Once upon a time, in the peaceful kingdom of Eldoria, there lived a wise and kind queen named Isabella. She had ruled the land for many years with fairness and grace. People loved her deeply because she cared about everyone, from the richest nobles to the poorest farmers. But Queen Isabella held a secret that no one in the kingdom knew.
When she was a young princess, before she became queen, she had discovered a hidden garden deep within the royal forest. The garden was magical. Flowers that never wilted bloomed in every color of the rainbow. Birds with golden feathers sang songs that could heal sadness, and a small stream flowed with water that sparkled like diamonds. Isabella named it “The Secret Garden of Hope.”
Every time she felt tired or sad, she would go to the garden. It made her feel peaceful and strong again. But as she grew older and took on the duties of the crown, she visited less often. Still, she never forgot it. She knew that the garden must remain a secret so it would not be destroyed or taken by greed.
Years passed. Queen Isabella ruled justly and wisely. But one day, she became very ill. The royal doctors tried everything they could, but nothing seemed to work. People in the kingdom grew worried. Without their queen, who would lead them?
One night, Isabella called her most trusted servant, Anna. Anna had served her since childhood and loved her like a mother.
“Anna,” the queen said softly, her voice weak, “there is something I must tell you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?” Anna asked, kneeling beside her.
“In the forest,” Isabella said, “there is a hidden garden. It is magical. I believe it may have the power to heal me. But it must stay a secret. Only you can go.”
Anna was shocked but promised to do as the queen asked. Early the next morning, before the sun rose, she set out on her journey.
The forest was deep and dark, but Anna remembered the queen’s directions. She walked for hours, sometimes frightened by strange sounds or rustling leaves. But finally, she reached the garden.
It was even more beautiful than she imagined. The air smelled sweet, and she felt a warm energy fill her heart. She gently filled a glass bottle with water from the stream and picked a few petals from the silver rose that grew near the center.
She rushed back to the palace. The queen drank the water and held the petals close to her chest. That night, for the first time in weeks, she slept peacefully.
In the morning, the queen awoke with color in her cheeks. She could sit up and smile. The doctors were amazed. In a few days, she was walking again. News of her recovery spread through Eldoria like wildfire, though no one knew how it had happened.
Anna kept the queen’s secret and never told a soul. Queen Isabella ruled for many more years, stronger and wiser than ever. On her hundredth birthday, she passed peacefully in her sleep.
Before she died, she wrote a letter to Anna:
“My dearest Anna,
You have been my light in dark times, my strength when I was weak. Thank you for keeping the garden safe. When I am gone, I ask only this: pass on its memory to someone kind and brave. Let it never be lost, and let it always be a place of hope.”
Anna followed her queen’s wish. Years later, when she grew old, she chose a young girl from the village—a kind-hearted orphan named Lily—to share the secret. And so, the garden remained hidden, passed down from heart to heart, a legacy of hope, love, and trust.
Vocabulary:
- Kingdom – a country ruled by a king or queen
- Nobles – people of high rank or birth
- Wilted – became weak or dry (usually said of flowers)
- Sparkled – shone with small bright flashes of light
- Greed – a strong desire for more wealth or power than needed
- Justly – in a fair and right way
- Majesty – a respectful way to address a queen or king
- Kneeling – going down on one’s knees
- Directions – instructions or guidance about how to do something or where to go
- Rustling – soft sounds made by movement, like leaves blowing
- Petals – the colorful parts of a flower
- Legacy – something handed down from the past
Phrasal Verbs:
- Take on – to accept a responsibility or challenge
- Set out – to begin a journey
- Look after – to take care of
- Hold on – to keep something carefully
- Pass down – to give something to a younger person, usually in a family
- Grow up – to become older or become an adult
- Fill up – to make something full
- Wake up – to stop sleeping
- Rush back – to return quickly
- Keep up – to continue doing something
