Welcome to Story Quest, a weekly podcast where we bring your stories to life!
In this episode we bring Zaynab’s story, The Mystical Mountain – to life.
If you have a story idea, you could be like Zaynab and have it turned into a Story Quest. All you have to do is send us your story idea here. We know you have the best imaginations and together we can create the most brilliant stories!
That’s just what Zaynab did. You can watch the story they suggested come to life below, plus they tell us all about the inspiration behind the story at the end.
Listen out for brand new Story Quest episodes every Thursday!
Thank you to Kayla who created the character KAYLA! Using the Story quest character creator! Well done Kayla for creating yourself as an Elsa from Frozen-esque hero! Great work You can create YOUR own Stroyquest characters on the Funkids website! Just go to funkidslive.com/storyquest – and use our special Storyquest Character Creator – and your character could appear in someone’s story!
The Mystical Mountain
“Look, over there! The first one to the top is a princess!” Said Clara, pointing to a mountain. Her friends accepted the challenge without hesitation and began to run.
Clara and her friends Mia, Zainab and Isla lived in Meadowridge, which was nestled between rolling hills and some particularly lush green meadows. It was a very quiet place and most people thought it was quite ordinary. But all was not how it seemed, as the girls were about to find out.
The girls were running. Powered by curiosity and a touch of competitive spirit, they began to ascend the mystical mountain. The sun beat down on them, making each step more challenging, but they kept going with all the determination they could muster.
Higher and higher they climbed, the world below shrinking as they ascended. Zaynab was the first to reach the summit. “I’m a princess! I’m a princess!” she chanted joyfully.
As the girls caught their breath, a peculiar sound echoed through the air – a SHWISH BANG that seemed to come from nowhere. Zaynab, momentarily frozen in surprise, looked around, but all she saw was a mysterious cloud of black smoke, as dark as a pitch-black cat.
“I guess I was daydreaming,” she mumbled, shaking off the strange experience she had just had.
Once Mia, Isla, and Clara joined her at the top, their eyes widened in amazement. From the mountain peak, they could see the entirety of Scotland. Mia, wiggled her nose, making her freckles bounce on her face because she couldn’t contain her excitement. “WOW!” she exclaimed.
The landscape below was a patchwork of green fields, winding rivers, and charming villages. The friends marvelled at the beauty of the place they called home.
As they took-in the breathtaking view, the girls checked their watches simultaneously. “Two minutes until lunchtime!” they exclaimed in unison. With newfound energy, they descended the hill, their laughter and footsteps echoing through the warm summer air.
Down the road, inside Clara’s cozy house, they were greeted by the delicious smells of lunch being prepared by Clara’s mom, Mandy. The table was adorned with plates of fluffy rice, crispy potatoes, and an array of fresh vegetables. The girls eagerly took their seats around the sparkly glass table.
While they all eagerly took bites out of their lunch, Zaynab couldn’t shake off the memory of the mysterious sound she had heard on the mountain. She decided to share her experience with Aunty Mandy, who was known for her imaginative stories.
As Zaynab carefully explained the SHWISH BANG, Aunty Mandy’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Ah, my dear, that must have been an invisible wizard concocting a mysterious potion!” she declared with a grin.
The girls exchanged curious glances, and Clara, Mia, and Isla listened intently to Aunty Mandy’s magical tale.
“I think it’s time you met Kayla” said Aunty Mandy.
“Who’s she?” They all exclaimed at once. At that moment, in walked a sassy, kind, and caring friend of Aunty Mandy’s.
“This is she. This is Kayla and she is unique. She has the power to freeze people and help them get out of difficult or strange situations”,
“What’s all this talk about invisible wizards and mysterious potions?” Kayla inquired, her hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity. All the girls gasped. It was the kind of gasp that sucked almost all the air out of the room. They had never met anyone with a magical power before. How had Aunty Mandy never mentioned Kayla before?
Zaynab recounted her earlier experience on the mountain, and Aunty Mandy, with a mischievous smile, suggested it might be a potion to make flowers dance or a spell to bring joy to the world. Kayla, always quick with a witty remark, added, “Maybe it was a potion to turn the sun into a giant ice cream cone!”
The friends burst into laughter at Kayla’s funny idea. With lunch finished and the mystery of the mystical mountain still lingering in the air, the children decided to spend the rest of the day playing in Clara’s back garden.
As the sun began to set, it cast a warm golden glow over the town and the friends engaged in a game of “freeze tag” – it’s a game where you have to take someone’s place by taking up exactly the same pose as them when you shout “freeze”. Kayla, true to her caring nature, used her freezing power to ensure everyone had a fair chance. The back garden transformed into a magical playground and all the neighbours could hear the laughter rippling down the street, along with the occasional squeal as someone got frozen.
As evening approached, the children gathered around the sparkly glass table once more, this time with plates of Aunty Mandy’s legendary chocolate chip cookies, delicious strawberry cheesecake, and some vanilla ice cream.
In between bites of sweetness, the friends couldn’t resist discussing the mysterious potion once again. Ideas and theories floated around the table, each more imaginative than the last. Kayla, with a twinkle in her eye, suggested, “What if the potion was meant to turn us into birds so we could soar through the sky?”
The thought sparked the children’s imaginations, and soon they were envisioning themselves flying over the mystical mountain, exploring its hidden caves and meeting mythical creatures.
As the night sky adorned itself with stars, casting a magical glow over Meadowridge, the friends decided to make a pact. They promised to return to the mystical mountain, armed with curiosity and a sense of wonder, ready to unravel the secrets hidden within its slopes.
And so, under the careful gaze of the moon, the children drifted off to sleep, their dreams filled with visions of invisible wizards, mysterious potions, and the enchanting adventures that awaited them on the mystical mountain.
So what kind of potion do you think the invisible wizard was inventing on that mystical mountain? Was it a potion to make flowers dance, a spell to bring joy to the world, or perhaps something even more magical? Perhaps when you sleep tonight, you’ll find out the answer!
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