In a cozy little house, not too far from a whispering forest, lived a kind girl named Lina. Now, Lina had a stepmother who was, to put it mildly, not a fan of sunshine and smiles. This stepmother was secretly a grumpy old witch, and she had a daughter of her own who was just as grumpy and quite lazy.

The witchy stepmother didn't like Lina one bit, mostly because Lina was so cheerful and good. "Hmph," she'd grumble. "That Lina is too happy. I need to do something about that." One day, she had a wicked idea. "Tonight," she whispered to her own daughter, "I'm going to sneak into Lina's room and... well, let's just say she won't be so cheerful anymore. You sleep in Lina's bed tonight, my dear, and Lina can sleep in yours. Just for a change."

But Lina had very good ears. She heard the witchy whisper! "Oh dear," she thought. "This sounds like trouble!" So, when nighttime came, Lina pretended to go to her stepmother's daughter's bed, but then, very quietly, she made sure her stepsister was actually in her (Lina's) usual spot.

In the middle of the night, the witch tiptoed into the room where she thought Lina was sleeping. With a nasty little grin, she did a very mean thing with a sharp axe. "There!" she cackled softly, thinking she'd gotten rid of Lina.

The next morning, the witch was horrified to see Lina, safe and sound, and her own daughter... well, let's just say her own daughter wasn't waking up. "Oh, fiddlesticks!" cried the witch. She quickly used some magic to make her daughter look mostly normal again, but she knew her terrible mistake.

Lina knew she had to escape. She ran to her best friend, a brave boy named Roland. "Roland, we have to go! My stepmother is a very angry witch, and she meant to harm me!"

Roland didn't hesitate. "Then we'll run away together!"

They packed a few things and zipped away as fast as they could. But the witch soon realized Lina was gone. "They won't get far!" she shrieked, and flew after them.

"She's coming!" cried Lina, looking back. "Quick, Roland! I have an idea. I'll turn into a little pond, and you turn into a duck swimming on it!" And poof! Just as the witch arrived, all she saw was a peaceful pond with a single duck.
"Hello, little duck," said the witch. "Have you seen a girl and a boy run by?"
"Quack, quack!" went Roland the duck, which the witch took to mean "No." So, grumbling, she flew off.

They changed back and ran on. But soon, Lina said, "She's coming again!"
"What now?" asked Roland.
"I'll turn into a beautiful rose in a field," said Lina, "and you turn into a fiddler playing a merry tune beside me!" Poof! The witch arrived to see a fiddler playing music next to a lovely rose.
"Hey, fiddler!" snapped the witch. "Seen a runaway pair?"
Roland the fiddler just played a jolly jig and shook his head. The witch stomped away, even angrier.

They changed back and ran further. But the witch was very stubborn. "She's almost here!" panted Lina. "This time, I'll be a big grey stone on the path, and you be a thorny rosebush growing right next to me." Poof!
The witch came puffing up. She looked at the stone and the rosebush. She was so tired and cross that she tried to sit on the stone, but the rosebush pricked her! "Ouch! Drat these children!" she yelled, and finally, she gave up and flew home in a huff.

Lina and Roland were safe! "Oh, Lina," said Roland, "you wait here. I'll go to my home and get everything ready for a big celebration, and then I'll come back for you. So no one finds you, turn into a pretty red stone."
Lina smiled and poof! She became a shiny red stone by the side of the road.

Roland went home, but as soon as he arrived, he got so busy with preparations and met so many people that, oh dear, he completely forgot about Lina waiting as a red stone!

Lina waited and waited. Days turned into weeks. Her heart felt like a deflated balloon. "He's forgotten me," she whispered sadly, and she changed from a stone into a little flower, hoping someone might at least notice her.

One day, a kind shepherd passed by. He saw the beautiful, lonely flower. "What a lovely flower!" he said. "I'll take you home and put you in a vase."
He took the flower home. The next morning, the shepherd was amazed! His little hut was all clean, the fire was lit, and breakfast was ready.
"Who did this?" he wondered.
"It was me," said a tiny voice from the flower.
The shepherd was astonished! A talking flower that did chores! He told everyone he met about his magical flower.

The story reached Roland. "A talking flower?" he thought. "That sounds... familiar." He went to the shepherd's hut.
As soon as he saw the flower, it spoke. "Roland, have you forgotten me so soon? I waited as a red stone, just like you asked."
Suddenly, Roland remembered everything! "Lina!" he cried. "Oh, Lina, I'm so sorry! I got so busy, I forgot!"
The flower shimmered, and poof! Lina stood before him, smiling.
Roland was overjoyed. He took Lina to his home, and they had the biggest, happiest celebration you ever did see. And this time, Roland made sure he never, ever forgot his clever, kind Lina again.

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