the bear. My legs are getting tired.” Toby replied, “Don’t worry, we will rest soon.” They finally reached a clearing where they could see the Promised Mountain shining in the distance.
Excited, they ran the last part of the journey. When they reached the top, they looked out over the whole land. “We did it!” Toby shouted. “We have climbed the mountain we have dreamed about for years.” Mia smiled, “I’m glad we didn’t give up. If we hadn’t helped each other, we wouldn’t have made it.”
As the sun set, they sat together and watched the stars appear. Toby said, “I wish every day could be as wonderful as this one. If we ever get lost again, I know we will find our way—together.”
And so, in the village of Greenhill, the tale of the lost map and the Promised Mountain was told for many years, reminding everyone that with courage, friendship, and a little help, any dream is possible.
Key Structures Used:
- I wish / wishes
- Future with be going to / will
- Modals for necessity and suggestion (must, have to, need to, should, ought to, had better, mustn’t, don’t have to)
- Relative clauses (who, which, that, where)
- If-clauses (first conditional)
- Indirect questions (Do you know where…, Could you tell me what time…, etc.)
- Present perfect with since/for
- Phrasal verbs (pick up, put on, get tired, give up, set off, point out, find out, write down, bring back, keep going, put on, get sick, show up, look out, hurry to, climb up)
- Requests and polite responses (Would you please…, Would you mind…)
- Get + adjective (get tired, get wet, get lost, get sick, get stronger, get colder)
- Excuses with will and phrasal verbs (I’m sorry, I will bring it back, I will push it with you, I will just keep going)