The Old MagicianIn a quiet little village, there lived an old magician named Harry. He only knew old-style magic tricks, and people had lost interest in his shows. No one came to watch him anymore, and that made him feel sad and forgotten. One day, Harry sat by a peaceful pond, watching the fish swim and play. They looked so carefree and happy. Wishing he could feel that free, Harry used his magic to turn himself into a fish.Swimming through the cool water with the other fish made him feel alive again. But his joy didn’t last long — a stork suddenly appeared and started eating the fish. Harry barely escaped. Scared, he decided to become a bird instead. As a sparrow, he flew high into the sky and joined a flock of birds. He was finally enjoying himself — until a hunter arrived and began shooting at them. Once again, Harry escaped just in time.Not giving up, he transformed into a deer and ran with a herd through a green meadow. For a while, everything seemed perfect. But then a hungry lion came charging through the trees. The deer scattered in fear. Harry ran as fast as he could and thankfully got away. That’s when Harry realized something important — No matter what form he took, life in the wild was always full of danger.Being a fish, a bird, or a deer all had risks.So, he chose to return to his human form and accept himself for who he was. He didn’t need fancy tricks to be happy. Now, Harry is content — proud to be a magician again, and even prouder to be himself. Anusridha, 10E (CBSE)