Lily and Leo’s Adventures with the Evil Witch

Once upon a time, there lived two siblings, Lily and Leo, in a peaceful little village, not far from the Round Forest. Lily was a clever and brave girl who always took care of her younger brother, Leo. Leo was a cheerful, mischievous boy who loved animals and often explored the forest to make new friends.

One day, Leo was playing under an old oak tree where he found an abandoned bird’s nest. While he admired the little eggs, a cold wind suddenly blew, and out of the trees came a wicked witch on her broomstick. The witch’s face was wrinkled, and her eyes glowed with evil.

“I finally found what I was looking for!” she said in a raspy voice. “A child who can help me get back my youth!”

Before Leo could understand what was happening, the witch grabbed him and took him onto her broomstick. She flew deep into the Round Forest, where her house was hidden. The witch wanted Leo to find the Round Forest’s deepest secret: the Fountain of Youth, which only a pure-hearted child could uncover.

When Lily learned that the wicked witch had taken her brother, she acted immediately. The villagers, frightened, hid in their homes and didn’t dare to enter the forest. But Lily was determined. She took a map left by their father and set out to find Leo. She knew she would face dangers along the way, but she was ready to do whatever it took to bring her brother back.

Lily walked through the Round Forest until she reached a wide, grassy meadow. The meadow was peaceful, with the wind gently rustling the trees, and a few birds flying high above. As Lily got closer, she heard a faint, desperate chirping. She followed the sound and soon saw a small sparrow caught in a hunter’s net.

The bird flapped its wings wildly, but the more it struggled, the more tangled it became in the net.

“Wait, don’t move, I’ll help you!” Lily said, crouching down carefully.

The sparrow froze, as if it understood that Lily meant no harm. Lily gently untangled the net from the bird’s wings and legs until the little sparrow was free. For a moment, the bird trembled, then it spoke:

“Thank you, thank you for saving me! I thought I would never get out!”

“Be more careful next time,” Lily said with a smile.

The sparrow happily flew away and disappeared.

Lily walked further down the path until she came to a huge, hollow tree. From a small crack in the trunk, she heard faint squeaking. Lily crouched down and saw that a family of mice was trapped inside. A big rock was blocking the entrance.

The eldest mouse came closer to the crack and said:
“Please, help us! We’re trapped and can’t get out!”

Lily looked around and tried to move the rock, but it was too heavy. Then she remembered seeing a long, sturdy branch nearby. She brought it back and used it as a lever to lift the rock. With great effort, she managed to move it just enough for the mice to escape through the crack.

“Thank you for freeing us!” squeaked the mice. “We are so grateful!”

Lily smiled and waved goodbye to the mice, then continued on her way. Beyond the tree, the path grew darker and more winding, but Lily knew she was closer to her brother than ever before.

Lily walked for a long time until she reached a clearing where she saw a crystal-clear mountain lake. The lake was surrounded by tall mountains, and the only sound was the gentle rippling of the water. Lily looked around and heard a faint groaning nearby.

Following the sound, she came to a cave. She stepped into the dimly lit cave and saw a large turtle lying on its back. The turtle was desperately flailing its legs but couldn’t turn itself over.

“Please, help me!” said the turtle when it saw Lily.

Lily quickly went over and used all her strength to turn the turtle back onto its feet. The turtle finally stood up and let out a grateful sigh.

“Thank you, brave girl! I thought I’d be stuck here forever.”

“I’m glad I could help,” said Lily. “But I must hurry. I’m looking for my brother. The witch took him, and I don’t know where she’s hiding. Can you help me?”

The turtle thought for a moment, then nodded.
“The witch lives on Dark Hill, on the other side of the forest. Follow this path by the lake. It will lead you into the mountains and straight to the hill. But be careful—the area is full of her traps!”

“Thank you for your help!” said Lily, and she set off in the direction the turtle had shown her. She knew she was getting closer to her goal, and time was running out.

Lily reached the top of Dark Hill, where the witch’s house stood. The small, crumbling cottage was wrapped in thick, tangled vines, and above the roof, crows circled, cawing loudly as if guarding the place.

As Lily approached, the crows were about to swoop down on her. But just then, a small sparrow appeared. The bird darted swiftly through the air, quickly distracting the crows. The crows flew after the sparrow, cawing angrily, while Lily took the chance to slip into the house. From the doorway, she glanced back and winked at the sparrow, gratefully thanking it for its help.

Inside, Lily saw Leo sitting in a corner, trapped in a cage. He looked tired as he gazed at his sister. The witch stood by a bubbling cauldron and turned to Lily with an evil grin.

“So, you found me… but it’s all in vain. You will never take your brother!”

Lily stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, mice began scurrying out from all directions. Some climbed up the witch’s skirt, surrounding her. The witch screamed in terror and jumped onto the top of a table.

“Get away from me!” she shrieked.

The mice didn’t budge and only multiplied. Among them, Lily recognized the old mouse she had freed from the hollow tree. In desperation, the witch pulled the cage key out of her pocket and threw it out the window.

“Take it if you can!” she shouted angrily, gripping the edge of the table even tighter.

Lily ran to the window and saw that the key had fallen into the lake beside the house.

She quickly ran to the lake, and as she stood on the shore, she looked at the deep, dark water in despair. There was no way she could dive in to retrieve it. Just then, a turtle appeared and quietly swam closer. Lily smiled as she recognized it.

Without a word, the turtle dove to the bottom of the lake and, after a moment, came back up with the key in its mouth.

“Thank you so much,” said Lily. “I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon!”

Lily ran back to the house and unlocked the cage with the key, finally freeing Leo. The siblings hugged each other tightly and quickly left the house, running as fast as they could. The witch was still trembling on the table because of the mice and cursed helplessly after them.

Lily and Leo ran hand in hand down the hill and didn’t stop until they were out of the dark forest. When they finally saw their village, the sun was just setting. Their family embraced them warmly, and the whole village rejoiced that they had returned safely.

Lily never forgot these adventures and often told the story to her own children later on. The two siblings live happily in their little village, and some say they are still there to this day.