Just One More Yesterday - Short Story for Kids
In this short children’s story, a little girl hasn't studied for her test. In the end, she learns an important lesson.
Onyinye Obiorah
5/11/20263 min read
Just One More Yesterday
It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining, and the birds were chirping. All was calm and peaceful. But not for Ellie. She woke up late today. This wouldn’t have been a problem if she didn’t have a big test. She had forgot all about it and hadn’t studied at all.
“Oh, how I wish I had studied,” she said as her textbooks went flying out of her hands. She pushed the papers off the table, and picked up a book from the ground. She flipped the pages back and forth. Where would she begin? She sighed and bowed her head.
David walked in. He tried to cheer her up, but it was no good.
“Why don’t we go on an adventure…” David started to say.
“David, there’s hardly any time for that,” she said.
“But I’m sure you can listen to a short story,” said Daddy peeking through the door.
“Maybe,” Ellie said.
“In a faraway land -the Land of Wishahad- the people were always wishing for one more yesterday. There was a wise old man who could give them back their yesterdays, but he told them that that wasn’t a good idea.
‘Today is much better,’ he said.
But they didn’t believe him. Instead, they bothered him all day long.
‘Please, can I have one more yesterday,’ a man begged, ‘I lost my golden coin in a deep well. I wish I had never gone to the well.’
Next, a little boy came and asked.
‘Please can I have just one more yesterday? I climbed a tree and sprained my knee. I wish I had never climbed that silly old tree.’
One by one, the people came begging for one more yesterday. Finally, they wore the old man out.
‘Okay,’ he said. ‘You can all have one more day. But it won’t do any good.’
With that, he waved his little hands. They all had what they had wished for - one more yesterday.
YIPPIE!
They were all so happy.
The little woman didn’t take her cup of water close to her painting. And the trader didn’t take his coin to the well. There was no tree climbing for the little boy.
Later that day, the little woman wanted some orange juice. She poured herself a glass. When she saw the painting, she was glad. She held it in her hands and smiled. But the cup of juice got tipsy and spilled all over it. Oh no!
The trader went to a fair. He kept his coin on a table. It was just for a tinsy, itsy, bitsy minute. When he looked again, it was gone. Oh no!
The little boy decided he would climb some large hills close by. So he did. He climbed, and he climbed. Higher and higher and higher. Soon, he missed his step and tripped and fell. Oh no! ‘Silly old rock,’ he thought.
It was just the same for all the people of the land of wishahad. Things weren’t any better because they had had their wishes.
‘There, there,’ the wise old man said. ‘You never learn a thing when yesterday isn’t gone forever.’
This time, they agreed. They all happily enjoyed today.
The little lady learned not to drink around her paintings. The trader always kept his money safely. He also found his missing coin. And the little boy was more careful whenever he played.
Do you understand?” Daddy asked as he ended his story. Ellie nodded.
“What can you do with today?”he said with a wink. Then he walked away.
So, Ellie laid out her bed, She picked out a pretty dress. Then she had a shower. There were still two hours before the test. She sat and studied. Soon, she was done.
Daddy drove her to the test. When it was over, she passed. It was a splendid day after all. Thank God for Today!
The End