Waddle the wizard was overjoyed. He had just got a letter which said :'The Grand Wizard is happy to announce that Waddle can come home to Wizardland. He has now been pardoned as he knows the value of magic. He has shown himself to be kind and generous. We feel certain that never again will he misuse his powers of magic.'
Waddle looked at the silvery-purple paper with its border of stars and moons and danced, calling out to Chandu his friend, to read it.
Waddle told him for the umpteenth time how he had been banished from Wizardland for using his magic to play silly tricks and trouble everyone there. He was sent away and slowly his magic powers vanished. He had to manage without this magic. He had started in Humanland playing silly jokes using his magic. How he had laughed when he saw the puzzled look on peoples' faces! He grinned as he remembered the pigs with their tails tied, the mangoes which he turned blue and the pineapples purple, the buffaloes stuck in the water…haha- haha.
But he had missed Wizardland! His friends and family! The jalebi and ladoo trees, the popcorn and chip shrubs, the blue, blue sea with white tipped waves, and the green woods and silvery streams...
Goodbye!
The next day, he was out walking two hands covered his eyes… he knew it was Chandu. He heard loud clapping, and he was guided forward. He opened his eyes and what a surprise he got! All the people he loved, the animals on whom he had played jokes and the people he had helped were there. Under a tree was a table with a big cake, payasam and murukku, all made by paati.
Everyone clapped as Waddle blew out the large candle. When Waddle saw how happy everyone was for him, he again thought of how he would miss them all. Then they gave him gifts. The little girl brought him a shiny white stone which glowed a rich ruby red. The stork gave him two soft grey feathers which he said would bring him luck. The farmer gave him packets of different seeds, and cuttings of mango to grow in Wizardland.
‘If I had my magic I'd no longer waste it,' he thought, feeling sad. 'I'd use it to give everyone gifts which they could use, or would make them happy.' He thought of a gift for each one.
Suddenly there was a wonderful happy noise, clapping and whistling and cheering and chirping and squealing. For as Waddle had thought of each gift, it came magically into each one's hands! A shawl for Paati, magic crayons which would last for years for the little girl, special seeds for the farmer, mangoes for the pigs, special sweet grass for the cows, green grain for the storks, a walking stick for the old man and for Chandu, his best friend magic watermelon seeds and a little magic star to wish on…
Waddle was grateful, for he knew that the Grand Wizard had restored his magic powers. He was so touched.
Everyone called happily, "Three cheers for Waddle! He is the best."
