Katerina's Wish by Jeannie Mobley

still shaping his snare. ‘Butmy younger brother will race you, though he’s very small.’
    â€œThe sprite accepted the challenge. So the boy let the squirrel out of his bag and the creature zipped away so quickly it was halfway around the lake before the sprite started. Of course, it won. When the sprite told the king what had happened, the king sent him back to try again.
    â€œâ€˜I can’t. I’m still too busy, but you can race my other brother,’ the boy said.
    â€œThe sprite agreed, and the boy set the hare loose. Well, what do you know, that hare was even faster than the squirrel had been.”
    â€œAnd the sprite lost again!” Aneshka said with a delighted squeal.
    â€œYes. So when the sprite returned to the king, it was clear that racing wasn’t going to work.
    â€œâ€˜Go back up and tell the boy you will wrestle him, and when you have a good grip on him, drag him into the lake and we’ll be rid of him for good.’
    â€œSo the sprite returned to the surface, and he challenged the boy to a wrestling match.
    â€œâ€˜Oh, I am much too busy,’ said the boy, ‘but my old grandfather is sleeping in that cave, and if you’ll wake him up, he might be willing to wrestle with you.’
    â€œâ€˜If I win,’ said the sprite, ‘will you leave our lake alone and not tie it up?’
    â€œâ€˜Certainly,’ agreed the boy. So the sprite went into the dark cave and saw the sleeping figure.
    â€œâ€˜Grandfather, come wrestle with me,’ he said, but the figure went on sleeping.
    â€œâ€˜Come on, old man,’ the little sprite said impatiently, and he slapped the bear hard on the nose.
    â€œWell, that bear came awake with a huge growl and swatted the little sprite so hard he flew backward and landed with a big splash in the middle of the lake. When the king saw that, he knew he had to do something to protect the lake from such a strong, clever, fast family. So he rose to the surface and asked the boy, ‘What do you want to leave our lake alone?’
    â€œâ€˜Just enough of your gold to fill my hat,’ the boy answered.
    â€œâ€˜Agreed,’ said the king. And while he was at the bottom of the lake gathering the gold, the boy dug a pit in the ground and cut a hole in the top of his hat. So when the king poured his coins into the boy’s hat, he kept filling and filling, and the hat did not fill until the boy had nearly all the sprite king’s gold.
    â€œAnd that is how, with nearly nothing, the boy ended up the richest of all the brothers,” Old Jan finished.
    â€œWe have nearly nothing—maybe we are going to be rich too,” Aneshka said, and giggled.
    Momma gave her a reproachful look, but Old Jan smiled. “As I said, I have a small thing that may help.”
    â€œWhat is this ‘small thing’ you have?” Momma asked, her voice skeptical.
    â€œWell,” Old Jan said quietly, looking at me, “they are not really mine. But maybe Trina would like to tell this story.”
    All around the table eyes turned to me. I looked desperately at Old Jan and he gave me an encouraging smile, but nothing more. I was on my own from here; he had done all he planned to do. I had made the choice to take the money and buy the chickens, and I was going to have to tell my parents on my own. I swallowed hard and spoke up.
    â€œI bought chickens,” I said simply.
    â€œYou what?” Momma said.
    â€œChickens?” Papa said.
    I nodded and hurried to explain everything before I lost my courage. When I finished, there was silence at the table for a long moment. I kept my eyes on my empty plate, not daring to look at my parents.
    â€œWell, where are they?” Papa said at last.
    Mark rose from the table and returned a moment later with the crate. He set it on the floor and everyone gathered around as he lifted off the lid.
    All of a sudden, Papa began to laugh.
    Momma frowned at